One PhD Student Position in Soil Science (65%, TV-L E13)
within the multidisciplinary Priority Program SPP 1374 “Biodiversity Exploratories” granted by the German Science Foundation (http://www.biodiversity-exploratories.de/). Combining monitoring and measurements of functional diversity, more than 30 research groups perform interdisciplinary research in the Exploratories to understand the relationships between landscape change, biodiversity, biological interactions, and ecosystem processes and services.
In this frame, the research group for Geoecology is in charge of the project “Phosphorus cycling in grasslands and forests of differing diversity and land use (DYNPHOS)”. Particularly in managed ecosystems, the expected future P fertilizer scarcity and the growing importance of P for ecosystems due to ongoing atmospheric N deposition call for a comprehensive understanding of P transformation processes in soil. Results of the preceding DYNPHOS phase showed that plant diversity influenced P availability in soil through more effective plant P uptake from soil P pools at the Swabian Alb. It remains unclear if combined effects of land-use intensity and plant diversity on P transformation processes in soil will result in tight ecosystem P cycling thus, opening opportunities to counteract P scarcity. The prospective PhD candidate will study i) gross P mineralization, ii) microbial biomass P, and iii) dissolved P leaching (PO4-P and DOP) in soils of the Exploratories. The PhD studen!
t will be trained in various state-of-the-art laboratory techniques and develop and apply an innovative method to measure gross P mineralization based on labeling with P18O4.
Applicants should have a background in Geoecology, Geoscience, Geography, Landscape Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Agricultural Sciences, Biology, Geochemistry, or Environmental Chemistry. Good communication skills, high motivation and committment to interdisciplinary research particularly focusing on environmental issues as well as good computer and language skills (English) are required. The positions will be open until qualified candidates are identified. We particularly encourage female applicants to apply for this position. Disabled persons will be preferred in case of equal qualification.
The research group of Yvonne Oelmann is in the process of moving from the University of Koblenz-Landau to the Ruprecht Karls University of Tübingen. Information on the research group can still be found on the Koblenz website:
http://www.uni-koblenz-landau.de/koblenz/fb3/ifin/geographie/mitarbeiter/professoren/yvonne-oelmann
Please send your application (cover letter, full CV, copies of certificates, and names, telephone numbers and email addresses of two academic referees) as a single PDF file attached to an email to Yvonne Oelmann (yvonne.oelmann[at]uni-tuebingen.de). Application deadline is September 18th, 2011.