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Masterthesis: Effects of novel consumers on alpine plants
Climate change might lead to novel biotic interactions, such as the ones between plants and herbivores or pathogens. Such novel interactions could profoundly influence how species and communities respond to changing conditions (Wisz et al. 2013, HilleRisLambers et al. 2013, Alexander et al. 2015, 2016). Novel interactions occur if species shift their ranges at different rates following climate change (Gilman et al. 2010). However, the impact that novel plant-enemy interactions will have on species’ responses to climate change is currently unknown.
Climate change might lead to novel biotic interactions, such as the ones between plants and herbivores or pathogens. Such novel interactions could profoundly influence how species and communities respond to changing conditions (Wisz et al. 2013, HilleRisLambers et al. 2013, Alexander et al. 2015, 2016). Novel interactions occur if species shift their ranges at different rates following climate change (Gilman et al. 2010). However, the impact that novel plant-enemy interactions will have on species’ responses to climate change is currently unknown.
In this Masterproject you will establish a multi-species transplant experiment within an existing insect, fungal pathogen and mollusc exclusion experiment along an elevational gradient in the region of Davos. Focal alpine plants will be exposed to either their current or future enemies, under climates ranging from conditions experienced today to those that are predicted to occur in the Alps over the next 100 years. Together with a PhD student you will test whether species traits can be used to predict how species response to novel enemies and warming.
The experimental sites are at 2600m, 2000m and 1600m elevation, and accessible either by car or cable car. In a small team you will perform the transplant experiment, help in maintaining the exclusion experiments (insects, pathogens and molluscs are excluded using pesticides, see also bug-net.org) and measure the response of the transplanted species to current and novel enemies at the end of the growing season.
We are looking for a highly motivated student interested in plant-consumer (insect herbivores, pathogens) interactions and willing to do fieldwork. You should be a team player and have ideally some experience in data analysis using R. The master project takes place in Davos at the SLF (part of the WSL) and we help in finding housing in Davos (housing costs will be mostly covered by the SLF). We offer an inclusive environment in an enthusiastic and small ecological team, in a stunning alpine environment. If you are interested, please send a motivation statement to anne.kempel@slf.ch
Additional supervision: You will work in close collaboration with Julien Bota (julien.bota@slf.ch), Phd student in the project. The project is further advised by Jake Alexander ETH (jake.alexander@usys.ethz.ch) and Eric Allan (eric.allan@unibe.ch), Uni Bern.
Climate change might lead to novel biotic interactions, such as the ones between plants and herbivores or pathogens. Such novel interactions could profoundly influence how species and communities respond to changing conditions (Wisz et al. 2013, HilleRisLambers et al. 2013, Alexander et al. 2015, 2016). Novel interactions occur if species shift their ranges at different rates following climate change (Gilman et al. 2010). However, the impact that novel plant-enemy interactions will have on species’ responses to climate change is currently unknown. In this Masterproject you will establish a multi-species transplant experiment within an existing insect, fungal pathogen and mollusc exclusion experiment along an elevational gradient in the region of Davos. Focal alpine plants will be exposed to either their current or future enemies, under climates ranging from conditions experienced today to those that are predicted to occur in the Alps over the next 100 years. Together with a PhD student you will test whether species traits can be used to predict how species response to novel enemies and warming. The experimental sites are at 2600m, 2000m and 1600m elevation, and accessible either by car or cable car. In a small team you will perform the transplant experiment, help in maintaining the exclusion experiments (insects, pathogens and molluscs are excluded using pesticides, see also bug-net.org) and measure the response of the transplanted species to current and novel enemies at the end of the growing season.
We are looking for a highly motivated student interested in plant-consumer (insect herbivores, pathogens) interactions and willing to do fieldwork. You should be a team player and have ideally some experience in data analysis using R. The master project takes place in Davos at the SLF (part of the WSL) and we help in finding housing in Davos (housing costs will be mostly covered by the SLF). We offer an inclusive environment in an enthusiastic and small ecological team, in a stunning alpine environment. If you are interested, please send a motivation statement to anne.kempel@slf.ch
Additional supervision: You will work in close collaboration with Julien Bota (julien.bota@slf.ch), Phd student in the project. The project is further advised by Jake Alexander ETH (jake.alexander@usys.ethz.ch) and Eric Allan (eric.allan@unibe.ch), Uni Bern.