PhD Position (f/m/d)

Research area and project description:
The size of species’ geographic ranges varies by orders of magnitude, with most species having small ranges, making them vulnerable to anthropogenic or natural extinction. To understand this vulnerability and successfully protect species against the current biodiversity crisis, a better understanding of the drivers of range size and rarity is needed. This is particularly true for the tropics, where the world’s highest biodiversity and largest concentrations of of small-ranged species coincide with rapid rates of habitat loss.

Range size is known to depend on various ecological and evolutionary processes, but the interplay of those processes and the relative importance of ecology vs. evolution remains incompletely understood. Much of the existing evidence comes from vertebrate groups, which are well-served with data. Insights from other ecologically important groups with different life histories, such as plants, are urgently needed to fully understand the drivers of range size.

This project will use the palm family (Arecaceae), a well-established model group for tropical plant ecology and evolution, to jointly test ecological and evolutionary drivers of range size and rarity. In collaboration with palm experts from around the world, you will map the geographic distributions of palm species, integrating different types of data from various sources in a species distribution modeling (SDM) framework. You will then relate range size statistically to putative drivers (life history traits, evolutionary information etc.) to test different pathways to geographic rarity. 

The project is an excellent opportunity to develop your quantitative skills in a renowned ecoinformatics environment. You will gain experience with compiling, managing and analysing large heterogeneous datasets; analysis of spatial data in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) framework; advanced statistical modelling techniques. You will also develop your theoretical knowledge at the intersection of macroecology, phylogenomics and Global Change biogeography.

This PhD project is part of a larger, fully funded project on geographic range size. You will work closely with other project staff and collaborators, and be an active part of Plant Evolution and Biodiversity group led by Wolf Eiserhardt. The working language is English, but individual supervision in Danish or German is possible.

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Qualifications and specific competences:
By the start of the project, you hold a Master’s degree in Biology, Geography or a related discipline, or have equivalent experience qualifying you for a 3+5 or 4+4 PhD at Aarhus University (https://phd.nat.au.dk/for-applicants/phd-study-structure-and-income). You enjoy, and have experience with, working with biological and/or geospatial data. Profound experience with statistics (ideally in R) is desirable, as is experience with GIS. Previous exposure to ecological and/or evolutionary theory concerning large-scale processes is an advantage.

Place of employment and place of work:
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is Department of Biology

Ny Munkegade 114-116, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. 

Contacts:
Applicants seeking further information for this project are invited to contact: Associate Professor Wolf Eiserhardt, wolf.eiserhardt(at)bio.au.dk, Prof Jens-Christian Svenning, svenning(at)bio.au.dk or Prof William J. Baker, w.baker(at)kew.org

How to apply:

For information about application requirements and mandatory attachments, please see the Application guide. Please read the Application guide thoroughly before applying.

When ready to apply, go to https://phd.nat.au.dk/for-applicants/apply-here/ (Note, the online application system opens 1 December 2024)

1. Choose February 2024 Call with deadline 1 February 2024 at 23:59 CET.
2. You will be directed to the call and must choose the programme “Biology”.
3. In the boxed named “Study”: In the dropdown menu, please choose: “Evolutionary macroecology of species’ geographic ranges in palms (Emsgrp)”

Please note:

• The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
• The project will only be initiated if the graduate school/the faculty grants funding.

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background.