Ph.D. position is available for Forestry student

A PhD position is announced at Humbold University (half time employment E13/2) for 3 years in a project funded by the German Research council (DFG) and starting in October 2009
The topic is:
Stable isotopes and metabolite profiles as physiological markers for the drought stress sensitivity of Douglas fir provenances

The institution:
The Institute for Landscape Matter Dynamics (part of the Leibnitz-Institute für Agrarlandschaftsforschung) in Müncheberg close to Berlin; The PhD student will be enrolled at the Humboldt-University in Berlin

Background:
Global climate change will result not only in increased air temperatures but also in an increase of drought periods in Central Europe. It is therefore important to understand the drought response of long-lived trees and to develop tools that allow to screen the drought tolerance of provenances.

Objectives of the project:
The main goal of the research project is to characterise the response of Douglas fir provenances to drought on the physiological and biochemical level. We aim to detect physiological and metabolic markers for drought sensitivity/tolerance of provenances. Analytical techniques applied in the project are isotope ratio mass spectrometry and metabolic profiling with GC-MS. This project is linked to other projects dealing with forest growth, molecular biological tools for assessing drought tolerance and plant physiology/biochemistry. PhD candidates in this program will learn how to design and apply techniques used widely in field-based plus laboratory based ecological and ecophysiological research.
We offer a lively scientific environment at a Leibnitz-Centre (ZALF) dedicated to agricultural research at the landscape level and at the Humboldt-University Berlin

Prerequisites:
Applicants should hold a M. Sc. or equivalent (German Diplom) in a discipline relevant to the topic (forestry, ecology, biology, environmental sciences, biogeochemistry). The research project requires a high level of autonomy and organization and extended working periods at field sites in different parts of Germany will be required. The applicants must demonstrate a strong interest and experience in conducting interdisciplinary research and should be willing to co-operate with other researchers. Experience with GC-MS and/or isotope ratio mass spectrometry is advantageous but not required.

Application:
Applicants should send an application letter, CV, the name, postal and email address of two persons familiar with the previous scientific performance of the applicant to:
sonne@arthur-gessler.de (Dr. Arthur Gessler)