Now hiring: PhD position in Arctic Ocean primary production
Now hiring: PhD position in Arctic Ocean primary production
PhD project title: Benthic primary production in a changing Arctic Ocean
Advisors: Karl Attard, Michael Kuhl, Ronnie N. Glud
PhD position in Arctic Ocean primary production
Description of PhD position
We are pleased to announce a fully funded PhD position based at the Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, to investigate benthic primary production in the Arctic.
Rationale: More than half of the Arctic Ocean’s 14 million km2 consists of shelf seas that could harbor substantial benthic primary production. However, the occurrence of primary producers and their rates of photosynthetic production on the Arctic seafloor remain poorly understood. Benthic primary producers comprise an additional food source to Arctic food webs, and their presence at the seabed surface alters the biogeochemical functioning of coastal waters significantly. Additionally, the timing of their production might differ to other known sources. Through probing the presence and activity of benthic primary producers, this project will improve our understanding of primary production and marine ecosystems in a changing Arctic Ocean.
Project description: The candidate will investigate benthic primary production using microsensor techniques and incubations to characterize photosynthesis rates in microphytobenthos while exploring the importance of the spectral composition of light. This work will be done in collaboration with Prof. Michael Kuhl at Copenhagen University. The student will have the opportunity to work with other techniques including PAM fluorometry, advanced imaging techniques to investigate the structure of biofilms, and HPLC pipelines to measure photosynthetic pigments. Computational techniques will allow modelling photosynthetic responses and upscaling measurements to get a broad-scale perspective on benthic primary production in the Arctic. Training will be provided on all aspects of this work.
Who should apply? The ideal candidate will have an eye for detail, will be comfortable working in the laboratory and in the field using sensitive instrumentation, and will be willing to travel to the Arctic for research stays on research vessels and at remote field stations, working closely with international collaborators. The ideal candidate would be able to work independently and as part of a team. A background in microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, marine science, or a related discipline is desired.
What we offer: The PhD student will join a vibrant, diverse, and international research group at Nordcee (https://www.nordcee.dk/). The PhD program at SDU is an extensive program aimed at personal and professional development. The student will have the opportunity to teach and to co-advise other students, to undertake international training courses, and to spend time abroad at another university.
The application deadline is March 15th, with a flexible start date in 2023.
For enquiries, please contact Assistant Professor Karl Attard (karl.attard@biology.sdu.dk)
