Topical issues :
Link to related Projects:
- DEVIL
- Chronexpo
- Seine-aval
- PIREN seine
job offers
- Ph D: Migratory behaviour and survival of Atlantic salmon and sea trout stock components
Where they occur in large rivers, Atlantic salmon and sea trout stocks often contain several distinct components, characterized by factors such as genetic distinctiveness, life cycle characteristics and migration patterns. Understanding the characteristics and contributions of these stock components is fundamental to conservation and management of exploited stocks in these rivers. This project will use acoustic telemetry and PIT (passive integrated transponder) tagging to measure migration patterns and the fate of downstream migrating juveniles and upstream migrating adults of several distinct salmon and sea trout stock components in the River Tweed, a Special Area of Conservation in the Scottish Borders. This will be linked to information on age, growth and identity of the stock components. As part of this work we aim to measure exploitation rates by anglers on adult salmonids as well as losses due to other factors and predation rates by birds and fishes on juveniles. The outputs will be used to improve model assumptions on survival rates and abundance for stock components in the river.
The project, funded largely through the EU, is a collaboration between the Tweed Foundation (Dr Ronald Campbell) and Durham University (Dr Martyn Lucas) and fieldwork will be based from the Tweed Foundation’s headquarters in the river locality. The student will benefit from training in field research, fisheries management, experimental design and communication across both institutions and will have access to state of the art resources, within a highly active research environment.
The project is due to start on 1 January 2010 and interested applicants can obtain further information from Dr Lucas (m.c.lucas@durham.ac.uk) or Dr Campbell (rcampbell@tweedfoundation.org.uk).
- Post Doc : Parasitism in communities: empirical and theoretical scaling
Background: Parasites can play keystone roles in communities through direct and indirect
effects on interspecific interactions and are increasingly implicated as
threats to biodiversity. Whilst some dramatic examples of community change
following pathogen outbreaks are known, the pervasive role of parasites in
community dynamics is only now being recognised. In particular, we lack
understanding of how parasitism at the level of individuals and single
populations scales up to communities.
We have a well-characterised system where parasitism influences
native-invader interactions in several distinct ways. The native amphipod,
Gammarus duebeni, and an invader, G. pulex, engage in intraguild predation,
are host to parasites (one is shared and one is specific to the native) and
are themselves prey to fish. In this system, parasites influence
interactions between the host and other species via trait-mediated indirect
effects modifying susceptibility to intraguild predation (IGP) and
predation. We propose to examine the interplay between parasitism and
predation using empirical and theoretical studies designed to elucidate
processes at two levels within communities. We will examine interactions
within modules to clarify how parasitism mediates interactions between
species, and the impact of trait-mediated interactions. We will also scale
up from modules to communities, examining how module-level processes
interact with one another, and how their effects propagate across
communities. This system lends itself to empirical testing of hypotheses at
the individual, population and community levels, and development of
theoretical models broadly applicable beyond the study system. Novel outputs
will include empirical and theoretical elucidation of mechanisms
underpinning native-invader interactions and the interplay of parasitism,
IGP and predation risk in communities.
For more information, please contact Dr Keith Farnsworth, k.farnsworth@qub.ac.uk
See http://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/QUBJobVacancies/JobDetails/?vac_no=09/101139&ref=09/101139
For application details.
POSITION : Research Fellow (Community Ecology)
SCHOOL/DEPARTMENT : School of Biological Sciences
REFERENCE: 09/101139
CLOSING DATE : 4.00pm, Friday 6 November 2009.
SALARY : £29,704 - £38,757 per annum (including contribution points).
ANTICIPATED INTERVIEW DATE : 26 November 2009.
CONTRACT DURATION : 36 months.
