Frances Stewart (Wilfrid Laurier University) & Catherine Dieleman (University of Guelph)

We invite applications for two PhD positions that will advance our understanding of boreal wildlife-habitat relationships. This work will focus on an ecologically important region of growing industrial development interest in Northern Ontario, Canada.

The goals of this project are to build on co-located sampling of peatland carbon stores,vegetation community composition, and wildlife populations to quantify spatial associations among these measures. Wildlife and vegetation data collection has begun, with future field work focusing on co-located carbon sampling, with some flexibility. This multi-agency collaboration will provide important baseline data while asking questions regarding the drivers of wildlife-habitat relationships and ecosystem processes within a remote landscape and prior to anticipated disturbance (natural and anthropogenic).

The successful candidates will benefit from the scientific input of an advisory committee composed of wildlife, vegetation, peatland, and systems researchers from governments, eNGO, and academic partners. Both positions are fully funded for 4 years of full-time work and provide scope for interest driven and interdisciplinary questions.

PhD 1: Soil and vegetation position in the NorthCore (Dieleman) lab

Linkages between vegetation community assemblages and below-ground carbon stock size in Ontario’s Far North.

● Assess the current state of knowledge on carbon and vegetation community structure across Ontario’s Far North to identify spatial gaps in ongoing research and prioritize future data collection.

● Opportunities to help organize, lead, and participate in highly remote helicopter-based fieldwork to collect primary soil and vegetation data.

● Lead data analysis to identify spatial drivers of organic carbon stocks and their stability in regions of Ontario’s Far North.

● Conduct laboratory incubations to quantify the vulnerability of peatland carbon stocks to cumulative disturbances.

Remuneration: A minimum stipend of $28k/year plus support for external funding opportunities, workshops, conferences, and travel.

PhD 2: Wildlife position in the WILD (Stewart) lab

Quantifying, and integrating, spatial predictors of wildlife abundance and diversity in Ontario’s Far North.

● Assess the current state of knowledge on the relative abundance and diversity of mammal occurrence across Northern Ontario.

● Consolidate, summarize, and map the distribution of wildlife species from existing camera trap photos, quantifying species occurrence, abundance, and diversity from an existing camera trapping array.

● Lead data analysis to generate multivariate spatial models of relationships among carbon stocks, vegetation (see PhD1) and wildlife occurrences.

● Produce maps and predicted changes in wildlife-carbon abundance.

Remuneration: A minimum stipend of $28k/year plus support for external funding opportunities, workshops, conferences, and travel.

The ideal candidates should have a MSc in a relevant discipline (e.g. ecology, forestry, environmental science, computer science) and an understanding of northern boreal ecology.

The candidates should possess aptitude and enthusiasm for applied quantitative ecology, critical thinking, independent research, and writing. Field experience in remote settings is an asset.

Start dates: PhD 1 will start in January 2024, and PhD 2 in either January or May 2024.

How to Apply:

Please submit a single PDF that includes:

(i) a cover letter highlighting relevant experience and your interest in the position;
(ii) a curriculum vitae with names and contact information for two referees;
(iii) your unofficial academic transcript.

Email Vegetation position inquiries to Catherine Dieleman (cdielema@uoguelph.ca), and Wildlife position inquiries to Frances Stewart (fstewart@wlu.ca), with the subject line “Northern Ontario PhD application”. Applications are due September 30th, 2023.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The impact of leaves (e.g. parental leave, extended leaves due to illness, etc.) will be carefully considered when reviewing candidates’ eligibility and record of research achievement. Candidates are encouraged to explain in their cover letter how career interruptions may have impacted them. Diversity and creating a culture of inclusion is a key pillar of both Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Guelph’s Strategic Academic Plans. Both universities are committed to increasing the diversity of students and postdocs and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any sexual identities and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at mireland@wlu.ca at Laurier and indigenous@uoguelph.ca at Guelph . Candidates from other equity seeking groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programming are welcomed to contact Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca at Laurier and Diversity and Human Rights at dhrinfo@uoguelph.ca at Guelph.

References:

Environment Canada. 2011. Scientific Assessment to Inform the Identification of Critical Habitat for Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population, in Canada:2011 Update. Page 102 pp. plus appendices. Ottawa, Ontario.

Dyson, M.E., S. Endicott, C. Simpkins, J.W. Turner, S. Avery-Gomm, C.A. Johnson, M. Leblond, E.W. Neilson, R.S. Rempel, P. Wiebe, J.L. Baltzer, F.E.C. Stewart, J. Hughes. Existing caribou habitat and demographic models need improvement for Ring of Fire impact assessment: A roadmap for improving the usefulness, transparency, and availability of models for conservation. In review. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.06.01.494350v1

Lucet, V., S. McFarlane, J. Baltzer, C. A. Johnson, M. Leblonde, E. Neilson, P. Wiebe, F.E.C. Stewart, J. Hughes. 2023. Using camera traps and computer vision to quantify wildlife diversity and co-occurrence across Ontario’s Far North. The Ontario Chapter of The Wildlife Society, Peterborough, Ontario. March 24th – 26th. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GOpPPCzf-iE0AFq7NnUICSgr6nzURcAe/view?usp=sharing

University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada

The research group of Heather Kharouba invites applicants for a PhD position with a start date of September 2024. The successful applicant will develop their own project that fits into one of the group’s ongoing themes investigating plant-insect responses to global change.

Ongoing research focuses on understanding and predicting species’ phenological- and range shifts to global change, and the consequences for ecological communities. To do so, we use lab and field experiments, natural history collections, and quantitative synthesis. More detail can be found at: kharoubalab.weebly.com.

The student will join an engaged lab and department, with access to many additional training and networking activities via current partnerships with the Federal Government and the Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology.

I welcome candidates who are enthusiastic about ecology and who would like to have a broader impact with their research.

To inquire, please send an email to: heather.kharouba@uottawa.ca describing why you are interested in the position and what makes you a good candidate. Suitable candidates will be asked to provide a full application.Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.

I am looking for M.Sc. or Ph.D. students to begin in the lab in 2024. Projects can focus on the fundamental and/or applied consequences of microbial niche breadth. Fundamentally, microbial compatibility with various environments helps to determine microbial biogeography. While a broad environmental range may provide benefits to a microbe, there are likely costs to carrying more survival traits; however, we know little about the relative costs of different types of generalism (e.g. resource generalists vs. thermal generalists). From an applied perspective, understanding the factors that shape the niche breadth of microorganisms can help us in designing more effective microbial inoculants, for agriculture and otherwise. Such inoculants are promising alternatives to chemical additives, such as inorganic fertilizers and pesticides, but are still largely unpredictable in field settings.

Project development will depend on a combination of lab needs and student interests, but I expect most student projects will contribute to one of the following three areas:

1. Environmental filtering to collect microbes with unique ecological traits

2. Directed evolution to modify microbial niche breadth

3. Modification of environmental stressors and opportunities to affect in-field microbial survival and function

To date, I have worked with an amazing and diverse group and appreciate the value that many types of diversity have brought to our work. This includes, but is not limited to, diversity in academic training, problem-solving approaches, and personal backgrounds and experiences. Je suis content d’intéragir en anglais ou en français.

Baseline funding will reflect standards in the particular graduate program that the student applies to. Students may either apply to the M.Sc. or Ph.D. programs in Environmental Science or in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

If interested, please send a CV, a letter of interest, unofficial transcripts, and contact info for 3 references to terrence.bell@utoronto.ca. Note that I receive many unfocused supervision requests every day, so will only respond to messages that demonstrate genuine interest in our research.

Information on the Department can be found here: https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/physsci/

*While I encourage anyone to express interest, admissions for international graduate students (those who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents) will be extremely competitive because of program funding structures.

Location:

The position will be based in London, ON with fieldwork based out of Fredericton, NB.

Description:

This MSc position will join a collaborative project between the Canadian Forest Service, Western University and the University of New Brunswick that is developing a forest management plan for 5^th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown. Forest and field carbon accounting are a part of this management plan and the MSc student’s work will contribute to this effort by collecting information on how historical and current land use decisions have influenced soil carbon stocks.

The purpose of the work is to develop a better understanding of the current amount of carbon stored and how management activities could promote or reduce carbon storage in the future. The project can take advantage of extensive data gathered by the Canadian Forest Service, including historical maps of land use dating back to the 1950’s. The project will apply carbon budget models for forest stands to determine how forest composition and the presence of non-native earthworms influence soil carbon.

Anticipated work will include collecting samples from across 5^th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown, processing them for carbon analysis, and conducting some statistical analyses of the factors influencing carbon stocks. The successful candidate is encouraged to develop their research questions independently.

The successful candidate will enroll in the MSc program at Western University (Robert Buchkowski) and join the Research Affiliate Program at the Canadian Forest Service (Chris Edge).

Interested candidates are requested to send a letter of interest and CV to Robert Buchkowski (rbuchkow@uwo.ca) or Chris Edge (christopher.edge@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca).

The position is open until filled.

Anticipated Start Date: January 2024

We offer compensation equivalent to NSERG CGSM and a tuition waiver.

Qualifications:

A bachelor’s degree in forestry, biology, environmental studies, or equivalent.

Language Requirements:

English essential

Diversity Statement: Our team is committed to achieving inclusive excellence in research. We encourage applications from Indigenous persons, members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons from 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community.

The McCune lab at the University of Lethbridge is recruiting an MSc student to lead research on how recreational trails affect plant communities in a beautiful National Park.

The University of Lethbridge is a smaller University with a vibrant community of scientists. Lethbridge is an affordable and friendly city only 2.5 hours from Calgary, and only 1.5 hours from stunning mountain Parks. The successful candidate will join a group of graduate students all dedicated to plant ecology and conservation.

The project will involve planning and executing surveys of plant communities along trails in Waterton Lakes National Park. Fieldwork will require long hikes in steep terrain and identification of hundreds of vascular plants, including sedges and grasses. The successful candidate will interact with Parks Canada staff and visitors.

I am looking for candidates with a passion for plant conservation, a love of being outdoors with plants, strong communication skills, and a background in biology/ecology or a related field.

The successful candidate will receive a minimum stipend of $15,000 per year for 2 years, which can increase via a Teaching Assistantship and University Scholarships.

If you are interested, please email Jenny McCune, jl.mccune@uleth.ca and share your research interests and experiences. Include your CV and unofficial transcripts.

I am committed to diversity and inclusion and I welcome applications from students with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

Additional Information:

https://www.ulethbridge.ca/future-student/graduate-studies/

http://jlmccune.weebly.com/

A M.Sc. graduate research position is available as part of a collaboration between Dr. Cam Goater’s Parasite Ecology lab (scholar.ulethbridge.ca/cpg/) and Dr. Jenny McCune’s Plant Ecology and Conservation lab (jlmccune.weebly.com). The University of Lethbridge is a smaller University with a vibrant community of researchers. Lethbridge is an affordable and friendly city only 2.5 hours from Calgary, and only 1.5 hours’ drive from stunning mountain Parks, including Waterton Lakes National Park and Castle Wilderness Provincial Park.

We are studying populations of the endangered Cooper’s Rocky Mountain snail in beautiful Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. The aim is to understand more about the habitat requirements of this snail using field surveys and a habitat suitability model. There may also be an opportunity to evaluate rates of predation on snails by an invasive ground beetle.

We seek candidates with a passion for ecology and conservation, a love of being outdoors, strong communication skills, the ability to work independently and be self-motivated, and a B.Sc. in ecology or a related field. We welcome applications from students with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

Please send a statement of interest, your curriculum vitae, and contact information of 2 referees to cam.goater@uleth.ca before September 1, 2023. The position will remain open until we find the right candidate.

Closing: Please contact me by September 15, 2023. M.Sc. required. Candidates should have publications in mainstream peer-reviewed journals and a GPA equivalent of A or 85 or higher over the past two years of coursework.

Apply: Email CV and pdf copies of both undergrad and graduate transcripts. Email to philip.mcloughlin@usask.ca. Please write “CWD and Caribou” as the subject line.

Description: We recently confirmed that, for the first time in Canada, white-tailed deer infected with chronic wasting disease (CWD) have been found to range into Threatened Boreal Caribou range. In collaboration with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the University of Calgary, industrial partners, and Indigenous groups, USask is seeking to understanding the risks presented to boreal caribou and other ungulates from pathogen-mediated apparent competition with white-tailed deer (CWD, meningeal worm, and other diseases. In particular, we aim to build a comprehensive risk assessment model of the risks to caribou from CWD using existing data on GPS-collared deer and their invasion ecology into the deeper boreal forest of Saskatchewan; a camera-trap array to be established to understand localities of deer-caribou sympatry; and surveillance of CWD (and other diseases) in ungulates in the study area. The Ph.D. is fully funded commencing January 1, 2024, or May 1, 2024. Field work will include coordinating logistics and participating in camera-trap array setups but also wildlife GPS-collaring for lab-related projects (e.g., March 2024 GPS collaring of moose); and working closely with Indigenous partners to sample for CWD and other diseases in deer, moose, elk, and caribou. This Ph.D. will complement the graduate and post-doctoral projects of several students, whom will be working together to promote a multidisciplinary project aimed at conserving wildlife and promoting northern food security.

The project is funded at $25,000 CAD per year; however, students will be expected to apply for internal and external scholarships, including NSERC PGS-D scholarships (if Canadian). Preference will be given to Canadian students or permanent residents that are eligible for the October, 2023, NSERC PGS scholarship intake. Indigenous students are especially encouraged to apply. Co-supervision with faculty (Emily Jenkins) at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine is possible.

The successful student will have an opportunity to engage with a large lab working on related questions with respect to large-mammal population dynamics. There will also be opportunities to work collaboratively with a diversity of staff from the Ministry of Environment. Students can expect to publish outside of one’s own thesis topic as part of whole-lab research questions.

Evidence of familiarity with disease ecology, ungulate population dynamics, generalized linear models, and programming in the R language is an asset.

Interested applicants should contact me as soon as possible by email (philip.mcloughlin@usask.ca), and be prepared to submit a current CV with copies of transcripts. Website: http://mcloughlinlab.ca/lab/

Closing: Please contact me by September 15, 2023. M.Sc. required. Candidates should have publications in mainstream peer-reviewed journals and a GPA equivalent of A, or 85, over the past two years of coursework.

Apply: Email CV and pdf copies of both undergrad and graduate transcripts. Email to philip.mcloughlin@usask.ca. Please write “Moose Ecology” as the subject line.

Description: In collaboration with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Environment and Climate Change Canada, industrial partners, and Indigenous groups, USask has established a research program on the ecology of moose and interactions between moose, deer, boreal caribou, and their predators in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. This opportunity is specific to moose to understand the linkage between habitat selection and survival, and gain important insight into population dynamics (survival, recruitment, and trend), harvest, and relationships with predators and other ungulates. The Ph.D. is fully funded commencing January 1 2024; and will interface both theory and applied ecology to inform management of moose in Saskatchewan and abroad. Fates of approximately 100 moose in Saskatchewan will allow us to develop a deeper understanding of moose population ecology in an area undergoing rapid landscape change and the emergence of novel disease, including meningeal worm. The student will help develop and test theory on causes and consequences of landscape and environmental change, while helping us to meet objectives of developing a strong understanding of the applied ecology to inform management. Field work will principally occur in winter and include coordinating logistics and participating in moose captures in March, 2024, for GPS collaring; and especially timely investigation of moose mortality sites. This Ph.D. will complement the graduate and post-doctoral projects of several students, whom will be working together to promote a multidisciplinary project aimed at conserving wildlife and promoting northern food security.

The Ph.D. is funded at $25,000 CAD per year; however, students will be expected to apply for internal and external scholarships, including NSERC PGS-D scholarships (if Canadian). Preference will be given to Canadian students or permanent residents that are eligible for the October, 2023, NSERC PGS scholarship intake. Indigenous students are especially encouraged to apply.

The successful student will have an opportunity to engage with a large lab working on related questions with respect to large-mammal population dynamics, including a current M.Sc. student working on moose-deer comparative habitat selection. There will also be opportunities to work collaboratively with a diversity of staff from the Ministry of Environment. Students can expect to publish outside of one’s own thesis topic as part of whole-lab research questions.

Evidence of familiarity with ungulate population dynamics, generalized linear models, and programming in the R language is an asset.

Interested applicants should contact me as soon as possible by email (philip.mcloughlin@usask.ca), and be prepared to submit a current CV with copies of transcripts. Website: http://mcloughlinlab.ca/lab/

I am looking for a Ph.D. student to begin their degree in my lab sometime during 2024. The student will develop their own project on some aspect(s) of plant responses to environmental change, building on previous studies in the lab on plant phenology, elevational range limits, interactions with other species (e.g., herbivores, pollinators), and community ecology. In addition to new data collection, the student will have opportunities to draw on existing data sets from Mont Mégantic, Québec, along an elevational gradient. These datasets characterize plant community composition and species distributions, species’ functional traits, flowering and vegetative phenology over the past 10 years, and remotely sensed imagery (including hyperspectral). Within this context, many specific research directions are possible. For more information on research and people in the lab, please visit the lab website:
https://mvellend.recherche.usherbrooke.ca/

The student will join a vibrant and diverse lab and department, with access to many additional training and networking activities via the Center for Forest Research and the Québec Centre for Biodiversity Science. Sherbrooke lies in the beautiful and affordable Eastern Townships region of Québec. The stipend will be commensurate with NSERC fellowships. I welcome candidates who are enthusiastic about plant ecology, intellectually curious about testing ecological hypotheses, who can plan and organize logistics, and who can work in a team and independently. Students should have a background in ecology or related field. It is expected that students learn French during their degree, but proficiency is not required at the start. My lab is committed to diversity and inclusion, and I welcome applications from students with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. I aim to foster a collegial, dynamic, supportive, and flexible culture in the lab.

To apply, please begin by sending an e-mail describing why you are interested in the position, and what makes you a good candidate. You can attach your CV, but at the initial stage there is no need to send more accompanying documents. I will follow up with selected candidates for more information.

mark.vellend@usherbrooke.ca

In collaboration with Blazing Star Environmental, the Lougheed Lab (Queens University) and the Wilson Lab (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources), we offering PhD projects on the determinants of distribution and occupancy of western chorus frogs across their Canadian range, where the species is listed as Threatened and thereby needs research into its population status, distribution and trends. The comprehensive program will involve conducting field surveys and analyzing extensive citizen science call survey data (>500 sites) to determine: 1) geographical gaps in surveys and current sampling design needs; 2) variability in species occupancy through space and time; 3) factors determining species detection, occupancy, and abundance; and 4) priority areas for conservation planning and action. The project will also offer the opportunity to collaborate or take the lead on: 5) optimizing application of eDNA and acoustic recording units in population surveys; and 6) critical evaluation and optimization of citizen science surveys for amphibian monitoring. The project team is flexible in terms of student projects within the larger program, and therefore the successful candidates will have the opportunity to tailor their theses based on their interests and expertise.

The funding package includes a competitive stipend, international tuition fee waiver, as well as coverage of all professional expenses. Successful candidates must have an MSc in Biology, Ecology, or a related field, and experience with peer-reviewed publication of past research findings is a high priority. Candidates should have experience in at least one of the following areas: GIS, statistics using R software, eDNA analysis and application, occupancy and habitat modeling, sampling design, analysis of citizen science datasets, conservation planning and prioritization, as well as a strong work ethic and interest in working collaboratively in a large and diverse research group. Additional desirable skills include amphibian field skills and working independently.

To apply, please send: i) cover letter highlighting relevant prior experience and interests corresponding to the above program priorities, ii) curriculum vitae, iii) unofficial academic transcript, and iv) contact information for 3 references to: openpositionsmurraylab@gmail.com. The successful candidate(s) will be co-supervised by Dennis Murray (www.dennismurray.ca) and Tom Hossie (www.thomashossie.ca) at Trent University. See also www.blazingstar.ca for additional information. The graduate positions will begin as soon as possible and the posting will be closed as soon as suitable candidates are found.