Repost: https://twitter.com/Kryshpean21/status/1471958476977025033
PDF view: https://bdc.univie.ac.at/fileadmin/user_upload/i_bdc/PhD_position_MICROCLIM.pdf
Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research Biodiversity Dynamics & Conservation Group Rennweg 14 A-1030 Vienna PhD position on micro-climates and response of alpine plants to climate change The Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation Group (https://bdc.univie.ac.at/) at the Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research of the University of Vienna is offering a PhD position within the framework of an EU-funded research project (ERC-AdG MICROCLIM, cf. http://microclim.mountainresearch.at/).
Background The fate of alpine floras in a warming world is contentious. While some researchers expect massive loss of cold-adapted plants because they have little options to escape the heat (‘mountaintop extinction’), others assume low vulnerability of high-mountain floras due to presumably widespread microclimatic refugia in the topographically complex alpine terrain. MICROCLIM aims to assess empirical evidence for these contradictory expectations by (1) linking observational, experimental and modelling studies in a particularly well-researched model system of the Austrian Alps; and (2) by analysing data on species turnover and micro-climatic trends collected on ~ 75 mountain summits across Europe over the past ~ 20 years within the GLORIA framework (https://www.gloria.ac.at).
Position announced The position announced will focus on exploring the role of micro-climate and micro-environment for population dynamics observed at the GLORIA sites. Analyses shall include several approaches including a comparison of model predictions with the changes actually observed at the summits. Moreover, the candidate is expected to contribute to field work in the Austrian study regions (Ötztal, Tyrol) during the field seasons 2022 and 2023.
Qualifications The position requires a master degree in ecology or a related field. The successful candidate will have to spend 2–3 months in the field. Physical fitness and willingness to work under the (sometimes) demanding climatic conditions of the alpine terrain are necessary. We also expect candidates to have (1) interest and experience in population ecology, plant ecophysiology, biogeography, biodiversity research or a relate
... keep reading on reddit ➡
Hi everyone, I hope you've all had a great week. Anyway, I have a new open ecology article, and we are returning to the journal Ecology Letters.
You can find the open access link here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ele.13474
Please feel free to discuss this article in the comments below if you like. Questions, comments, or anything remotely relevant is fair game!
Abstract: Satellite data indicate significant advancement in alpine spring phenology over decades of climate warming, but corresponding field evidence is scarce. It is also unknown whether this advancement results from an earlier shift of phenological events, or enhancement of plant growth under unchanged phenological pattern. By analyzing a 35‐year dataset of seasonal biomass dynamics of a Tibetan alpine grassland, we show that climate change promoted both earlier phenology and faster growth, without changing annual biomass production. Biomass production increased in spring due to a warming‐induced earlier onset of plant growth, but decreased in autumn due mainly to increased water stress. Plants grew faster but the fast‐growing period shortened during the mid‐growing season. These findings provide the first in situ evidence of long‐term changes in growth patterns in alpine grassland plant communities, and suggest that earlier phenology and faster growth will jointly contribute to plant growth in a warming climate.
