PhD fellowship in Spider systematics and evolution at University of Barcelona
A four-year Phd fellowship is available through the FPI program of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, funded as part of the research project “The ecosystem watchers: Mygalomorph spiders as bioindicators for monitoring ecological changes and evolutionary potential of terrestrial ecosystems”
Mygalomorph spiders are exceptionally well-suited for monitoring conservation status of terrestrial ecosystems in the Meditteranean basin. They exhibit high habitat fidelity, limited potential for dispersal and restricted distributional ranges, and are abundantly present in most Mediterranean habitats. Biologists, however, have long overlooked mygalomorph spiders due to their secretive habits and challenging taxonomy. The promising use of these spiders as bioindicators is therefore not fully developed. We propose to overcome these limitations by integrating genomic tools with ecological modelling techniques. We anticipate that results of our research will be relevant for conservation, management, and sustainable use of natural landscapes in the Mediterranean basin.
The post will be based at the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona.cWe look for a highly motivated student with an interest in evolutionary biology and experience in molecular biology tools, taxonomy or GIS techniques. Candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills, and demonstrate evidence of past research achievement. The anticipated start date is fall 2010.
Potential candidates should contact Miquel A. Arnedo (
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) and include their curriculum vitae and a statement of research interests.
For details, conditions and instructions on how to apply, please visit http://web.micinn.es/planidi/fpi/ (in Spanish). The expected publication date of the call is mid January 2010 (check the website), and the deadline for applications will be 15 days after its publication.
