8 PhD offers in Germany

The Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology GmbH (Leibniz-ZMT GmbH;
www.zmt-bremen.de) in Bremen is a member of the Leibniz Association, which
is supported by the German Federal and State Governments. Through its
research, Leibniz-ZMT GmbH contributes to developing science-based
strategies for sustainable use of tropical coastal ecosystems such as
mangroves, coral reefs, sea grass meadows as well as rivers, estuaries and
the adjacent coastal waters. It addresses issues related to the functioning
of these habitats, their interactions with the hinterland and the open ocean
as well as their response to anthropogenic interventions and climate change.
To cover the entire complexity of interactions between humans and the
environment, the ZMT conducts research with an interdisciplinary approach
which includes both natural science and social science working groups.

Leibniz-ZMT GmbH currently offers 8 PhD positions within different projects
and disciplines:
Effects of environmental change (nutrification, acidification) on calcareous
green algae

The PhD student position will be part of the working group at ZMT focusing
on the effects of environmental change (nutrification, acidification) on
carbonate secreting communities. The PhD project will focus on calcareous
green algae in various modern tropical environments. We are looking for a
student with a background in carbonate sedimentology and/or marine botany.

Requirements

- MSc or equivalent degree in geology or biology

- basic analytical skills in carbonate sedimentology

Contact: for questions Prof. Hildegard Westphal:
hildegard.westphal@zmt-bremen.de; applications should be sent to
Isabel.sanz.jannke@zmt-bremen.de

Movement patterns and habitat use of tropical estuarine crabs

Estuarine swimming crabs (Portunidae) are commercially important species in
many tropical countries. Knowledge on their resource use, their dependency
on different habitats and dial/tidal/seasonal as well as ontogenetic
movements is necessary for understanding the ecological role of these crabs
and for reaching sustainability of their exploitation. The successful
applicant will perform direct observations of feeding and reproductive
behaviour, conduct stomach content analyses, CN and isotope analyses, and
will have the chance to investigate the movement of crabs with
telemetry/t-tags. Requirements

- Biologist/Marine Biologist with field work experience

- Experience working with Decapods and with GIS is desirable

- The candidate will spend several months in a tropical country (Brazil or
Indonesia)

Contact: Dr. Inga Nordhaus: inga.nordhaus@zmt-bremen.de

Project number: 1.2.1

Earliest starting date: May 1st, 2011

Patters of fish habitat use in tidal mangroves of different landscape
complexity

We are seeking an excellent candidate to investigate the movements and
habitat use of fish in simple and complex mangrove landscapes using the
four-eyed fish Anableps anableps as a model organism. The fish will be
studied in the field using mark-recapture, Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID), and visual censuses. RFID antenna systems for continuous monitoring
of movements of tagged individuals will be installed in simple and complex
mangrove creek networks. This study will be undertaken within the
Biology/Ecology Group of the ZMT under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ulrich
Saint-Paul and Dr. Uwe Krumme, and in cooperation with the Universidade
Federal do Pará (Brazil). Places of work are Bremen, Germany, and Bragança,
Pará, Brazil.

Requirements

- Master or “Diploma” degree in Ecology, Biology or any related field

- Besides English (writing), Portuguese or good Spanish (speaking) is
mandatory

- good physical constitution and intercultural skills are welcome

- experience in electronics, good knowledge of statistical methods, and
interest in individual-based modelling (IBM)

Contact: Dr. Uwe Krumme: uwe.krumme@zmt-bremen.de

Project number: 1.2.4

Physiological and ontogenetic responses of tropical benthic calcifiers
towards changing environments

Marine flora and fauna are facing ocean acidification, rising water
temperatures and other stressors, particularly in tidal and estuarine
environments. The aim of the project is to understand how selected tropical
calcifying species from different phyla (coralline algae, coral, crustacean,
mollusc) respond to single and combined effects of abiotic stressors in
their environment. The study will focus on physiological (e.g.
photosynthesis, respiration and calcification) and ontogenetic (e.g.
development, growth and survival) responses of organisms and their critical
tolerance levels to multiple stressors.

Requirements

- ecophysiological background with experience in performing lab experiments
with marine organisms and sound practical skills regarding their cultivation


- willingness to conduct research in the tropics, making previous field
experience desirable

Contact: Dr. Andreas Kunzmann: andreas.kunzmann@zmt-bremen.de

Project number: 1.4.1

Institutions for Sustainable Coastal and Marine Social-Ecological Systems

Formal and informal institutions that regulate human-nature relations in
coastal areas range from informal norms to universally applied legal
constructs. The recent focus on MPA networks at large geographical scales
(e.g. CTI, LMMAs) poses new institutional challenges. The candidate will
conduct a comparative institutional analysis of coastal and marine area
protection case studies and will research into approaches for upscaling
effective institutional solutions to coastal and marine area protection at
ecologically relevant scales. The geographical focus of the post should be
on one or several focal regions of the ZMT.

Requirements

Successful applicants will have a strong background in one or more of the
following areas of expertise: sociology, maritime anthropology, maritime
law, political sciences, coastal and marine management, marine and coastal
governance.

Contact: PD Dr. Marion Glaser: marion.glaser@zmt-bremen.de

Project number: 1.5.1

Biodiversity and Mangrove Ecosystem Functioning

Mangrove forests are destroyed at an alarming rate. Fragmentation,
pollution, overfishing and climate change may result in declining floral and
faunal biodiversity. How species losses affect the functioning of mangrove
ecosystems will be investigated by experimental long-term exclusion of
dominant crab and mollusc species. The successful applicant will measure a
wide range of parameters, e.g. changes in primary productivity, leaf
retention, sediment physico-chemistry, overall benthic diversity and
biomass. He/she will have the opportunity to conduct comparative field
experiments in a species-poor Brazilian and a species-rich SE-Asian
mangrove.

Requirements

- excellent Biologist/Marine Biologist with field work experience

- eagerness to work for several months in the tropics

- Knowledge on mangrove ecology and invertebrates is desirable

Contact: Dr. Karen Diele: karen.diele@zmt-bremen.de

Project number: 2.1.5

Earliest starting date: May 1st, 2011



Ecological Modelling

The candidate will contribute to the analysis of phase shifts and resilience
in coral-reef systems. The focus will be on the representation of trophic
interactions as well as spatial connectivity of fish between adjoining
habitats. It is expected that the candidate develops software modules as
well as conducts field work on Zanzibar/Tanzania to parameterize the model.

Requirements

- Master's or Diploma degree in Ecology or related fields and experience in
ecological modelling

- Strong interest in spatial explicit modelling methods such as
individual/agent-based modelling. Knowledge of Java is an asset.

- Familiarity with reef-ecological field work and the fish community of the
Western Indian Ocean

- Good skills in English are essential; Swahili would be helpful in the
field.

Contact: PD Dr. Hauke Reuter: hauke.reuter@zmt-bremen.de

Project number: 2.2.2



Innovation for sustainable coastal livelihoods

Under conditions of a changing socio-ecological environment, the capacity
for adaptation and innovation is imperative for sustaining the wellbeing of
coastal communities and their natural environment. The candidate will
research into the innovation potentials of coastal communities with regard
to sustainable livelihoods and marine and coastal management outcomes.
Research will go beyond classical livelihood analysis and address the roots
and drivers of local innovation processes. The geographical focus of the
post should be on one or several focal regions of the ZMT. Requirements

Successful applicants will have a strong background in one or more of the
following areas of expertise: sociology, maritime anthropology,
sustainability sciences, coastal and marine management, community-based
natural resource management, sustainable livelihoods analysis.

Contact: PD Dr. Marion Glaser: marion.glaser@zmt-bremen.de

Project number: 2.5.1



ZMT is an equal opportunity employer. Disabled persons with comparable
qualification receive preferential status. Applicants of any nationality are
eligible to apply for this position. Applicants should hold a Master or
“Diploma” degree as specified above. We seek excellent and highly motivated
candidates with team spirit and interest in multidisciplinary research.
Proficiency in English is mandatory in all projects. All positions are for a
3-year period. Salary will be according to the German TV-L E13 (50%). The
call is open until filled with an initial application review date of March
15th, 2011. Applications should include a short outline of research
interests and experience, two letters of reference, and a complete CV by
email in a single pdf-file to the respective contact person. For financial
reasons we cannot refund travel expenses.



Leibniz-Zentrum für Marine Tropenökologie GmbH

Fahrenheitstrasse 6

28359 Bremen

Germany

Homepage: www.zmt-bremen.de