Call for fieldwork volunteers 2023 - Plant evolution in the Spanish Pyrenees
Nick Barton's group at the Institute of Science and Technology (ISTA; https://bartongroup.pages.ist.ac.at/) is looking for volunteers to assist with fieldwork on plant speciation in the Spanish Pyrenees this coming summer (1st June – 1stAugust). This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to obtain experience in fieldwork related to evolutionary biology, speciation and plant ecology.
We study evolutionary dynamics and speciation in snapdragons. The study, which has been running since 2009, involves fieldwork in natural hybrid zones between two subspecies with flower colour differences. The goal is to understand how different evolutionary forces—like natural selection—have shaped this diversity.
We are seeking volunteers to assist with the fieldwork, which involves working in teams to map locations of individual plants (GPS) (the plants are primarily found on the roadsides), tag and sample them for leaves and flowers, measure traits, and process material for later DNA extraction. There may also be opportunities to be involved in other aside projects. The work is outdoors as well as indoors - about one-third of the of time will be spent indoors curating leaf samples and organizing and preparing sampling equipment. The work is highly team orientated, typically in groups of 2-3 in the field and larger groups processing samples back at the research station. Since we aim to sample all living individuals in the hybrid zone during the flowering season, the daily workload can vary significantly. At peak season, we are often very busy and our daily routines change accordingly.
The field site is near Planoles in a beautiful part of the Pyrenees in North Eastern Spain (Catalonia). We stay in comfortable apartments overlooking a picturesque valley, with close access to hiking trails and small villages.
The ideal applicant is an enthusiastic, hardworking biology student with strong interest in working outdoors. You must be meticulous with recording data and also be comfortable working as part of a team. Experience with field-based projects and plants is helpful but not essential. Climbing experience is useful as a small amount work is conducted on ropes. We are looking for volunteers between the 1st June and the 1st August. We ask people to commit to stay for 3 weeks. Applicants must be located in Europe or the UK.
We cover all food, lodgings, Covid testing and travel within Europe/UK.
How to apply? By the closing date of March 20th please send
- your CV,
- a short explanation about why you are interested, and
- your availability between the above dates to field.volunteer.2023@gmail.com.
For fieldwork photos and more information, please visit the Barton Group fieldwork page: https://bartongroup.pages.ist.ac.at/fieldwork-2023/
