There is a vacancy for two PhD positions in marine evolutionary ecology at the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Bergen. Both positions are for a fixed-term period of 3 years and are associated with the Theoretical Ecology Group.
Link of the full description : https://www.jobbnorge.no/en/available-jobs/job/281140/phd-research-fellow-two-positions-in-marine-evolutionary-ecology
Starting date to be determined
The ocean is a physical environment that is dynamic and variable in terms of e.g. light, temperature, and ocean currents. These provide constraints and opportunities for the organisms that live there, who have evolved adaptations in terms of physiology, behaviours, and life history strategies that make them succeed with surviving and producing offspring. In the Theoretical Ecology group, our approach to studying marine systems is therefore to focus on the individual in its environment and develop numerical models to study how physical influences and relationships with other species can explain the adaptations these organisms have. This requires a thorough understanding of marine ecology, the role of the environment, and the capabilities of marine organisms, but also good numerical literacy in developing computer code for simulation models and for data analysis and interpretation.
** About the project/work tasks **
The first position is part of the research project Thermos (Regional downscaling of eco-physiological theory – confronting global predictions with local observations) and is financed by the Research Council of Norway. The project aims to critically evaluate state-of-the-art theory on how temperature and other drivers affect spawners and modify the timing of when they spawn, and assess to what degree existing theories are relevant for high-latitude spring bloom systems. The project uses well-studied Norwegian stocks of Atlantic cod and herring as test cases. A main hypothesis underpinning the project, which challenges current thought, is that oceanographic conditions, and not so much the individual preference, determines the temperature at which fish spawn. When employed, the candidate is expected to participate in the development of a mechanistic simulation model to investigate how fish may utilize different temperature ranges over the seasons to budget different bioenergetic tasks, such as feeding, digestion and gonad development. It will also be possible to couple modelling results with observed temperature recordings from fish tagged with different temperature sensors. This part of the project is a collaboration with the Institute of Marine Research (IMR).
The second position is part of the project DRIFT (Systematically rethinking advection and cross-ecosystem subsidies), a starting grant funded by the Trond Mohn Research Foundation (https://bio.uib.no/te/research/advection/). The project focuses on how advection turns ocean currents into food conveyors. The open ocean harbours an estimated 1–16 billion tonnes of small mesopelagic fishes, comprising 50–95% of global fish biomass. Many of these, along with pelagic crustaceans, squids, and gelatinous zooplankton, are active vertical migrators but remain hidden in the twilight zone at depths of several hundred meters during the day. Our focus is when these drifting organisms are transported from the open ocean towards underwater slopes—such as seamounts, banks, and continental shelf breaks—where they are pushed from the deep twilight into the shallower depths where light can reach, and there become easy prey for predators. Our hypothesis is that this process fuels productive ecosystems and supports dense predator populations along these slopes and coasts. DRIFT aims to uncover the mechanisms that govern when and where oceanic prey becomes accessible to predators, map foraging hotspots across the North Atlantic, and predict how advected biomass shapes production, life histories, and species distributions in recipient ecosystems. The main task of the successful candidate will be to use particle tracking within ocean circulation models to simulate mesopelagic biomass transport and identify potential advective feeding hotspots, working closely with co-supervisors and collaborators at the Geophysical Institute and the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research.
** Qualifications and personal qualities: **
Applicants must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in biology or another discipline relevant for the project. Master students can apply provided they complete their final master exam before 01.09.2025. It is a condition of employment that the master’s degree has been awarded.
A broad knowledge and intuition in marine ecology is a requirement.
Applicants must be willing to challenge existing thinking.
Skills and experience in mathematics, computer programming and/or mechanistic modelling frameworks is an advantage
For the position in the research project DRIFT, an understanding of physical oceanography or experience with ocean circulation models or particle tracking is an advantage
Applicants must be able to work independently and in a structured manner and demonstrate good collaborative skills.
Applicants must have excellent skills in written and oral English
Personal and relational qualities will be emphasized, particularly during the interview. Ambitions and potential will also count when evaluating the candidates, as demonstrated in the motivation letter and interviews. We expect the candidate’s presented qualifications and work to show a high degree of future potential.
Special requirements for the position
The University of Bergen is subjected to the regulation for export control system. The regulation will be applied in the processing of the applications.
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