PhD-position in Behavioural ecology: Cooperative breeding in Damaraland mole-rats
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to be part of a newly established research group to investigate the causes and consequences of cooperative breeding in Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis). The student will be involved in an ongoing field study in South Africa investigating the evolutionary causes and consequences of cooperative breeding and will use an established laboratory population to address questions about the physiological control of social behaviour in mole-rats.
Damaraland mole-rats are cooperative breeders that live in groups of up to 30 individuals. Breeding is limited to one reproductive female per group and non-reproductive males and females delay dispersal from the group and contribute to cooperative tasks (cooperative foraging, colony defence and allo-parental care). Individuals vary in investment in cooperative tasks but it is unclear how non-breeders affect the development of offspring and reproductive success in the groups. It is also largely unknown which physiological mechanisms underlie variation in cooperative behaviour.
At our field site, the Kalahari Research Centre (KRC, http://kalahari-meerkats.com/kmp/krc/), we are conducting research on a wild population of individually marked Damaraland mole-rats since 2014. The PhD student will be involved in maintaining this study population and will conduct field experiments manipulating breeding status and group size to investigate the costs and benefits of group living and cooperative breeding to non-breeders and breeders. Additionally, the student will conduct hormonal manipulations of non-breeders and breeders to investigate the physiological control of parental and allo-parental care behaviour in captive mole-rat groups maintained at the KRC.
The position is fully funded for 4 years and the successful applicant will be part of EEMiS, a multidisciplinary centre of excellence within Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden (www.lnu.se). The PhD student will be part of a large collaborative project that involves several international collaborators. The specific research questions can be adjusted to the interests and qualifications of the successful candidate.
It is desirable that the applicant has experience with fieldwork in remote locations and has worked on wild animal populations and/or has a background in animal physiology. Experience with working on small mammals is considered an asset.
For further information about the project please contact the project leader and principal supervisor: Markus Zöttl (markus.zottl@lnu.se), +46480446112
Deadline for applications is the 2nd of October 2018
The application should be submitted through the university portal: https://tinyurl.com/molerat-phd
Welcome with your application!
Please distribute to potential candidates.
Cheers,
Anders Forsman
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Anders Forsman
Professor evolutionary ecology
Center for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Systems, EEMiS
Department of Biology and Environmental Science
Linnaeus University
392 31 Kalmar
Sweden
e-mail: Anders.Forsman@lnu.se
phone: +46-(0)480-446173
cellular phone: +46-(0)706-272738
Skypename: professorandersforsman
Personal Websites: https://lnu.se/en/staff/anders.forsman/
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anders_Forsman
Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.se/citations?user=ejUJ5N8AAAAJ
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