PhD student in Ecology and Evolution

The Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP) is located in the Arrhenius Laboratories, situated at the University Campus at Frescati. Research spans a broad range of biological subject areas including ecology and evolution, marine biology, plant physiology, systematics, and environmental and climate science. Presently around 100 people, including 35 PhD students and 15 postdocs, in 25 research groups work at DEEP. 

For more information about us, please visit: the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant sciences.

Project description

This PhD project focuses on the ecology and evolution of plant diseases and the organisms that feed on them (so-called hyperparasites, a parasite of a parasite). The hyperparasites we will focus on will be insects and fungi. As such, the project would suit anyone with a keen interest in plant pathogens, insects, food web ecology, species interactions and eco-evolutionary dynamics. We do not expect the applicant to be familiar with all of these fields before starting the PhD, but a passion to learn about all of them should naturally be there.

The overarching aim of the project is to answer fundamental questions on the organisms interacting with wild plant diseases, top-down forces regulating disease levels, and eco-evolutionary dynamics of plant diseases and their hyperparasites. The field work is in the Afromontane mountains in southwestern Ethiopia, which is where Arabica coffee grows wild. We will target a major, hyperdiverse order of plant pathogens, the rust fungi, and the diversity of fungi and insects that feed on them. We will (1) create interaction networks between plants, plant diseases and hyperparasites, and explore the drivers of variation in network structure, (2) use cross-infection experiments to reveal the role of hyperparasites (i.e. fungi and insects) in regulating wild plant diseases, and (3) use a reciprocal inoculation experiment to shed light on the eco-evolutionary dynamics between Arabica coffee, coffee leaf rust and its hyperparasites.

For more information on the research group of Prof. Ayco Tack, see www.su.se/profiles/atack and www.plantmicrobeinsect.com

Qualification requirements

In order to be admitted to postgraduate education, the applicant must have the general and specific entry requirements. The qualification requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

You meet general entry requirements if you have completed a second-cycle degree, or completed courses equivalent to at least 240 higher education credits, of which 60 credits must be in the second cycle, or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

For specific entry requirements applicants must have completed at least 60 higher education credits in the second cycle, of which 15 credits must be from a course in one of the areas Ecology or Evolution, and 30 credits from a project in one of the areas Ecology or Evolution. Applicants may also have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere. 

Selection

The selection among the eligible candidates will be based on their capacity to benefit from the training. The following criteria will be used to assess this capacity:

• documented knowledge in one or several of the relevant fields, such as plant pathology, species interactions, food web ecology, entomology and evolution
• capacity for analytical and creative thinking
• initiative
• independence
• ability to collaborate
• excellent written and oral proficiency in English.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University.

About the employment

We offer a fixed-term employment as a doctoral student according to Chapter 5 of the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100). The period of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education for four years. As a doctoral student, you should primarily devote yourself to your own doctoral education, but the employment may include work with education, research and administration to a limited extent (maximum 20 %).

A new employment as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, the employment is then renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Stockholm University strives to be a workplace free from discrimination and with equal opportunities for all.

Contact

For more information, please contact the principal director of this project professor Ayco Tack, ayco.tack@su.se, or subject representative professor Peter Hambäck, peter.hamback@su.se.

Application

Apply for the PhD student position at Stockholm University's recruitment system. Attach a personal letter and CV as well as the attachments requested in the application form. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The instructions for applicants are available at: How to apply for a position.