biology

Plant Ecology: A two year postdoctoral position in ecology funded by a David and Lucile Packard Foundation award is available in the research group of Jonathan Levine at the University of California, Santa Barbara. In collaboration with Levine, the successful candidate will develop a research project using empirical or theoretical approaches to explore questions in plant ecology. Work in our lab focusses on the controls over the success and impacts of biological invasions and the controls over coexistence in communities, especially that mediated by germination biology and temporal variability. The research focus is extremely flexible, and need not focus on plants exclusively, but must facilitate interaction with other lab members or faculty. The research group currently includes one graduate student and three postdocs. Although plant invasions continue to be a major focus, much of our research uses models and experiments to examine the controls over coexistence in plant communities. Individual projects focus on the importance of spatial and temporal mechanisms of coexistence in annual plant communities, the role of plant-soil feedbacks in modulating native shrub reinvasion of exotic-dominated systems, the demographic controls over invasive spread, and the importance and extent of seed dormancy in the California annual flora. These projects involve collaboration with the numerous other UCSB faculty in ecology. The Santa Barbara area and UC Natural Reserve System provide exceptional field sites in habitats ranging from grassland, sage scrub, chaparral, and oak woodland. Desert and alpine systems occur within half a day's drive. Santa Barbara is also home to the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS). Applicants must have relevant Ph.D. experience in ecology. Funding for salary and research expenses is initially available for two years with a very flexible start date. In addition, the successful applicant will work collaboratively to obtain additional funding. Applications will be accepted through December 9, 2006, though applicants interested in submitting grants this year for external funding should contact me sooner. To apply, email a statement of research interests including one to two paragraphs describing a project that you might be interested in conducting at UCSB, a curriculum vitae, relevant publications, and names of three references to Jonathan Levine, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106. Email: levine@lifesci.ucsb.edu. Posted: 8/29/06