[Aqualist] New PhD projects in palaeoecology @ ANU

[Simon Haberle]

Dear All,

If you have a first class honours (or equivalent) in biology, geography, 
environmental science, archaeology or similar and you will be applying for 
an Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) or International Postgraduate 
Research Scholarships (IPRS) in the next round then please read the project 
details below. There you will find details of two new and exciting projects 
for prospective PhD students in palaeoecology at ANU.

Project 1. Historical ecology of highland environments in the Galapagos 
Islands.

Project 2. Fungal spores as indicators of extinctions and invasions of 
herbivores in Australasian-Pacific prehistory.

For more details contact.................Dr Simon Haberle @ ANU
_________________________________________________________________
Dr Simon Haberle

Fellow
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
Australian National University
Canberra, ACT 0200
Australia

tel: +61 2 6125 3373
fax: +61 2 6125 4896
web page: http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/
__________________________________________________________________

New PhD project @ Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program, ANU 2005-2007

Project 1. Historical ecology of highland environments in the Galapagos 
Islands.

The Galapagos Islands are globally renowned both for their ecological value 
and as a world symbol of scientific discovery. This unique habitat, with 
its high biological endemism and distinctive species assemblages, currently 
exhibits some of the highest extinction rates in the world. The native 
ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands are threatened by extensive habitat 
degradation and widespread detrimental impact resulting from the 
introduction of non-native species since the time of European colonization. 
Recent observations of the effect of recurrent drought and fires in these 
environments suggest that climate change may also exacerbate the impact of 
invasive species.

The aim of this project is to use pollen and charcoal preserved in bog 
environments in the highlands of the Galapagos Islands to reconstruct 
environmental change over the 450 years, augmented with historical 
documentation (photograph and ecological surveys) of the last ~50 years, to 
provide historical baseline data that has immediate application to both the 
conservation and restoration of native biodiversity in the Galapagos.

Resources and associations: This is a well-resourced project conducted in 
conjunction with a current ARC Discovery Grant (2004-2008) Stepping-Stones 
or Barrier: The Movement and Impact of People throughout the Far Eastern 
Pacific Islands. You will join a vibrant palaeoecological and resource 
management group at ANU. The successful candidate will be expected to 
conduct fieldwork in the Galapagos Islands in May-June 2005.

Background of candidates: We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic 
students with a background in biology, geography, environmental science, or 
similar. Some field experience would be an advantage. A first class honours 
or research masters in a relevant field is required.

Applications and closing dates:
Interested applicants should submit an application for a graduate 
scholarship to ANU. The deadline for receipt of IPRS applications from 
international students is 31st August 2004; for APA/ANU/GSS scholarships 
for Australian and New Zealand students the deadline is 31st October 2004. 
The RSPAS also has funding available for tuition and full scholarships for 
outstanding students. The successful candidate will be expected to commence 
between 2nd Jan and 31st Mar 2005.

Application forms for APA/IPRS scholarships are available at 
http://www.anu.edu.au/sas/forms/sas25.pdf
Interested applicants are strongly advised to refer to the Australian 
National University Graduate School website for the range of scholarships 
offered at ANU: http://www.anu.edu.au/graduate/scholarships/.

For further information about this project contact:

Dr Simon Haberle (ANU)
Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
ANU, Canberra 0200
simon.haberle at anu.edu.au (02) 6125 3373

Relevant web links:
Information for prospective PhD students at the Research School for Pacific 
and Asian Studies
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/future_students.php
Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/rmap/


New PhD project @ Archaeology and Natural History, ANU 2005-2007

Project 2. Fungal spores as indicators of extinctions and invasions of 
herbivores in Australasian-Pacific prehistory.

The aim of this project is to use the presence/abundance of microscopic 
dung fungi spores preserved in swamp sediments and archaeological sites as 
an indicator of extinctions and invasions of herbivores in past landscapes. 
This will be approached through the development of a taxonomic 
understanding of dung fungi remains preserved in modern and ancient 
sediments. The technique has proved successful in North America and 
Madagascar to explore megafuanal extinctions and the introduction of 
domestic ungulates into these regions. The successful PhD candidate will 
develop this technique for application to archaeological and 
palaeoecological problems in the Australasian and Pacific region. The 
outcomes of this project will contribute to some of the most significant 
questions remaining in Pacific prehistory, that of when the pig, the major 
animal domesticate of the region, was first introduced to the region, and 
the extinction of megafauna in New Guinea and Australia.

Resources and associations: This is a well-resourced project conducted on 
established sites with an extensive palaeoecological research history. You 
will join a vibrant palaeoecological and archaeological group at ANU where 
you will be enrolled in the Department of Archaeology and Natural History, 
RSPAS.

Background of candidates: We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic 
students with a background in biology, geography, archaeology, 
environmental science, or similar. Some field experience would be an 
advantage. A first class honours or research masters in a relevant field is 
required.

Applications and closing dates:
Interested applicants should submit an application for a graduate 
scholarship to ANU. The deadline for receipt of IPRS applications from 
international students is 31st August 2004; for APA/ANU/GSS scholarships 
for Australian and New Zealand students the deadline is 31st October 2004. 
The RSPAS also has funding available for tuition and full scholarships for 
outstanding students. The successful candidate will be expected to commence 
between 2nd Jan and 31st Mar 2005.

Application forms for APA/IPRS scholarships are available at 
http://www.anu.edu.au/sas/forms/sas25.pdf
Interested applicants are strongly advised to refer to the Australian 
National University Graduate School website for the range of scholarships 
offered at ANU: http://www.anu.edu.au/graduate/scholarships/.

For further information about this project contact:

Dr Simon Haberle (ANU)
Department of Archaeology and Natural History
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
ANU, Canberra 0200
simon.haberle at anu.edu.au (02) 6125 3373
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/people/personal/habes_rmap.html

or

Dr Janelle Stevenson (ANU)
Department of Archaeology and Natural History
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
ANU, Canberra 0200
janelle.stevenson at anu.edu.au (02) 6125 3153

Relevant web links:
Information for prospective PhD students at the Centre for Archaeological 
Research
http://car.anu.edu.au/Phdadvert.html
Department of Archaeology and Natural History
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/anh/