[Aqualist] Sub-Antarctic PhD and Masters opportunity [SEC=OFFICIAL]

[Larissa Schneider]

Apologies, there has been an issue with my outlook. I am sending this email again (and hopefully the formatting will not be modified from the original message).



Dear colleagues,



The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and Queensland University of Technology have an exciting opportunity to undertake a Masters or PhD on sub-Antarctic ecosystem change. Both come with scholarships.



The project below and attachment describes the PhD. A Masters project would cover an aspect of this.



The funding is available via the 'Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future' Special Research Initiative (https://arcsaef.com<https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprotect-au.mimecast.com%2Fs%2F8QpMCWLJ2zf5lzDB6S6qm6a%3Fdomain%3Darcsaef.com&data=05%7C01%7Clarissa.schneider%40anu.edu.au%7Ce98f45bcf0704d89fd8208da7f2d0633%7Ce37d725cab5c46249ae5f0533e486437%7C0%7C0%7C637962129500812491%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=iq8gm5lnW7nxAJsCNlYtmUwdH%2FnxwxaHArnbtmJPWKA%3D&reserved=0>) and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (https://ansto.gov.au<https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprotect-au.mimecast.com%2Fs%2F1SgdCXLK3AfXpBOY4UVJy1G%3Fdomain%3Dansto.gov.au&data=05%7C01%7Clarissa.schneider%40anu.edu.au%7Ce98f45bcf0704d89fd8208da7f2d0633%7Ce37d725cab5c46249ae5f0533e486437%7C0%7C0%7C637962129500812491%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=L%2FcNQlFWWhLtC15SQtMwWG69I1SiT9Y5tXyQaSV9%2BJ0%3D&reserved=0>) in association with the Queensland University of Technology (https://www.qut.edu.au/<https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprotect-au.mimecast.com%2Fs%2FzNpZCYWL4BsLGkAxDt9XKyk%3Fdomain%3Dqut.edu.au%2F&data=05%7C01%7Clarissa.schneider%40anu.edu.au%7Ce98f45bcf0704d89fd8208da7f2d0633%7Ce37d725cab5c46249ae5f0533e486437%7C0%7C0%7C637962129500812491%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aFHps%2FF0Os0zvIVFuzLSoqSGt24jZ%2Fu%2BOjNrugUaNl4%3D&reserved=0>), to an outstanding candidate to undertake palaeoecological research on sub-Antarctic islands.



This Masters and/or PhD scholarships will be awarded to a qualified applicant with a background in environmental and/or palaeo-sciences, including, but not limited to, geography, hydrology, geology or ecology. The successful applicant will have fieldwork experience in natural environments and the capacity to undertake long periods of fieldwork in remote locations.



Summary:

Sub-Antarctic islands have unique ecosystems and landscapes under increasingly under pressure from climate change. In many cases this is compounded by the introduction of invasive species since their discovery by humans in the 1800s CE. Understanding ecosystem and environmental responses to climate change and separating them from human-induced causes of change is essential for their future protection. To do this requires quantifying long-term, natural rates and variability of change, establishing the 'baseline' status of ecosystems and the environment prior to human arrival, and using this information to place current observations into context. This is needed to assess the capacity of sub-Antarctic ecosystems and their environments to survive anthropogenic climate change, and in some cases, assess an island's recovery since the eradication of an invasive species.

A combination of lake surveys and monitoring, and palaeo-data from lake sediment and peat cores collected from sub-Antarctic islands, such as Macquarie Island, will be used to provide critical information on aquatic and catchment responses to climate and nutrient cycling, as well as the health of ecosystems. This information will contribute to supporting decision-making for developing successful, realistic conservation strategies.



If you may be interested, please contact krystyna.saunders at ansto.gov.au<mailto:krystyna.saunders at ansto.gov.au> for further details by Thursday 18th August.