Download Job Description for Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD

Job Description for Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD)
Organisation Details:
Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC (EBD)
c/ Americo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Isla de la Cartuja, Sevilla
http://www.ebd.csic.es
Organisation Description:
Doñana Biological Station is a public research institute belonging to the Consejo Superior
de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC, within the area of Natural Resources. Our primary
mission is to carry out multidisciplinary research at the highest level, directed at
understanding, from an evolutionary point of view, how biodiversity is generated, how it is
maintained and damaged, in addition to the consequences of its loss and the chances of
their preservation and restoration. Furthermore, it also promotes the transfer of knowledge
to society. The Institute consists of a main building in Seville and two field stations, the
ICTS Doñana Biological Reserve, (Doñana Natural Area, Almonte, Huelva) and
Roblehondo Field Station (Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las
Villas).
Spanish Required:
None
Positions:
EBD are seeking graduates in areas such as animal behaviour, zoology, plant biology,
biology, ecology or related fields to carry out a 13-week internship at their institute in
Seville. The projects all begin mid September 2017 and are as follows:
1) INTRODUCTION TO PLANT EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY AND
EPIGENETICS
Project description:
There has been a recent upsurge of interest on the ecological and evolutionary
significance of epigenetic processes, which involve heritable phenotypic changes
unrelated to alterations in DNA sequence. In the case of plants, mounting interest on
epigenetic processes has been largely promoted by results showing that in some model
species epigenetic changes in the phenotype can be induced by the environment and are
often passed without alterations across generations. DNA cytosine methylation is a well
established epigenetic mechanism and the most studied one in plants. We will focus in
DNA methylation and explore the general hypothesis that intense and recurrent water
stress will induce heritable changes in DNA methylation that will differ between endemic
species characteristic of Mediterranean poor soils and, thus, usually facing this stress
(Erodium cazorlanum, Geranium cazorlanum) and other congeners characteristic of
deeper soils and with a broader distribution range (Erodium cicutarium, Geranium
lucidum).
The student will assist on sample processing and greenhouse experiments aiming to test
this hypothesis. The student will learn concepts of experimental design, methods of plant
evolutionary ecology (phenotyping and fitness estimates) and will be introduced to
molecular (epi)genetics.
Example tasks:
-
Preparation of seeds (counting, weighing)
Adult phenotyping (date of flowering, number of inflorescences, number of
flowers/inflorescence, flower size, leaf length, leaf specific mass, …)
Student’s training will also benefit from attendance to the weekly seminars held at
EBD.
Supervision: Conchita Alonso
Plant-animal interactions group <http://www.plant-animal.es/>, Evolutionary Ecology
Department
2) LONG-DISTANCE
MOVEMENTS
OF
LARGE
VULTURES
IN
CHANGING
ENVIRONMENTS:
SCENARIOS IN THE IBERIAN PENINSULA
BODY-SIZED
REWILDING
Project Description:
Analysis of GPS and acellerometer data of griffon vultures (n=60) in two regions of Spain
in relation to food resource distribution: livestock and wild ungulates.
Example tasks:




Stable isotope analysis (preparation of samples)
R statistical analysis
Waypoint and pylon movement mapping on Google Earth
Attending journal meetings to discuss papers
Supervision: José Antonio Donázar and Ainara Cortes
3) INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF FORAGING STRATEGIES AND
SPACE USE IN AN INSULAR POPULATION OF EGYPTIAN VULTURES
Project Description:
Analysis of behavioural patterns and determination of personality traits of GPS-marked
individuals (n=47) in relation to resource distribution (food and roosting sites). Analyses of
stable isotopes.
Example tasks:
 Stable isotope analysis (preparation of samples)
 Analysis of camera trap stills and transferring data
 Attending journal meetings to discuss papers
Supervision: José Antonio Donázar and Ainara Cortes
4) TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS OF VECTOR-BORNE PATHOGENS
Project Description:
We analyze the factors associated to the transmission dynamics of vector-borne
pathogens among wildlife and the factors associate to the attractiveness by mosquitoes
towards different hosts.
Example tasks:
 The candidate will be trained in molecular techniques for detection of pathogens
and identification of the origin of mosquito bloodmeals using DNA-barcoding.
 He/she will also participate in experiments to compare the attraction of mosquitoes
towards different odors.
Supervision: Jordi Figuerola