The University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) has 8 research positions for doctorate students/research assistants in the Collaborative Research Centre RESIST to study stream stressors.
About RESIST
The RESIST Collaborative Research Centre investigates how stressors individually and in combination affect the biodiversity and functions of streams and rivers, and how previously stressed ecosystems recover. RESIST investigates the effects of stressors on all components of the food web of running waters (from viruses to fish) and on ecosystem functions. Field studies, large collaborative experiments, and a wide range of analytical (especially genomic) and modelling methods are used. Become part of a committed and competent team that carries out challenging field experiments and develops new methods for river restoration.
The projects
Each of the positions is for participation in different research projects, namely
Position 756-24 Microbial key processes and key species during drought and re-wetting of river sediments.
Focused on health of aquatic ecosystems and uses omics methods, microscopy, and ecosystem theory in an interdisciplinary fashion together with other research groups. The project aims at deciphering metagenomes and metatranscriptomes of river sediments for unravelling microbiome (microbial and viral) adaptations to stressor scenarios.
Position 757-24: Ecological effects of parasites: their contribution to stress responses of their hosts and their importance for dispersal processes.
Aims to sample and compare parasite communities in invertebrates and fish at different river sites. In addition, laboratory and field flume experiments with parasitised macroinvertebrates will be carried out in cooperation with other project partners. The aim is to analyse the effects of multiple stressors and parasitisation on host communities.
Position 758-24: Biotic and abiotic drivers of macroinvertebrate dispersal.
The aims of the project are the measurement and model-based prediction of the dispersal of aquatic invertebrates against abiotic and biological drivers in streams of North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, Germany. Dispersal measurements of organisms are deployed during extensive field and laboratory studies, including gene flow measurements within populations. The results, together with site-specific environmental factors, are transferred into mathematical-statistical models to predict macroinvertebrate dispersal in space and time. The models are tested using scenarios of different environmental settings and validated against additional data.
Position 759-24: Recovery processes of riverine organism groups (benthic invertebrates, diatoms and fish) from different modes and severities of degradation.
For this project, the tasks include field and laboratory work to collect and determine benthic invertebrate samples in the Emscher and Kinzig catchment areas. Most importantly, it involves statistical evaluation and statistical modelling of extensive Germany-wide time series of riverine benthic invertebrate communities. That together with the preparation of scientific publications on the recovery of benthic invertebrate communities.
Position 760-24: Mechanistic Modelling of Metacommunity Dynamics under Multiple Stressors in Stream Networks of Real and Generic Catchments.
The tasks include the development of a metacommunity model for diatoms, fish, and macroinvertebrates for Central European and generic catchments to test hypotheses and gain general insights into dynamics under multiple stressors. Model analysis and statistical analysis of complementary monitoring data are also part of the tasks, including the compilation of historical community development over the past century. Writing scientific publications and presenting results at conferences.
Position 761-24: Responses of aquatic fungal communities to multiple stressors and consequences for leaf decomposition.
The project investigates the impact of multiple stressors (salinity, temperature increase, drought) on aquatic fungal communities and their decomposition ability. In the project’s scope, various multi-stressor studies will be conducted, from lab-based beaker experiments, outdoor mesocosm experiments, and field studies.
Position 762-24: Viral (and host) microdiversity response to multiple stressors in freshwater ecosystems
The project aims to decipher the impact of various stressors on the microbial microdiversity of river sediments, by leveraging metagenomics and bioinformatics methods.
Position 763-24: Responses of parasitic protist communities and their effects on their macroinvertebrate hosts under different degradation and recovery conditions.
The project aims to investigate potential differences in stress responses of parasitic protist-infected and non-infected macroinvertebrates. In addition, parasitic protist communities in the environment and free-living macroinvertebrates (DNA samples) will be sampled under different stress conditions. The planned experiments will range from small-scale laboratory to large-scale field experiments to investigate the response of individual species and communities under controlled conditions. Field samples will provide insight into how parasitic protist communities change under different stressors.
Your benefits
- Support from the CRC Research Training Group
- Interesting doctoral topic with excellent professional supervision
- Varied tasks in a lively, international working environment
- Working environment with respectful, appreciative cooperation
- Pleasant working atmosphere in a dynamic team
- Opportunity to pursue a doctorate in the CRC graduate school with numerous support programmes
- Family friendliness through childcare facilities for your children
- Counselling for family care responsibilities
- Wide range of further education and training programmes, individual induction training
- Excellent public transport connections and free parking spaces
- Attractive sports and health programmes (university sports)
- Home office possibilities
Additional Information
Duration of employment: 3 years
Working time: 25 Std. 53 Min. (65 %)
Application deadline: 16 January 2025