[IUFRO RG 7.03 FORENT] Postdoc in forest disturbance

POST-DOCTORAL POSITION: Dartmouth College and U.S. Forest Service CLIMATE CHANGE AND FOREST PEST DYNAMICS A post-doctoral position is available to investigate climatic effects on regional forest insect outbreak dynamics. Climate change is having simultaneous impacts on the potential yield of forests (via effects on tree growth and species distribution) and on biotic disturbance regimes in forests (via effects on insect pest populations). Our ability to adaptively manage forest ecosystems is presently limited due to inadequate knowledge of the linkages between climate, forest landscapes and forest pest population dynamics. The project will address this general problem through studies of North American pest species thought to be influenced by climate change (e.g., Dendroctonus bark beetles and Hemlock woolly adelgid). The post-doctoral scientist, working with the other investigators, will assemble and coordinate work groups with appropriate expertise and lead the development of resulting papers. The objective is to provide a foundational set of scenarios linking climate predictions with process-based models of forest pest dynamics and associated forest management options. This will build capacity for evaluating socio-economic impacts of climatic effects on forest pest dynamics under alternative management scenarios. We seek applicants with skills and interest in forest ecology, population dynamics, climate, ecosystem science, and/or natural resource economics. The position requires facility with modeling, programming, data management, and data analysis. Experience with work groups and multi-disciplinary science is a plus. To apply, please send curriculum vitae, a cover letter, and contact information for three references to Matt Ayres (Matt.Ayres(a)Dartmouth.edu). Review of applications will begin 1 June. INVESTIGATORS Matthew P. Ayres, Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH http://www.dartmouth.edu/~mpayres/ Barbara Bentz, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Logan, Utah http://www.fs.fed.us/rmrs/profiles/?last=Bentz&first=Barbara+J Thomas P. Holmes, Southern Research Station, Research Triangle Park, NC http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/sustain/people/holmes.htm Andrew Liebhold, Northern Research Station, Morgantown, West Virginia http://nrs.fs.fed.us/people/aliebhold