How will ecosystem services in croplands respond to global change? Human population growth and climate stressors are driving changes to agricultural landscapes. Heat and drought are set to reduce crop yields, while non-crop vegetation is increasingly cleared to expand the cultivated area. Changes to landscapes, such as these, can affect the beneficial organisms that supply crucial ecosystem services to farmers, such as the biological control of crop pests provided by insects and spiders.

Two (2) fully-funded PhD positions are available ($25,000 CAD/year for four years), to join our agroecological research team at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada. These positions will focus on the mechanisms connecting global change factors such as vegetation clearance and drought with pest regulation ecosystem services, and contribute to our broader program of environmental sustainability research in Canadian Prairie croplands.

Candidates who have completed MSc (or equivalent) research in ecology, entomology, or agriculture will be well-prepared to begin this position. Possible start dates include September 2022, January 2023, May 2023 or September 2023.

Please send a CV, unofficial transcripts for undergraduate and graduate degrees, and a cover letter describing your research interests as they relate to this project to Dr. Paul Galpern ([log in to unmask] ). Applications will be reviewed as received until September 2022, with protocols in place to ensure equity, diversity and inclusion in recruitment.

For more information on our labâ€™s research please visit: profiles.ucalgary.ca/paul-galpern-0 and see recent publications in Paul Galpernâ€™s Google Scholar profile. Questions are very welcome!

(University of Calgary is a top 5 Canadian research intensive university)