Applications are invited for a PhD position at ...

Applications are invited for a PhD position at the University of Aarhus, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (DJF), department of Agroecology and Environment. The position is available for three years beginning as soon as possible. Research area and project description Agriculture is the main driver for landscape and land use changes in Denmark, and has dramatic effects on nature. Changes in the environment (for instance climate changes) and management decisions affect the agricultural development spatially and temporally. To understand and predict direct and indirect effects of such changes on biodiversity and environmental emissions, it is important to integrate information across scales, including complex interactions and non-linear feed-back mechanisms. This project aims to develop new methods to analyse such effects of agricultural land use changes, integrating expertise about agricultural management, ecology and modelling.  Based on state of the art datasets and impact assessment models for upscaling fieldwork results to regional and national levels, the present project aims to investigate the effects of agricultural land management decisions. Especially, this project will focus on the management and the establishment of semi-natural land, bordering pastures or fields, and the effects of clever placement of set-aside areas including possibilities for bioenergy production. Within this topic, the project will focus on the development of new methods and datasets to analyse the effects of plant biodiversity in shelterbelts, small woodlands and set-aside field margins on surface water quality and runoff. As a case, effects of the 2008 abolishment of obligatory set-aside farmland within the EU will be investigated including case studies from Denmark and other European countries. The general dynamics between intensive and extensive land uses will be assessed using state of the art modelling and Geographical Information Systems analyses. The overall hypothesis of the projects is that strategically placed set-aside land in the form of field margin strips in combination with semi-natural landscape elements like small woodlands or established shelterbelts/bioenergy production plots with high plant biodiversity are very effective in providing eco-system services like runoff-control for flood peak mitigation and filtering of water pollutants while providing new options for farm management and diversification. Keywords: land use dynamics, agro-ecosystem services, set-aside, agroforestry, climate change resilience Qualifications and specific competences Applicants to the PhD positions must have a relevant Master’s degree (or graduate in the very near future – documentation for final thesis and date of examination must be enclosed in the application) or equivalent.  Place of Employment and Place of Work  The place of employment is the University of Aarhus, and the place of work is the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele. Denmark. Salary and Terms of Employment Salary and terms of employment are according to current agreement for state-employed academics and government circular from the Ministry of Finance regarding PhD students as well as the appointment structure of 2007 for scientific personnel at universities. The salary level for PhD students with qualifications corresponding to a Danish Master degree is approx. DKK 288,000 per year excluding pension (corresponding to USD 48,600 / EUR 38,600 per year - depending on the rate of exchange at the actual time of employment). Matriculation as a PhD student will be in accordance with Ministerial Order no. 18 of 14 January 2008 on the PhD Programme at Universities, and matriculation at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences is a prerequisite for employment as a PhD student. Applicants seeking further information are invited to contact: Head of research unit, Tommy Dalgaard, tel.: +******or e-mail: ****** Application In order for your application to be taken into consideration you must meet the requirements stated in the application form (please find the application form here)  Please send your application by the form below. Closing date for applications is 15 August 2009 at 12.00 noon. Applications received after the closing date for applications will not be considered! The University of Aarhus encourages all, irrespective of personal background, to apply. The University of Aarhus has 35,000 students, 8,500 members of staff and a turnover of DKK 4.8 billion in 2008. The university’s strategy and development contract are available at http://www.au.dk/en/strategy PhD position in Resilient Agro-Ecosystem Services and Land Use Changes Applications are invited for a PhD position at the University of Aarhus, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (DJF), department of Agroecology and Environment. The position is available for three years beginning as soon as possible. Research area and project description Agriculture is the main driver for landscape and land use changes in Denmark, and has dramatic effects on nature. Changes in the environment (for instance climate changes) and management decisions affect the agricultural development spatially and temporally. To understand and predict direct and indirect effects of such changes on biodiversity and environmental emissions, it is important to integrate information across scales, including complex interactions and non-linear feed-back mechanisms. This project aims to develop new methods to analyse such effects of agricultural land use changes, integrating expertise about agricultural management, ecology and modelling.  Based on state of the art datasets and impact assessment models for upscaling fieldwork results to regional and national levels, the present project aims to investigate the effects of agricultural land management decisions. Especially, this project will focus on the management and the establishment of semi-natural land, bordering pastures or fields, and the effects of clever placement of set-aside areas including possibilities for bioenergy production. Within this topic, the project will focus on the development of new methods and datasets to analyse the effects of plant biodiversity in shelterbelts, small woodlands and set-aside field margins on surface water quality and runoff. As a case, effects of the 2008 abolishment of obligatory set-aside farmland within the EU will be investigated including case studies from Denmark and other European countries. The general dynamics between intensive and extensive land uses will be assessed using state of the art modelling and Geographical Information Systems analyses. The overall hypothesis of the projects is that strategically placed set-aside land in the form of field margin strips in combination with semi-natural landscape elements like small woodlands or established shelterbelts/bioenergy production plots with high plant biodiversity are very effective in providing eco-system services like runoff-control for flood peak mitigation and filtering of water pollutants while providing new options for farm management and diversification. Keywords: land use dynamics, agro-ecosystem services, set-aside, agroforestry, climate change resilience Qualifications and specific competences Applicants to the PhD positions must have a relevant Master’s degree (or graduate in the very near future – documentation for final thesis and date of examination must be enclosed in the application) or equivalent.  Place of Employment and Place of Work  The place of employment is the University of Aarhus, and the place of work is the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Blichers Allé 20, DK-8830 Tjele. Denmark. Salary and Terms of Employment Salary and terms of employment are according to current agreement for state-employed academics