Post-Doctoral Position in Response and Feedback of Forest
Ecosystem Carbon, Nitrogen and Water Cycle to Climate Change
Global Change Research Group is seeking motivated post-doctoral candidates to work on response and feedback of forest ecosystem carbon, nitrogen and water cycle to climate change in difference forests of SW China. The ideal candidate will have general knowledge of ecology and ecosystem processes, and specific research experience with study on carbon, nitrogen, water biogeochemical processes, phenology and greenhouse gases emissions. The candidate should be under the age of 35. Previous experience in the field and lab work on forest ecosystems is an asset, but not essential. Candidate’s primary responsibilities will be analysis and interpretation of flux data and the preparation of manuscripts for publication. In order to answer your scientific questions based on our group’s previous studies, some field or lab work will be required. Initially, the position will be for two years, with possible extension dependent upon obtaining additional funding. Location: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China. Salary is RMB180,000 per year. Interested applicants should send a curriculum vitae, copies of published, prepared manuscripts and a detailed research plan to Prof. Dr. ZHANG Yiping (yipingzh@xtbg.ac.cn).
Address: 88 Xuefu Road, Kunming, China, 650223.
Research base and anticipation
Global Change Research Group, till now, has set 7 eddy flux observatory systems and forest phenology detection systems across tropical rainforest, rubber plantation, subtropical evergreen forest and semiarid savanna ecosystems.
Previously we have carried long-term artificially controlled ecological studies such as: drought control study in tropical rainforest and semi- arid savannas; effect of soil warming on soil respiration in subtropical and sub-alpine forests in China, we have set 15N tracer field research in tropical rainforest and subtropical evergreen forest. Additionally, we have set a natural 13C study in in tropical rainforest, rubber plantation, subtropical evergreen forest and semiarid savanna. The global change research group as a frontier research team has carried out a series of research projects focusing on the characters and mechanisms of carbon, nitrogen and water cycles in various ecosystems.
Most of the results have been published in various international and national academic journals, some papers in top geoscience and ecology peer-reviewed journals, such as Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Geophysical Research Letters, Environmental Research Letters, Journal of Geophysical Research, Hydrological Processes, New Phytologist , Plant and Soil, Biogeosciences, etc.
In addition, our research group has attracted research cooperation with many domestic and overseas institutes and universities (Norwegian Life Science University, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan, Canada Centre for Remote Sensing, Natural Resources Canada, and so on).
In future, we will depend on ecological stations at Xishuangbanna, Ailaoshan, Yuanjiang and Lijiang, to take full advantage of eddy flux observational systems in tropical rainforest, rubber plantation, subtropical evergreen forest and semiarid savanna ecosystems, the artificial controlled drought experiments in rainforest and semiarid savanna, manual controlled soil warming on soil respiration in subtropical and sub-alpine forests, and forest phenology detection systems in tropical rainforest, rubber plantation, subtropical evergreen forest and semiarid savanna etc.
Based on all the previous research projects with cutting-edge research experimental set-up in different forest ecosystems across Yunnan province, we are attempting mechanistic approach to understand the carbon, nitrogen and water cycles and their response and feedback to climate change.
Furthermore, the most important project will concern the impact of global changing (increased temperature, decreased precipitation and N deposition) on carbon, nitrogen and water cycles and their biogeochemical process in forest ecosystems. Importantly, we will pay close attention to the effect and the mechanism of human activities on greenhouse gases emission.
In future, we will investigate the driving factors of the carbon, nitrogen cycle from Malaya to Antarctic along with altitudes as a key factor. Thus, there are many interesting research avenues which will be of more interesting to answer your research questions and we welcome you to join our research group.
Additional notes:
Salary will be according to the rules and regulations of Xishuangbanna tropical botanical garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences (perhaps it covers at least one round-trip international air trip per year). The other conditions (living apartment, insurances etc.) and rules of your postdoctoral life also must obey the institution’s documental requirements and Chinese laws.
Applications will be reviewed as they are received. The positions will remain open until filled.
