Rewilding to restore degraded drylands – New South Wales, Australia
Agency
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Location
Sydney, Australia
Category
PhD program by research
Scholarship
If you are a international student, you will need to apply for a University International Postgraduate Research Award (UIPA), which will cover your tuition fees for 3.5 years and give you an annual stipend currently valued at A$28,092 (details available at https://research.unsw.edu.au/additional-benefits-allowances-award-holders
Or you can apply the home country joint scholarship depend on the policy of your home country (e.g. CSC for Chinese students, details available at https://research.unsw.edu.au/unsw-home-country-joint-scholarships
Last Date to Apply
Application dates are listed at https://research.unsw.edu.au/key-dates. The deadline is September 18th, 2020 for commencement any time in 2021.
Description
The reintroduction of locally extinct native animals into conservation reserves is increasingly being used to sustain native animal populations, which are recognised as having positive effects on ecosystem functions and processes. We are seeking a student to develop a project within an established rewilding project to test the effects of reintroduced native animals on soil and microbial processes, how they interact with biological soil crusts (biocrusts), and whether the effects are influenced by changes in woody plant density. We expect this work will improve our understanding of the importance of reintroduced animals for rehabilitating degraded drylands.
Qualifications
Individuals with an interest in terrestrial ecology, soils, or restoration ecology are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate must have a Batcheler’s Degree from an accredited university and will need to have financial support to undertake an international PhD program from their own country or be competitive for a University International Postgraduate Research Award (UIPA) or the home country joint scholarships. As the scholarships are competitive, a Master’s degree with relevant research experiences and outputs (papers) is preferred. The most competitive applicants will have field experience in vegetation and soils, quantitated statistical skills (e.g. R statistical software) and research methods, and strong written and oral communication skills (in English). International student need to meet the English requirement of UNSW. To express your interest, please submit a cover letter and your curriculum vitae to David Eldridge.
Contact Person
David Eldridge
Contact Email