Dear coleagues,

We seek candidates for a PhD fellowship under the call Ayudas para contratos predoctorales para la formación de doctores 2020, within the Project “CO₂PPICE - Forest management as a tool to revitalize oak coppice forests: reactivation of carbon sinks and other ecosystem services”

(ref. PID2019-106701RR-I00)  https://twitter.com/CPpice

We seek candidates with a background in forestry, biology (plant physiology, ecology), environmental sciencies or physical geography, focusing their PhD Thesis on different parts of the Project, depending on their profile and interests. The candidate will join a multidisciplinary, growing research group, and a Project integrating classical ecophysiological measurements with stable isotopes, different monitoring techniques (IR thermometry, multispectral analysis, micrometeorology, LIDAR), dendrochronology, anatomical studies, ecohydrology, applied micology, modelling of carbon and water balance, and the valorisation of the socioeconomic services of forest. We will therefore value experience and knowledge on any of these fields. Previous knowledge of Spanish is not required, but desirable for daily life and administrative procedures.

PROJECT CONTEXT: The ability of oaks to resprout quickly after cutting was exploited by a traditional forest management practice, known as coppicing. However, this traditional practice has been largely abandoned, leading to overaged, unproductive and highly vulnerable forests. In this context, selective thinning of abandoned coppices has been promoted to reduce forest decline, but the elevated labour costs have prevented a widespread application. In this context, the aim of the project CO₂PPICE is to assess the effect of adaptive management plans on carbon and water balance in overaged oak coppice forests, and the associated ecosystem services, namely 1) biomass production, 2) carbon sequestration, 3) water infiltration (blue water), 4) reduced vulnerability, 5) mycological production, and 6) potential for recreational use.  

The PhD thesis will take place at the Forest Research Dept. of the Agrifood Research and Technology Centre of Aragón (CITA, Spain). The CITA is part of the Aula Dei campus in Zaragoza, together with two centers from the Spanish Research Council (CSIC-IPE and CSIC-EEAD), one technological park, Regional Agroenvironmental Laboratories, and one international education.

Interested candidates can contact me by e-mail ( [log in to unmask] ) for further details. 

Best regards,

Juan Pedro Ferrio