We are looking for a suitable candidate for a PhD position available at the CRIOBE as part of the ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche)-funded project CoralMates to start in March/April 2020.
Project description: Coral recruitment is a crucial ecological process that impacts the maintenance and recovery of coral reef populations. Together with scleractinian corals, crustose coralline algae (CCA) are major framework builders and carbonate producers on tropical reefs. CCA are also associated with microorganisms and chemicals that are thought to play a key role in coral settlement and metamorphosis. However, the different microbial and chemical cues that mediate the positive interaction between corals and certain CCA species are still unclear.
The project will combine field observations, laboratory experiments and state-of-art technology in microbiology, genetic, chemical ecology and metabolomics to uncover the chemical and microbial mediation of coral recruitment. The PhD candidate will: 1) determine whether specific associations (or inhibitions) between CCA and corals could be related to certain microbes and/or metabolites, 2) assess the influence of CCA on the early stages of development of the coral microbiome, and 3) identify specific bacterial species and chemical extracts that impact coral larval behaviour, settlement and survival.
The work will be divided in four phases: 1) fieldwork preparation at the CRIOBE in Perpignan, France, 2) fieldwork in Moorea, French Polynesia, under the auspices of the CRIOBE research station, 3) microbial and chemical analyses at the CRIOBE in Perpignan, France and at the Oceanographic Observatory in Banyuls-sur-mer, France, and 4) data analyses and write-up of thesis at the CRIOBE in Perpignan, France.
Supervisors: The lead supervisor is A/Prof Maggy Nugues (CRIOBE Centre de recherche insulaire et observatoire de l’environnement, www.criobe.pf). Co-supervision will be provided by Dr Pierre Galand (LECOB Laboratoire d’Ecog?ochimie des Environnements Benthiques), Dr Isabelle Bonnard (CRIOBE) and Prof Claude Payri (ENTROPIE Ecologie marine tropicale dans les Oc?ans Pacifique et Indien).
Requirements: Applicants should hold a Master degree in Marine Biological Sciences and/or Chemical Ecology. Applicants must be certified scientific divers (European Scientific Diver/Advanced European Scientific Diver) or obtain a scientific diver certification by the time his/her fieldwork in Moorea starts. Experience working on coral reefs is preferred. Experiences in microbiology and/or chemistry are an asset. Candidates should be physically fit, willing to work for long hours, comfortable working in and on water, fluent in English or French, and have good communication, project management and scientific writing skills.
Studentship funding: ca. 1400 euros per month for 3 years
Interested candidates should send a motivation letter, CV with list of referees, proofs of Master degree and scientific diving certification to Maggy Nugues (maggy.nugues@univ-perp.fr) by November 10, 2019.
Best regards,
Maggy
Dr. Maggy M. NUGUES
Ma?tre de conf?rences EPHE / Associate Professor
USR 3278 CRIOBE EPHE-CNRS-UPVD
PSL Research University
Laboratoire d’Excellence ?CORAIL?
USR 3278 – Centre de Biologie et d’Ecologie Tropicale et M?diterran?enne
(CBETM)
Universit? de Perpignan (UPVD) – b?timent R
58 Av. Paul Alduy – 66860 Perpignan cedex, France
&
Centre de Recherche Insulaire et Observatoire de l’Environnement (CRIOBE)
BP 1013 – 98 729, Papetoai, Moorea, Polyn?sie fran?aise
Tel : (33) (0)4 68 66 21 56, Fax : (33) (0)4 68 50 36 86
Email : maggy.nugues@univ-perp.fr / maggy.nugues@criobe.pf
Skype:Â maggy.nugues@ephe.sorbonne.fr
Lab website:Â http://www.criobe.pf/