Postdoc on
Analyzing relationships and scale effects in
diversity facets of the alpine flora
Postdoc details
Context:
Isolated mountain ranges provide a unique opportunity to study the processes generating biodiversity
and the relationships of different diversity facets (taxonomic, functional, phylogenetic) in a common
ecological and historical setting. The European Alps, one of the coldest biomes on the planet, are a wellknown hotspot of biodiversity in Europe, with fairly high plant endemism (about 13%). The growing
availability of community and inventory data, of massive trait databases and large phylogenies allows
for profoundly analyzing the interrelationship of alpha, beta and gamma diversity facets, the strength of
their spatial co-variation, their scaling with area, as well as with grain and extent of the data, both along
spatial and environmental gradients.
Objectives:
The objective of the Postdoc is to explore spatial covariation in alpha, beta and gamma plant diversity,
its consistency with regions, taxonomic clades or biomes, its diversity area (alpha/gamma) or distance
(beta) relationships and its scaling with varying grain and extent of the data. The successful applicant
further analyzes how functional and phylogenetic dissimilarities among species assemblages
(communities) contribute to explain the functioning of ecosystems (productivity, stability) along
environmental gradients, between regions, and between biomes. The project will allow for developing
novel approaches in the domain of multifaceted diversity analyses.
Data and methods:
The Postdoc will make use of an unprecedented database of distribution data and of plant community
plots for all plant species of the European Alps, the molecular dated species-level phylogeny (on 4,500
plant taxa) for all these species, and suitable functional traits, all being currently developed within the
SNF/ANR Origin-Alps project. During the first few months, the Postdoc will participate in data
acquisition (database cleaning, trait sampling, compiling necessary data). The methods involved during
the Postdoc concerns diversity analyses based on Hill’s number, diversity-area relationship approaches,
spatial analyses, statistical modelling and theory based ecological and diversity analyses.
Practical information:
The Postdoc is funded through the French-Swiss bilateral project called Origin-Alps (2017-2020,
Bilateral ANR- SNF generic call 2016) with a duration of 2 years (may be extended by another year), is
coordinated by N.E. Zimmermann (WSL, Zurich) on the Swiss side and by S. Lavergne and W. Thuiller
(LECA, France) on the French side. The Postdoc will be co-supervised by N.E. Zimmermann and W.
Thuiller. The candidate will be expected to share his/her time between Zurich and Grenoble (details to
be discussed).
Strong collaboration is foreseen with other researchers involved within Origin-Alps (Jan Smycka,
Cristina Roquet) and in the teams of the two groups (Laura Pollock, Matt Talluto, Catherine H. Graham,
Loïc Pellissier).
Keywords: Biodiversity modelling, spatial scaling and analysis, phylogenetic diversity, functional
diversity, diversity-area relationships, ecosystem services
Profile
The candidates should have a PhD degree in a relevant area (ecology, biology, evolution), be highly
self-motivated, and able to work in a dynamic team. We expect the candidates to have a good knowledge
of statistics (preferably in the R environment), and preferably knowledge of biodiversity theory,
biodiversity analysis, and diversity metrics at multiple scales. Having worked on those issues during the
PhD is a plus. Working language is English. Knowledge of French or/and German is recommended but
not mandatory.
Application details
Please submit your complete application (motivation letter, CV including publication list, PDF format)
using this link (where you find a short version of the job offer) and address your application to Sabine
Hirt, Human Resources WSL. Niklaus E. Zimmermann ([email protected]) or Wilfried
Thuiller ([email protected]) will be happy to answer any questions or offer
further information. The position is open until filled, evaluation starts March 27th 2017. Expected start
of the position is between July 1st and October 1st 2017.
Relevant publications
Barton PS, Cunningham SA, Manning AD, Gibb H, Lindenmayer DB & Didham RK, 2013. The
spatial scaling of beta diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 22(6), 639-647.
Cadotte M, Albert CH & Walker SC, 2013. The ecology of differences: assessing community
assembly with trait and evolutionary distances. Ecology Letters, 16(10), 1234-1244.
Mazel F, Guilhaumon F, Mouquet N, Devictor V, Gravel D, Renaud J, Vinicius M, Cianciaruso MV,
Loyola R, Diniz-Filho JAF, Mouillot D & Thuiller, W, 2014. Multifaceted diversity–area
relationships reveal global hotspots of mammalian species, trait and lineage diversity. Global
Ecology and Biogeography 23, no. 8 (2014): 836-847.
Münkemüller T, Gallien L, Lavergne S, Renaud J, Roquet C, Abdulhak S, Dullinger S, Garraud L,
Guisan A, Lenoir J, Svenning, JC, Van Es J, Vittoz P, Willner W, Wohlgemuth T, Zimmermann
NE & Thuiller W, 2014. Scale decisions can reverse conclusions on community assembly
processes. Global Ecology and Biogeography 23(6): 620-632.
Thuiller W, Pironon S, Psomas A, Barbet-Massin M, Jiguet F, Lavergne S, Pearman PB, Renaud J,
Zupan L & Zimmermann NE, 2014. The functional tree of life of European avifauna in face of
global change.
Xavier A, Cerdá X & Retana J, 2016. Relationships among taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic
ant diversity across the biogeographic regions of Europe. Ecography.