1 PhD position for Ecosystem Services of River Systems in Netherlands | Radboud University

The aim of this PhD project is to develop tools for assessing the effects of rehabilitation measures and management strategies on ecosystem services delivered by river-floodplain systems. Special attention will be given to the spatial and temporal dynamics of river-floodplain ecosystem services under different natural and anthropogenic forcing. These tools should be useful in reducing the long-term management costs, in creating more self-sustaining rivers with beneficial ecosystem services and in designing interventions smartly. The ecosystem services tools will be implemented in a model that assesses the effects of river management on habitats and biodiversity (BIO-SAFE).

River-floodplain systems provide valuable ecosystem services such as safety, recreation, biodiversity, biomass production, CO2 sequestration, nutrient retention and self-purifying capacity. The ecosystem services concept contributes to an integrated framework for socio-economic assessment of the (life-cycle) costs and ecological benefits of physical reconstruction plans and management strategies for river-floodplain systems. Implementing ecosystem services in integrated environmental assessments of river management requires a user-friendly tool that allows (1) compatibility with models for ecomorphological development of river-floodplains, (2) scientifically sound and transparent assessments of the benefits humans derive from ecosystems, and (3) useful communication between different stakeholders involved in the use of ecosystem services. Various types of indicators and approaches for quantification of ecosystem services are emerging. However, a user-friendly and compatible tool that incorporates ecosystem services into integrated environmental assessments for sustainable river-basin management is still lacking.

Description

• MSc degree in biology or environmental sciences;
• experience with river ecology, simple mathematical modelling and statistical techniques;
• curiosity, commitment, and good organisation and communication skills (especially a good command of written English).

Benefits

• you will be appointed for a period of four years. Your performance will be evaluated after 18 months. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years;
• you will be classified as a PhD Candidate (promovendus) in the Dutch university job-ranking system (UFO).
• the gross starting salary amounts to €2,083 per month, and will increase to €2,664 in the fourth year;