Are you looking for a PhD position in the field of pesticide mixtures on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem health? Then this might be an oppurtunity for you!
Under the scope of the European Project – SPRINT (https://sprint-h2020.eu/ ), the main objective is to assess the effects of PPP mixtures on the ecosystem health. Based on more realistic scenarios, the specific objectives of this proposal are: (i) to evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of PPP mixtures found in distinct crop systems across Europe on native terrestrial and aquatic species; (ii) to assess the extent to which the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems retain their natural function and so have the capacity to deliver a range of services.
The PhD position will be in The Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) - Portugal
the following four tasks were defined (T1-5):
T1- Ecotoxicological effects of PPP mixtures on terrestrial species. Monospecific assays with non-standard terrestrial species, including earthworms and beneficial insects, will be performed to assess the effects of 11 distinct PPP mixtures (corresponding to the 11 cases studies of the SPRINT project across Europe). Beside the traditional endpoints at individual level, sub-individual endpoints will also be assessed, including biochemical, genotoxicity and cellular biomarkers.
T2- Ecotoxicological effects of PPP mixtures on aquatic species.
Similarly to the previous task, monospecific assays with non-standard aquatic species (e.g. native macroinvertebrates) exposed to the 11 PPP mixtures will be conducted. Both sub-individual and individual endpoints will be assessed.
T3- Impacts of PPP mixtures on terrestrial ecosystem functioning.
To assess the effects on the ecosystem function distinct parameters will be measured, including nitrification, potentially mineralisable N, hot water extractable C, microbial biomass, microbial respiration and bait lamina (following Griffiths et al 2016);
T4- Impacts of PPP mixtures on aquatic ecosystem functioning.
The functions of the aquatic system will be assessed by measuring distinct parameters, including: microbial and decomposers/detritivores activity, diversity of bacterial, fungal and diatom communities.
The student will also be responsible for the outreach activities, such as publication of scientific papers and presentations at conferences and attend complementary training workshops. The candidate will work at the Centre for Environment and Marine Studies (CESAM), University
of Aveiro, under the supervision of CESAM researchers Joana Pereira and Nelson Abrantes.
