The Department of Animal Ecology offers a PhD position 'the influence of artificial light at night on bat-insect interactions across urban gradients'.

Artificial illumination at night is increasing due to urbanization and economic activity, which has severe consequences for foraging bats. For most bat species light is perceived as a direct threat. For some synanthropic species, light sources form a local opportunity by attracting airborne insects, and thereby a foraging opportunity. The presence of artificial light sources potentially facilitates the presence of more common bat species, and decrease habitat availability for less common, light shy bats – thereby reducing species diversity. Information is however absent on how synanthropic species benefit from light sources, and how this relates to urbanization and the temporally variable response of insects to light.

The PhD project:
The PhD student will study spatial and temporal aspects of bat foraging activity and success along urban gradients in several cities in the Netherlands. The PhD student will work together with two other PhD students, in order to simultaneously assess consequences of nightly light levels on time-of-year and time-of-night dependent effects on the food-web. The study includes the setup of urban gradients and sites with experimental variation in light intensity and light spectrum, as well as bat fecal analysis and prey species meta barcoding. The work includes manual and automated assessment of bat foraging activity, as well as laboratory work on (direct and DNA based) prey species identification, and bioinformatics.

Training:
The student will receive training in a broad range of biological skills ranging from experimental design, urban field work, molecular laboratory techniques, statistical analysis and bioinformatics. 

The successful candidate should have a master’s degree, and a strong background in experimental (field) ecology and statistics. Successful candidates must speak fluent English and Dutch (or have the willingness to acquire the language). Communication skills will be essential for team work and interaction with municipality authorities and the general public. A car driving license is necessary.

Appointment:
This is a temporary appointment, initially for one year and upon satisfaction to be prolonged for a maximum of in total four years (1.0 fte). Starting date: November/December 2021 (some flexibility available). 

Salary:
The gross salary starts at € 2,434 per month in the 1st year, and will gradually increase to a maximum of € 3,111 per month in the 4th year, scale P, Collective Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO Nederlandse Universiteiten), excluding 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% year-end bonus.

Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO)

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) is an Academy research institute. It conducts ecological research on land, in the ocean and in fresh water and studies how living organisms interact with one another and their environment. NIOO stimulates biodiversity and sustainability in nature and society through its worldwide network of researchers, policymakers, conservationists and other stakeholders.

Research and Project group

The PhD student will be embedded in the Spoelstra group at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), located in Wageningen, The Netherlands. This PhD position is one of in total 25 positions at the core of the BioClock consortium, funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) in the framework of the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA). BioClock is a national consortium in which academic institutes, societal partners, and industry join forces to address a broad spectrum of fundamental and applied research questions on the circadian clock in modern society. The PhD candidate will participate in this multidisciplinary team effort. See: https://bioclockconsortium.org/ for more information about the BioClock consortium.