PhD Student Phosphorus and water regime in forest soils

The Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL is a part of the ETH domain. Approximately 500 people work on the sustainable use and protection of the environment and on the handling of natural hazards.

The Research Unit Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry studies the impact of environmental changes on biogeochemical cycles. Within the DFG priority program “Ecosystem Nutrition”, it is looking for a
PhD Student Phosphorus and water regime in forest soils
In order to better understand how potential climate scenarios affect the nutritional status of forest ecosystems, you will study the effect of different water regimes on the mobilisation of phosphorus by trees and microorganisms. You will carry out experiments in the greenhouse with young beeches growing in naturally structured soil cores and you will assess the potential to mobilise different chemical forms of phosporus in the soil. Using radioactive labeling techniques, you will investigate the competition between plants and microorganisms. Using molecular tools, you study microbial communities and their functionality. You will closely collaborate with research groups at the Forest Research Institute in Freiburg i.B, the ETH Zürich, and the Helmholtz centre in Munich.
You have a M.Sc. degree in environmental sciences with a focus on soil biogeochemistry or soil biology, or in plant biology with an interest in plant-soil interactions. You are highly motivated and enjoy working with different institutes within a large research program. Besides, you are a communicative personality with very good English skills.

Please send your complete application to Mrs. Sabine Hirt, Human Resources WSL. For further information, please contact Jörg Luster (+41 (0)44 739 22 95, joerg.luster@wsl.ch).