PhD position available at the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences,
SRUC, Edinburgh, UK

What are the consequences of sexual dimorphism for habitat choice? Lessons
from an actinorhizal dioecious plant (Hippophae rhamnoides L.)

Supervisors: Roberta Bergero, Luis Novo, Stephanie Jones

About the project:
The aim of the project is to examine the consequence of habitat choice
on the evolution of sexual dimorphism. This is an area of research
very poorly investigated that can generate fundamental knowledge on the
evolution of dioecy and solve long-standing enigma on sexual antagonism
and the evolution of sex chromosomes. You will use the model species
Hippophae rhamnoides L., a dioecious shrub commonly found along the
Scottish coast.  Studies on the ecological distribution of male and
female plants from this species show sexual dimorphism. You will test
whether sexual dimorphism for habitat choice could have triggered (or
being the consequence of) sexual differences on other aspects of the
plant biology, including metal uptake physiology, plant nutrition and
differential recruitment of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Objectives:

Generate sex-linked markers from pools of male and female genomic DNAs
from native and introduced Scottish populations.
Carry out greenhouse growth assays in metal-contaminated and
non-contaminated soils on juveniles sexed with developed molecular markers
Test for sexual differences in above-ground and below-ground
bioaccumulation of heavy metals,
Test whether the recruitment of soil nitrogen-fixing bacteria differ
between male and female plants

Interdisciplinary Training and Techniques:
You will work within a cross-disciplinary team with expertise spanning
plant genetics, plant phytoremediation and soil sciences.  This PhD
position provides an exciting opportunity to gain broad expertise
working at the interface of evolutionary ecology, plant symbiosis and
phytoremediation.

How to apply:

https://www.findaphd.com/phds/?Keywords=3Dbergero

For questions contact Dr Roberta Bergero, email:
roberta.bergero@sruc.ac.uk

Please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to.
This e-mail message is confidential to the intended recipient at the
email address to which it has been addressed. If the message has been
received by you in error, it may not be disclosed to or used by anyone
other than the intended addressee, nor may it be copied in any way. If
it is not intended for you please inform us, immediately, then delete
it from your system. If the content is not about the business of the
organisation then the message is not from us nor is it sanctioned by
us. Anything in this e-mail or its attachments which does not relate to
SRUC's or SRUC Innovation Limited's official business is neither given
nor endorsed by SRUC or SRUC Innovation Limited.

SRUC
A Charitable company limited by guarantee, Scottish Charity Number:
SC003712.
Registered in Scotland, Company Number: SC103046 - Registered Office:
Peter Wilson Building, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh
EH9 3JG

SRUC Innovation Limited, an SRUC company
Registered in Scotland, Company Number: SC148684 - Registered Office:
Peter Wilson Building, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh
EH9 3JG

Roberta.Bergero@sruc.ac.uk

(to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to
golding@mcmaster.ca)