The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (HIE) is offering two research scholarships to highly motivated PhD candidates to study pollinator abundance, diversity and behaviour in native seed production areas, and how pollinators influence plant mating patterns and seed quality. The project is co-funded by Greening Australia, Western Sydney University's Graduate Research School, and the Ian Potter Foundation. Addressing Australia's challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change is hampered by limited availability of good quality native seed. Regional Seed Production Areas (SPAs) are thus required to produce stocks of resilient, healthy seeds suitable for a changing climate. Consequently, we also need to know how different horticultural practices and planting designs influence seed yield and quality in SPAs. Given the importance of pollinators to the yield and genetic quality of SPA-produced seed, it is essential to investigate pollinator visitation and performance on key plant species in SPAs. This project will use innovative fieldwork techniques (plantings, exclusions) and technologies (eDNA, cameras) to understand which animals pollinate selected Australian native plants and how SPA design influences their pollination, seed yield and seed quality. Shortlink: https://tinyurl.com/2snw929c Please share with potential candidates and email to discuss. Regards Paul Dr Paul Rymer| Associate Professor Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Hawkesbury Campus Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia P: +612 4570 1094 | M: 0415 963 139 https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/hie/people/researchers/doctor_paul_rymer https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=cRzWkkAAAAAJ&hl=en westernsydney.edu.au Paul Rymer (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)