We are looking for a JRF for a
project investigating the structure and dynamics of faunal and floral
communities in the Banni grassland ecosystem, Gujarat. The Banni, in
western India, is Asia’s largest tropical grassland and home to a rich
array of biodiversity. It is also a unique bio-cultural landscape with a
450-year old history of pastoralism. The Banni today faces a host of
challenges including an extreme and variable climate, and the invasion
of grasslands by Prosopis juliflora.
Understanding
and predicting the response of the Banni Grasslands to invasions and
future changes in climate requires detailed data on spatial and temporal
patterns of abundance, distribution and diversity of taxa. The JRF will
be responsible for coordinating and collecting data for long-term
monitoring programs for multiple taxa across the Banni landscape. This
will include setting up and monitoring of vegetation plots, establishing
experiments to look at the effects of herbivory and Prosopis
invasion on plant and animal communities, and the monitoring of
carnivore communities using camera traps and track plots. In addition,
he/she will also be responsible for liaising with multiple institutions
and stakeholders including the Forest Department, Banni Breeders
Association, as well as local communities. Finally, he/she will also be
required to help with the running of the newly established field
station.
The work is part of a larger
multi-institutional initiative investigating the patterns and processes
underlying complex ecological and social dynamics in arid pastoral
ecosystems. The project is jointly implemented by the Ashoka Trust for
Research in Ecology & the Environment, Bangalore (ATREE), National
Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore (NCBS-TIFR), Sahajeevan, Bhuj
and Ambedkar University, New Delhi.
The JRF will
be expected to spend a considerable amount of time in the field, often
under trying logistical conditions. Minimum qualifications include:
- A Master’s degree in life sciences,
- Good plant identification skills, and basic statistical and data management skills. GIS skills are desirable.
- Previous field experience desirable
- Ability to drive a 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler with valid driver’s license
- Fluency in English and Hindi. Ability to converse in Gujarati/Kutchhi is a definite plus.
Salary
will be commensurate with experience. The position is initially for one
year, but renewable for an additional year. The JRF will be associated
with ATREE-Bangalore, but based at the RAMBLE field station in Hodka
Banni, and will be required to travel periodically to Bangalore &
New Delhi to interact with the principal investigators of the project.
Interested candidates should send their CV and names and contacts of two
referees to banniresearch@gmail.com. We will start reviewing applications on 30th March 2014 and continue until a suitable candidate is found.
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