Project title
Interactions between fishermen and seabirds utilizing the same resource: identifying
social-ecological trade-offs.
Project description
Scientists are increasingly starting to understand the effects of human impacts on marine ecosystems and the social-ecological links between politics, policies, markets, practitioners and food webs. Few studies comprehensively address such multi-scale issues with a multidisciplinary approach — in part due to limited social and ecological data.
This study aims at understanding how perceptions of costs and benefits for human and nonhuman predators, targeting the same marine resource, take decisions based on social and ecological trade-offs.
This PhD study will evaluate how Swedish sprat Sprattus sprattus fishermen, constrained by policies, policy, markets, vessel capacity, informal social norms and ecological dynamics — make decisions on how, when and where to fish for sprat. The behavior of fishermen is compared to Common guillemot Uria aalge, a seabird feeding on the same resource, constrained by short- and long term energy trade-offs and social bonds, utilize the same resource.
The study aims at identifying constraining factors (bottlenecks) for long term economic profitability and population survival for fishermen and seabirds respectively, and strategies utilized aimed at addressing these factors. Potential social and ecological tradeoffs between fishermen and seabirds in the Baltic Sea will be evaluated, and compared to analogous planned studies in other large marine ecosystems (Chile and the Antarctic).
The work will be externally funded and supervised by Dr Henrik Österblom (Baltic Nest Institute, Stockholm Resilience Centre), Dr Joakim Hjelm (National Board of Fisheries) and Dr. Magnus Nyström (Stockholm Resilience Centre).
Applications will be assessed based on the following criteria
- theoretical knowledge of relevance to the research project
- practical experience and knowledge of relevance for the project
- knowledge of scientific theory and method
- analytical ability as demonstrated by a scientific report, paper or degree project thesis
- the applicants personal references
- gender equality aspects
Transdisciplinary knowledge/experience is strongly meriting as is knowledge and experience on seabirds, Swedish commercial fisheries, and the social-ecological system of the Baltic Sea. Experience from working in the field is meriting, as is practical experience of working with Swedish and European fisheries policy
Nature of the employment
A PhD position lasts four years and is a full time position. Up to 20% teaching or other work may be included in the position, which will then be extended accordingly, at most five years. Salaries follow the relevant salary scale.
More details about the project can be requested from Dr Henrik Österblom, 08 674 76 64, henrik.osterblom@stockholmresilience.su.se
General information about the PhD training programme may be requested from the Head of Department, Professor Nils Kautsky nils@ecology.su.se
Union representatives are Bo Ekengren (SACO), Lisbeth Häggberg (Fackförbundet ST), tfn 08-16 2000 (switch board), och Gunnar Stenberg (SEKO), tfn 070-316 43 41.
Application
The application should contain a letter of intent (one to two pages that explain why you are interested in working on this project, why you are interested in studying for a PhD, what you hope to accomplish during your PhD studies, and what skills you can bring to this project), curriculum vitae, copies of degree certificates and transcripts of academic records (all attested), a list of two persons who may act as referees (with phone numbers and email addresses), and one copy of your undergraduate thesis and articles, if any.
The full application should be labelled "PhD-studentship Dnr 11/2011" and sent as one pdf file to dnr11-2011@ecology.su.se no later than May 2, 2011.
