This project will uncover the hidden diversity of fungi and the plant-fungal interactions shaping the ecology and evolution of Scalesia species in the Galápagos archipelago.

How does nitrogen move through ecological systems, and how can stable-isotope tracing help us resolve the processes controlling its transformation, transfer, retention and loss? This two-year postdoctoral position at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) will develop and apply 15N-based approaches and Orbitrap isotopologue and isotopomer analyses to advance mechanistic understanding of nitrogen cycling across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Why: Lake IJsselmeer is the largest freshwater body in the Netherlands and an important source of drinking water. Like other freshwater ecosystems, it experienced a peak in eutrophication during the 80s, after which nutrient loads began to decline (Frenken et al., 2023). Very little is known about the trophic history of Dutch freshwater ecosystems prior to the invention of synthetic fertilizer. To assess the success of water quality measures, restoration efforts, and set realistic targets, we need to reconstruct historical conditions using sediment cores.