Details

Categorie: 
Stages
Functie: 
Student (HBO)
Student (MBO)
Student (University)
Department: 
Animal Ecology
Visser Group
Sluitingsdatum: 
woensdag 31 maart 2021

We found enough students for the breeding season of 2021. Please consider to get in touch with us next year if you are interested in helping with the breeding season of 2022.

Seasonal timing of reproduction has major fitness consequences. But global warming causes species of plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates to differently shift their spring phenology in response to increasing ambient temperatures, resulting in mismatches between the phenology of plants, emergence of insects, and reproduction of insectivorous birds This may lead to directional selection on timing of breeding in birds. A better understanding of the genetic variation and selection pressures underlying seasonal timing is essential for predicting the rate at which species adapt to their warming world. This, however, requires long-term monitoring of natural bird populations like our study population of great tits at the Hoge Veluwe (50+ years).

For the upcoming breeding season (starting March 2021), we are looking for highly motivated and independent students in ecology/biology to join us for fieldwork at the Hoge Veluwe and (depending on the students’ interest) the analysis of collected field data. The project is suitable for internships and thesis projects for students of any level.

The project offers students the opportunity to become affiliated with standard fieldwork (nest box checks and bird handling) and the performance of a field experiment in a wild great tit population. Additionally, the student will develop his or her research skills and can come up with a research question within the scope of the project. Data collected during the breeding season as well as previous breeding seasons can be analyzed to answer the research question.

Good to know:
  • A driver license is very useful
  • Fieldwork requires the ability to work outside in the field even under unpleasant weather conditions
  • Fieldwork requires flexibility in time, also outside the normal working hours (i.e. weekends)
  • The field area is in the National park Hoge Veluwe

Duration and starting date: The total duration can be adjusted to the students’ needs. However, the duration must cover the period from March 2021 to June 2021 (due to fieldwork requirements).

Please contact: Melanie Lindner