A four year Ph.D. position is available at the Department of
Theoretical Biology, Institute for Ecological Sciences, Vrije
Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands on
The goal of this study, which is conducted in collaboration with the department of Animal Ecology, is to analyse the dynamics of food webs and nutrients in a series of model ecosystems of increasing complexity. The systems are spatially homogeneous, closed for mass and open for energy. We aim to quantify the activities of the system by a small number of summerizing statistics that can be measured in real world ecosystems. These statistics are used to study the relationship between complexity and stability of ecosystems. The long-term dynamic behaviour of the systems will be studied with Bifurcation Theory. Computer packages such as CONTENT and AUTO will be used for bifurcation analyses.
Candidates should hold a Ms. degree in Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science or related fields. The project description and general information about the department is available at http://www.bio.vu.nl/thb/
Info: Prof. S.A.L.M. Kooijman, Vrije Universiteit, Department
of Theoretical Biology, de Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The
Netherlands. tel: +31-20-4447130 fax: +31-20-4447123, email:
bas@bio.vu.nl
and Dr. B.W. Kooi, Vrije Universiteit,
Department of Theoretical Biology, de Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV
Amsterdam, The Netherlands. tel: +31-20-4447129 fax: +31-20-4447123,
email: kooi@bio.vu.nl
and Prof. van Straalen, Vrije
Universiteit, Department of Ecology and Ecotoxicology, de Boelelaan
1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. tel: +31-20-4447070 fax:
+31-20-4447123, email: straalen@bio.vu.nl