funded phd project: Development, evolution and genomics of seasonal plasticity in African butterflies
We are seeking an enthusiastic student with passion for evolution and ecology to investigate how African butterflies adapt to seasonal habitats. These butterflies adjust morphology, behaviour and life cycle to alternating wet and dry seasons. This adaptation—‘phenotypic plasticity’—is widespread in tropical and temperate areas, wherever seasons differ in ecological opportunities.
Background
While we know a great deal about why plasticity can be adaptive, we know much less about how plastic responses are accomplished, and how these mechanisms evolve. What are the genes and developmental pathways that allow an organism to respond to its environment? How have these mechanisms evolved when species invade new habitats, or are faced with environmental change? How does plasticity affect future adaptation, for instance to climate change? African Bicyclus butterflies are a great system to study these questions. Species have repeatedly evolved plasticity upon invasions of savannahs from forests, allowing comparative analyses at the phenotypic, developmental and genomic level.
techniques
The project can be tailored to your specific interests, but would likely involve a broad range of techniques. This includes rearing butterflies in the lab, developmental and genetic experiments, computational analyses of whole-genome DNA sequences, and potentially field work in Africa (depending on funding). The project benefits from established lab populations, promising preliminary data, and new genomic resources.
lab & supervisors
You will join a newly established laboratory investigating plasticity and rapid adaptation under climate change (Vicencio Oostra), with active collaborations in butterfly biology across Europe, Africa and South America. The lab is part of the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, a vibrant and successful community of biologists. You will benefit from excellent co-supervisors Ilik Saccheri at the University of Liverpool, and Nicola Nadeau at the University of Sheffield, who have broad expertise in evolutionary biology, genomics, and butterflies.
how to apply
Interests and skills should include some of the following: evolutionary ecology; phylogenetic analyses; developmental or molecular biology; genomics; bioinformatics; butterflies.
This 3.5 year project is funded for UK applicants through NERC, as part of NERC’s ACCE DTP programme. Sadly, any international applicants (including EU) will need to find additional £19,300 funding. Please do get in touch if you’re interested and we can try to find funding to cover this.
The application deadline is 15 January 2021, and you should apply here: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/development-evolution-and-genomics-of-seasonal-plasticity-in-african-butterflies/?p124493
I strongly encourage you to get in touch informally before you apply, so we can have a chat and you can ask any questions you might have about the project or your application.
vicencio.oostra[at]liverpool.ac.uk
twitter: @mariposaatcccgc