VUW Postgraduate Targeted Scholarship in Spatial Ecology

History or background of award
These scholarships are available as part of a Royal Society andMarsden-funded project investigating how organisms respond to thespatial distribution of their resources.

Purpose of award
The award has been created for the purpose of conducting high quality research in spatial ecology.

Selection criteria
The scholarship shall be open to persons who are or will be eligible bythe last day of February in the year following the year of application,to register for one of the following degrees: PhD; MSc Part 2; MScsoley by thesis.

Spatial scale and the paradox of the resource concentration hypothesis
The world is inherently patchy. In particular, essential resourcesrequired by animals, such as food, shelter or nest sites are generallydistributed in an irregular manner. The aim of this project is todetermine how the spatial distribution of resources influencesindividual behaviour, which in turn influences population processes andultimately the structure and diversity of multi-species communities.This project poses the deceptively simple question: "Do isolatedresource patches attract greater or fewer individuals than patches thatare part of a dense cluster?", and more importantly, "How does changingthe spatial scale of observation enhance our understanding?". Thesecond question is crucial because different processes and speciesoperate at different spatial scales, and patches that appear "isolated"at a local scale may actually be part of a dense cluster when viewed ina wider context.

The project will examine the population-level consequences ofalternative foraging strategies using computer simulations, coupledwith an investigation of animal responses to experimental distributionsof resources. As a case study of a natural system we will examine thescale-specific responses of the insect community associated withragwort plants, including herbivores, parasitoids and pollinators. Itis anticipated that the multi-scale concepts developed in the course ofthe project will be broadly applicable to the management of pestspecies and their natural enemies, as well as species of conservationconcern that inhabit patchy and fragmented landscapes.

Number of awards offered
1 PhD
1 MSc

Value
PhD - $20,000.00 per annum
MSc - $5000.00
$500.00 Thesis allowance

Tenure of award
Up to 3 years for PhD and 1 year for a Masters degree.

Closing dates for applications
At supervisor's discretion

How do students apply?
By application form, available from the Scholarships Office

Decision makers
Unspecified

How and when do students learn of the decision?
Unspecified

What conditions are attached to acceptance of this award?
Study is to be undertaken at Victoria University of Wellington

A scholarship shall lapse in the event that a recipient fails tobecome eligible to register for a candidate for one of the followingdegrees: PhD; MSc Part 2; MSc solely by thesis.

During tenure of scholarship, a scholar must be enrolled for one of the degrees listed above.

Each scholar's chief supervisor shall provide a report to theAcademic Board every 6 months concerning the scholar's progress. If atany time the Academic Board considers a scholar is not makingsatisfactory progress it may be recommended that the scholarship besuspended or terminated.

Recipients shall be required to be studying full-time during thetenure of the scholarship. They may not hold a position of emolumentwithout approval from the Academic Board. Approval may be given forscholars to undertake paid employment for up to a maximum of 600 hoursin one calendar year.

Additional information
Further information can be obtained from: http://www2.vuw.ac.nz/staff/stephen_hartley/RCH/ScholarshipAdvert.htm

Or contact
Dr Stephen Hartley, Stephen.Hartley@vuw.ac.nz, ph +64 4 463 8135

or Dr Phil Lester, Phil.Lester@vuw.ac.nz, ph +64 4 463 5096

Who else has information about this award?
The list of potential supervisors includes, but is not restricted to:Dr Stephen Hartley, Dr Phil Lester and Dr Kevin Chase (from the Schoolof Biological Sciences, VUW) and Dr Marcus Frean (School ofMathematical and Computing Sciences, VUW).

Tuition fees will be paid at domestic rates and Internationalstudents will be required to demonstrate their ability to pay thedifference between the domestic and international fee rates.

For guidelines, application forms and more information about this award contact:

The Scholarships Officer
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600

Wellington
New Zealand

Phone: (04) 463 5113
Fax:
E-mail: scholarships-office@vuw.ac.nz

URL link to this document: VUW Postgraduate Targeted Scholarship in Spatial Ecology