PhD student in Silviculture

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre in Alnarp 1 PhD student in the research education subject: Silviculture Management of oak for high-quality wood production Oak is one of the most valuable and widely used noble hardwoods in Sweden. The primary use of high-quality oak timber is for furniture manufacturing. Consequently, when managed for timber production oak possesses a substantial economic potential for the landowner as well as in the socio-economy. However, due to slow growth and high labour costs, oak management is capital intensive, and the production of high-quality timber requires consistent management practices during rotations of up to 150 years. The objective of this PhD-project is to provide a scientific basis for modifying contemporary oak silviculture to cost-effectively optimise the production of high-quality timber. More specifically, the project aims to quantify and model the effects of site and silviculture on tree growth and stand dynamics, on wood quality, and on production risks. Within each of these three themes the project will test specific, major research hypotheses relating to contemporary oak management and develop decision support tools for use in policy making as well as in private and public forest management. The research will be based mainly on a set of established, statistically designed long-term forest experiments. The main focus will be on pedunculate oak (Quercus robur). The position is based at SLU's Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre in Alnarp. The PhD-study will be carried out in close cooperation with other projects focusing on hardwood silviculture and forest production issues. As part of this the PhD student is expected to participate in SLU's Research School for Sustainable Management and Utilization of Forests. Parts of the study should be conducted in a foreign research environment. Field work and data collection will include experiments in Sweden as well as Norway and Denmark. The project is expected to begin at 1 September 2010. A person has basic eligibility for third level education if he or she has taken a second level qualification or has completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, including at least 60 higher education credits at second level. Those who met the requirements for general eligibility before July 1st, 2007, i.e. had completed a programme of higher education for at least 180 Higher education credits or the equivalent, will continue to do so until the end of 2015. Selection among applicants meeting the requirements is made with reference to written application including curriculum vitae, copies of degrees and transcripts of academic records, one copy of the dissertation for masters or undergraduate degree, a list of at least two references familiar with the applicant's qualifications, certified knowledge of the English language and an interview. For a background note about the PhD project please follow the link: http://www.slu.se/sydsvensk-skogsvetenskap Use this application form http://epi-resurs.slu.se/Forskarutbildningsplatser/ansokningsblankett2_eng.doc For a complete advt: http://www.slu.se/sv/for-dig-som/lediga-anstallningar/