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• Location

The PhD will be carried out at the Nancy center of AgroParisTech in the SILVA Research Unit

• Mission

The objective of this PhD thesis project is to explore the hypothesis of a progressive decline of conifer competitiveness in mixed hardwood-coniferous forests with global warming. In order to develop a general conceptual approach, we will work with a couple of tree species emblematic of mixed forests in Europe and North America: the beech-fir mixture that is dominant in the European mid-elevation mountains and the more complex multi-species mixtures characteristic of the mixed forests of the northeastern United States.

The project will be structured into three work packages aiming to :
(1) assess the temporal growth trends of coniferous species compared to deciduous species from 1900 to 2022, focusing on the last decade, which contains 7 of the 10 warmest years ever measured;
(2) test the hypothesis of a coniferous vulnerability in the warm part of the climatic gradient and a growth stability in the cold part;
(3) explore the effect of the interspecific competition on the growth trends in mixed forests experiencing different competition levels (between 2 to 4 species in Europe and between 4 to 12 in North America).

• Skills

The candidate must hold a Master's degree in ecology, forest or environmental sciences and engineering, or a related field, with a good English level. Experience in conducting field work and handling big datasets, modelling, statistical analysis are preferred (particularly with R), but not exclusive for the successful candidate.

• Application

On-line via the ADUM website of Université de Lorraine, or by sending your application to paulina.pinto@agroparistech.fr and damien.bonal@inrae.fr with email subject: "Application for PhD HACOR Project" and the following documents:
- (1) Motivation letter
- (2) Detailed CV
- (3) Grades of Master or Engineer degree and copy of Diploma
- (4) 1-2 letters of recommendation.
DEADLINE TO APPLY: 28th of June, 2023, midnight.

• Contact

paulina.pinto@agroparistech.fr