Postdoctoral position on the dynamics of the upper treeline in the Alps and the Pyrenees (M/F)
New
- Researcher in FTC
- 9 months
- Doctorate
This offer is available in English version
This offer is open to people with a document recognizing their status as a disabled worker.
Offer at a glance
The Unit
Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine
Contract Type
Researcher in FTC
Working hHours
Full Time
Workplace
38041 GRENOBLE
Contract Duration
9 months
Date of Hire
01/02/2027
Remuneration
Salary starting at €3,041 gross per month, depending on experience and the CNRS's current salary scale.
Apply Application Deadline : 26 November 2026 23:59
Job Description
Missions
Influence of Vegetation History on the Recent Upslope Shift of the Treeline in the Alps and the Pyrenees
Objective. The overall aim of this postdoctoral project is to gain a better understanding of the drivers of the recent upslope shift of the upper forest limit in the Alps and the Pyrenees over recent decades, while accounting for legacy effects and the site characteristics of areas undergoing forest encroachment. The project will address two scientific objectives, each of which is intended to result in a scientific publication.
Objective 1. Assessing the legacy effects on recent upper forest limit dynamics. This objective will build upon and further develop research initiated during the PhD thesis of N. Delpouve (https://theses.fr/289056403). It will involve linking changes in the upper forest limit since 1850 to recent dynamics observed through remote sensing. Particular attention will be paid to the legacy effects of historical forests and to land-use changes following the Industrial Revolution. The aim will be to determine the extent to which these legacy effects contribute to current spatial variations in treeline dynamics.
Objective 2. Assessing the influence of shrub cover on the rate of forest expansion. This objective will investigate the extent to which vegetation cover types at the upper forest limit influence the rate and spatial extent of forest colonisation. Particular attention will be paid to shrub-dominated vegetation, in order to determine whether its role in forest encroachment differs from that of grasslands or areas of bare soil. Drawing on high-resolution vegetation cover maps derived from Sentinel-2 imagery and AI-based models such as AlphaEarth, the aim will be to quantify these differences across the Alps and the Pyrenees.
Activity
1. Characterise recent changes in the upper forest limit across the Alps and the Pyrenees using remotely sensed vegetation indices.
2. Produce a high-resolution (20 m) map of the main vegetation cover types across the forest ecotone.
3. Develop a geostatistical model linking recent changes in the upper forest limit to its current and historical drivers.
4. Disseminate previously acquired project data, together with data collected during this postdoctoral project, through one or two articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
5. Present the results at project meetings and contribute to scientific discussions and exchanges within the research community involved in the PC MONITOR.
Your Profil
Skills
PhD in Ecology or Environmental Sciences.
Demonstrated experience in optical remote sensing and spatial analysis.
Proficiency in R and spatial data analysis software (ArcGIS, QGIS).
A proven track record of publishing first-author scientific papers on related topics.
Excellent written and spoken proficiency in both French and English.
Your Work Environment
The PhD project and its research environment are funded by PC MONITOR, part of the PEPR FORESTT programme.
The successful candidate will be based at the Alpine Ecology Laboratory (LECA) and will be co-supervised by Philippe CHOLER (CNRS), Cyrille RATHGEBER (INRAE), and Laurent BERGÈS (INRAE).
The Alpine Ecology Laboratory (LECA) is a Joint Research Unit of the CNRS, the Grenoble Alpes University (UGA) and the Savoie Mont Blanc University (USMB), member of the Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Grenoble (OSUG).
The post-doctorate will work in the BIOM team (BIOdiversity Monitoring).
LECA comprises ~30 Researchers and faculty members: ~30 and ~40 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers
Constraints and risks
no risk
Compensation and benefits
Compensation
Salary starting at €3,041 gross per month, depending on experience and the CNRS's current salary scale.
Annual leave and RTT
44 jours
Remote Working practice and compensation
Pratique et indemnisation du TT
Transport
Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€
About the offer
| Offer reference | UMR5553-PHICHO-011 |
|---|---|
| CN Section(s) / Research Area | Mathematics and mathematical interactions |
About the CNRS
The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.
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