Missions

Our ability to quantify and predict the magnitude of environmental global changes effects represents one of the major challenges of the 21st century. These changes are characterised by a gradual increase of ambient temperature through time, but also leading to an increased frequency of climate anomalies, such as heat waves. These temperature changes can drastically modify the phenology of species, their geographic distribution, food webs, interspecific interactions, but also life history trajectories, behaviour and physiology of individuals. Evidence suggests a central role of plasticity and local adaptation in species' responses to temperature changes. Yet endotherms capacities to adapt to thermal stress remain poorly understood. The aim of this project is to evaluate the harmful repercussions of pre and post-natal effects of thermal stress on the physiology of organisms, behaviour and on their life history trajectories (reproduction and survival). Using a multidisciplinary and integrative approach on Great tits, this project aims to assess effects of thermal stress on different molecular and physiological mechanisms (metabolic rates, mitochondrial function, markers of ageing, stress, Hsp expression) by manipulating temperature under common garden conditions, during development and growth period and follow various life history traits such as growth and survival patterns.

Activities

- Conducting experiments on birds in aviaries and in the wild.
- Participating in field work in and around Strasbourg
- Lab work (ageing markers, stress markers analyses).
- Analysing data and writing publications

Skills

• Have obtained a PhD in in biology/ecology/ecophysiology or related subjects,
• Experience with bird handling and/or fieldwork, bird physiology, lab work are highly desirable.
• Strong communication skills, with abilities to speak and write in English at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

Work Context

The Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert CURIEN (IPHC), a joint research unit under the joint supervision of CNRS and the University of Strasbourg (UMR7178), is a multidisciplinary laboratory where research teams from different scientific cultures (ecology, physiology and ethology, chemistry and subatomic physics) develop very high level programs based on scientific instrumentation. The IPHC is structured into 4 departments and has a total staff of 393 staff including 257 permanent staff (ie 119 researchers and teachers / researchers and 138 engineers and technicians), 46 staff on fixed-term contracts and 102 doctoral students.

This research activity will be carried out within the PACE team, which is right now composed of 6 permanent researchers, 8 PhD students and post-docs. The recruited person will be placed under the responsibility of Antoine Stier, researcher.

The candidate (M/F) will have access to a staff restaurant, partial reimbursement of transportation costs, a works council, the possibility of teleworking one to two days per week for some activities, subject to the agreement of the PACE team manager, and training to adapt to the job.