PhD RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Within the framework of our long-term studies in shorebirds in estuarine areas we are seeking a strongly motivated young researcher willing to develop a 4-year PhD within our research group. The candidate will get our direct support in building a workplan within the broad theme of “Assessing anthropogenic influence in wintering and migrating shorebirds within the East Atlantic Flyway”.

The plan can be tailored by the candidate to a considerable extent, but we envisage that it will be based in the Tagus estuary, and will require a strong fieldwork commitment (e.g. involving bird counts, behavioural observations, habitat characterisation and invertebrate sampling). Laboratory analysis is also expected (e.g. sample processing, preparation of samples for stable isotopes and contaminants). We anticipate good opportunities for participation in comparative work to be carried out in Western Africa (Mauritania and/or Guinea-Bissau).

The workplan will have to be submitted for competitive funding within the PhD Programme /Biology and Ecology of Global Change (please see details at http://begc.biologiaatua.net/).

Selected candidates will profit from large databases already collected in previous projects, which will be augmented by data collected during the PhD. Furthermore, he/she will benefit from the large expertise and facilities held by our research group (based in Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa) as well as research opportunities, while integrating the stimulating and productive working environment of our large avian research group (involving both shorebirds and seabirds). Work expenses will be covered. Selected candidates will be supervised by Dr José Pedro Granadeiro and Dr Teresa Catry.

Candidates with a Master Degree certificate (or a Pre-Bologna first degree) should send an email to jpgranadeiro@fc.ul.pt and teresa.catry@gmail.com until 15th September 2015, including their CV (with reference to grades obtained in first and Master degrees), a motivation letter and two references. Preference criteria include prior fieldwork experience, knowledge of (shore)bird ecology, and full autonomy (a vehicle will be required to access study areas). During the selection process, candidates may be asked for an oral interview via skype.

Back from the Bijagós archipelago

We have just arrived from a new expedition to Guinea-Bissau. This time logistics were far easier to arrange, both because we start to know some tips about “how to move and where to go in the Bijagós”, but also because we didn’t aim to catch waders. This was somehow a relief, but worms and clams proved to be sometimes also hard to collect!

The expedition team

Our first work area was located in the northeast of the main island of Bubaque, a place called Praia das Escadinhas. We previously knew that place, since we have worked a few days there last year, what we didn’t know was that the mud was incredible soft in some areas!!! We spend the first days filming foraging waders, collecting droppings and carrying out a systematic invertebrate sampling in this area. Bird densities are rather low, which obliges finding and pursuing the birds across extensive muddy areas under temperatures over 30º C. At this time we were regretting not working during the night…

Escadinhas Beach

Invertebrate sampling at Escadinhas

We did a similar job at Bruce, the longest beach of Bubaque at the south end of the island, and at Bijante, on the opposite side of Escadinhas. Here, at least some of the intertidal areas are mostly composed of sandy sediments and, accordingly, both the invertebrate fauna and part of the wader community is different from Escadinhas. At the mudflats of Bijante we found the first area where small bivalves were apparently abundant. Of course, Red knots had discovered it first!

 

 

Flock of foraging Red knots at Bijante

Apart from us and the waders, there were others digging in the mud. Bijagós’ women and children collect blood cockles (Anadara senilis) and razor shells (Tagelus adansoni) to eat.

Shellfishers

The Bijagós hold huge numbers of different tern species, including wintering birds from Europe and resident birds that breed in small sandy islets around the archipelago. We spend a couple of days at Orango, the most offshore island of the archipelago, and had the opportunity to visit a Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia) colony, in the scope of a collaboration with other Portuguese researchers.  Terns are quite asynchronous: there were couples still incubating their eggs and others with flying juveniles.

Pelicans and terns

Mixed flock of Royal and Caspian Terns

 

As always, when exploring new sites, we bumped into exciting new landscapes, plants and animals. We leave here some photos documenting such an adventure.

 

Black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) using their wings like an umbrella to shade the water and attract fishes.

Crocodiles at Orango

Weird (but beautiful) flower