[Coral-List] PhD position at CRIOBE: Chemical and microbial mediation of coral recruitment

[Maggy Nugues]

Hello Coral Listers,

We are looking for a suitable candidate for a PhD position available at 
the CRIOBE as part of the ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche)-funded 
project CoralMates to start in March/April 2020.

Project description: Coral recruitment is a crucial ecological process 
that impacts the maintenance and recovery of coral reef populations. 
Together with scleractinian corals, crustose coralline algae (CCA) are 
major framework builders and carbonate producers on tropical reefs. CCA 
are also associated with microorganisms and chemicals that are thought 
to play a key role in coral settlement and metamorphosis. However, the 
different microbial and chemical cues that mediate the positive 
interaction between corals and certain CCA species are still unclear.

The project will combine field observations, laboratory experiments and 
state-of-art technology in microbiology, genetic, chemical ecology and 
metabolomics to uncover the chemical and microbial mediation of coral 
recruitment. The PhD candidate will: 1) determine whether specific 
associations (or inhibitions) between CCA and corals could be related to 
certain microbes and/or metabolites, 2) assess the influence of CCA on 
the early stages of development of the coral microbiome, and 3) identify 
specific bacterial species and chemical extracts that impact coral 
larval behaviour, settlement and survival.

The work will be divided in four phases: 1) fieldwork preparation at the 
CRIOBE in Perpignan, France, 2) fieldwork in Moorea, French Polynesia, 
under the auspices of the CRIOBE research station, 3) microbial and 
chemical analyses at the CRIOBE in Perpignan, France and at the 
Oceanographic Observatory in Banyuls-sur-mer, France, and 4) data 
analyses and write-up of thesis at the CRIOBE in Perpignan, France.

Supervisors: The lead supervisor is A/Prof Maggy Nugues (CRIOBE Centre 
de recherche insulaire et observatoire de l'environnement, 
www.criobe.pf). Co-supervision will be provided by Dr Pierre Galand 
(LECOB Laboratoire d'Ecogéochimie des Environnements Benthiques), Dr 
Isabelle Bonnard (CRIOBE) and Prof Claude Payri (ENTROPIE Ecologie 
marine tropicale dans les Océans Pacifique et Indien).

Requirements: Applicants should hold a Master degree in Marine 
Biological Sciences and/or Chemical Ecology. Applicants must be 
certified scientific divers (European Scientific Diver/Advanced European 
Scientific Diver) or obtain a scientific diver certification by the time 
his/her fieldwork in Moorea starts. Experience working on coral reefs is 
preferred. Experiences in microbiology and/or chemistry are an asset. 
Candidates should be physically fit, willing to work for long hours, 
comfortable working in and on water, fluent in English or French, and 
have good communication, project management and scientific writing skills.

Studentship funding: ca. 1400 euros per month for 3 years

Interested candidates should send a motivation letter, CV with list of 
referees, proofs of Master degree and scientific diving certification to 
Maggy Nugues (maggy.nugues at univ-perp.fr) by November 10, 2019.

Best regards,

Maggy


Dr. Maggy M. NUGUES
Maître de conférences EPHE / Associate Professor
USR 3278 CRIOBE EPHE-CNRS-UPVD
PSL Research University
Laboratoire d'Excellence “CORAIL”

USR 3278 - Centre de Biologie et d'Ecologie Tropicale et Méditerranéenne 
(CBETM)
Université de Perpignan (UPVD) - bâtiment R
58 Av. Paul Alduy - 66860 Perpignan cedex, France
&
Centre de Recherche Insulaire et Observatoire de l'Environnement (CRIOBE)
BP 1013 - 98 729, Papetoai, Moorea, Polynésie française

Tel : (33) (0)4 68 66 21 56, Fax : (33) (0)4 68 50 36 86
Email : maggy.nugues at univ-perp.fr / maggy.nugues at criobe.pf
Skype: maggy.nugues at ephe.sorbonne.fr
Lab website: http://www.criobe.pf/