Floral resource components (nectar and pollen) and pollinator visitation rates will be assessed on an established experimental trial looking at different crop rotation treatments.
Department: Agri-Environment
Supervised by: Simon G Potts
Agricultural intensification has dramatically improved the productivity of arable farming in the UK, however, it has come with substantial costs to the environment, particularly to farmland wildlife. Identifying new management strategies that are able to maintain or perhaps even enhance profitability whilst providing more resources for biodiversity is pressing. One strategy which may have potential is incorporating more flowering crops and bi-crops into the rotation. The selected candidate will work closely with PhD students working on the EU LIBERATION project and utilise an established large scale experimental infrastructure. The student will be expected to carry out pollinator watches and assess the floral resources provided by three different crop rotation treatments which vary along a diversity gradient. Further, the student will gain experience of laboratory based analytical methods for a number of yield parameters (harvest index, thousand gram weight and nitrogen content). This analysis has a strong potential to feed into a publication in a peer-reviewed journal where the student could be a co-author.
The student will be expected, under supervision and guidance, to carry out the following: • Determine specific questions to be answered and formulate some hypotheses by examining the relevant literature (2 days) • Assess weed diversity in the field, collect samples and calculate their biomass in the laboratory (1 week) • Carry out pollinator surveys assessing abundance, species diversity and floral resources (1 week) • Calculate the quantity of pollen and nectar within each crop rotation treatment (3 days). • In the laboratory measure yield parameters for wheat, oilseed rape and fava beans from this year and the previous year’s samples (2 weeks) • Analyse the data using statistical software, present the data graphically and draw some conclusions (1 week)
The successful student will not be expected to have specific experience of crop rotations but familiarity with arable plants or pollinators will be desirable. The successful candidate will have a genuine passion for the broad subject area, a hard-working ‘can-do’ attitude, an ability to use their own initiative and will have a genuine interest in participating in a high quality international research programme. Flexibility and the ability to manage time will be essential. Requirements: Essential Skills and Knowledge: • Experience of fieldwork/working outdoors • Work in a team and carrying out instructions • Ability to follow detailed protocols with high rigour • Ability to manage their own time • Eagerness to learn about ecosystem services that underpin food production • Flexibility Qualifications • Studying a related degree e.g. agriculture, ecology, environmental management, biology, zoology, geography Desirable Skills and Knowledge • Ability to identify some arable plants and pollinators
Students will be given the opportunity to experience the entire research process. Through training and on the job learning the placement will enhance their ability to form questions and develop hypotheses. They will become proficient in the execution of a range of ecological and agronomical assessment techniques which can help answer scientific questions in this field. They will receive support in statistical theory and practice and how results can be interpreted and how conclusions can be communicated to a wide audience.
The field site is at the Crops research unit (CRU) at Reading University's Sonning Farm. The site is accessible by bus or bicycle from Reading. Lifts by car will normally be available and access to a bicycle.
2-3 days a week, 7.5 hours per day
Wednesday 15 June 2016 - Thursday 01 September 2016
1 page CV and Cover letter to be submitted to Samuel Leigh (s.leigh@pgr.reading.ac.uk), applicants will be short-listed for interview after the closing date.