East Carolina University · North Carolina · fellowship · posted today
As part of an NSF funded Organismal Responses to Climate Change (ORCC) grant to Drs. Rachel Gittman, April Blakeslee, and Michael Brewer at East Carolina University (Greenville, NC), the project PIs are seeking a PhD student to start in AY 2027-2028. The selected student will carry out research activities related to their funded project entitled: "Collaborative Research: Understanding the eco-evolutionary mechanisms underlying colonization potential in a tropical seagrass species" (project summary below). The PIs expect to provide at least 2 years of research support for the selected student from the funded grant, with the other 3 years covered by teaching assistantships or other funding. The selected student will be encouraged to apply for additional sources of external funding. The PIs are seeking a motivated and directed student with strong organizational and leadership skills, with interests and proficiency working in the fields of population ecology and population genetics. Prospective students that hold, or will hold, a masters degree are preferred, along with past research experience using molecular tools to examine ecological and evolutionary questions. We are particularly interested in students that have examined population structure at multiple scales. While the student will focus on the population ecology and population genetics goals of the overall project (described below), we also expect the student will take part in other research activities of this collaborative project - working with other students and project PIs. We also expect the student to develop and pursue additional questions related to the study system as part of their dissertation research. If interested, please contact Dr. April Blakeslee (blakesleeap14@ecu.edu) with any questions, and to schedule a virtual interview with the project PIs this fall 2026. Project summary: As global climate regimes shift, predicting responses of habitat-forming, foundation species is key for ensuring the long-term maintenance of ecosystem structure, functions, and services. Distinguishing eco-evolutionary characteristics of edge-of-range populations that could facilitate or inhibit range expansion can improve predictions for how species may adapt or migrate as climate changes. The overarching objective of our proposal is to determine how climate-related shifts in habitat suitability (i.e. temperature, light availability, and biotic interactions) will affect productivity, eco-physiology, gene expression, genetic structure, and colonization potential of a subtropical seagrass at its leading northern range. This project aims to identify ecological, physiological, and genetic mechanisms that may facilitate the expansion of an understudied foundation seagrass species, Halodule wrightii, into higher latitudes of the western Atlantic coast. The Project Team will examine and evaluate population structure, phenotypic plasticity, and genetic differentiation among H. wrightii populations at range edges versus interiors (stress vs. comfort zones). Manipulative mesocosm and field experiments will be used to evaluate H. wrightii acclimation potential to climate-change related stressors, as well as the effects of a temperate seagrass species, Zostera marina, on H. wrightii productivity and gene expression. This project will expand our understanding of the abiotic and biotic mechanisms that underlie organismal response to climate change by examining variation in colonization potential and genetic differentiation of a habitat-forming species at its northern range limit. Dr. April MH Blakeslee, Ph.D. (She/Her) Associate Professor, Biology Department, 101 E 10th St, Life Sciences & Biotechnology Building (Mailstop 237) East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA http://www.blakesleelab.com/
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