徵求博士班學生：研究水鳥的婚配制度

在野生動物中，婚配制度對於性擇，親代照顧，以及其他社會行為都有很大的影響。儘管已經有許多學者在研究一夫多妻和一夫一妻制（包含偶外配對）是如何形成以及如何被維持的，但我們對於一妻多夫制的瞭解仍然相當有限。水鳥的婚配制度多樣性高，是很適合被用來研究婚配制度演化的類群。本計劃的目標即在使用台灣的繁殖水鳥作為研究類群，探究性別角色逆轉的形成原因和維持機制。

 

我們想徵求一位對於演化生態學以及行為生態學有高度興趣和熱忱的學生，具有獨立思考的能力，一起來探究婚配制度的演化。這個研究必須要在人類居住區域進行大量的田野調查，因此，這位學生必須有能力並且有意願進行田野調查，並能夠和非研究者的居民進行溝通協調。田野工作包含尋找巢位，繫放鳥類個體，採集血液樣本供DNA分析使用，並追蹤個體行為。在田野調查季節結束後，需要使用分子技術進行親子鑑定，並使用軟體建立該族群的族譜。因此，具有鳥類繫放或繁殖鳥類調查經驗者會優先考慮。

 

這位博士班學生將由成大生科系許祐薫助理教授，以及英國 University of Bath 的 Tamás Székely 教授共同指導，兩位老師皆長期研究鳥類婚配制度的演化。Tamás Székely 教授為匈牙利政府所資助的ÉLVONALSHROEBIRD SCIENCE研究計畫中的核心成員，透過參與這個計畫，將有機會和全球多個國家的水鳥研究者進行合作交流。

 

這位博士班學生將會在成大生科系註冊，且遵循該系的修課與畢業標準。本計劃涵蓋這位學生的田野調查及實驗費用，參與國內外學術會議的費用，以及讓這位學生以 visiting student 的身份到英國參訪 Tamás Székely 教授研究團隊的花費。除上述所列經費外，第一年的獎助學金以成大生科系研究生助學金為主（需擔任助教才能領取），並視第一年的表現增加第二年以後的獎助學金。

 

有興趣申請的學生，請在2020年9月15日前（2021春季班），將你的英文履歷（包含兩位推薦人的名單和聯絡方式），研究興趣（包含過去研究經驗和未來研究興趣與方向），學士班以及碩士班的成績單等，所有檔案皆應用英文撰寫，並合併為單一 PDF 檔案，寄至 yuhsunhsu@mail.ncku.edu.tw。在截止日後，我們會盡快通知順利通過第一階段書面審查的申請者，並安排和兩位指導老師進行面試（視訊可）。順利通過面試者，必須在2020年九月底至十月初前完成成功大學博班系統申請。對於研究主題，研究內容，以及申請過程有其他問題，請聯絡許祐薫老師（yuhsunhsu@mail.ncku.edu.tw）。

 

 

許祐薫https://sites.google.com/site/yuhsunhsu/

研究著作（選列）

Hsu, Y.-H.. The consequences of infidelity in non-human animals. In: Handbook of Infidelity. Expected in 2020. Edited by T. Shackelford & T. DeLecce. Oxford University Press. Invited review. Accepted.

Hsu, Y.-H., R. B. Cocroft, R. L. Snyder & C.-P. Lin. 2018. You stay, but I hop: Host-shifting near and far co-dominated the evolution of Enchenopatreehoppers. Ecology and Evolution 8(4): 1954-1965.

Hsu, Y.-H., J. Schroeder, I. Winney, T. Burke & S. Nakagawa. 2015. Are extra-pair males different from cuckolded males? A case study and a meta-analytic examination. Molecular Ecology 24(7): 1558-71

 

Tamás Székely：https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/tamas-szekely/fingerprints/

研究著作（選列）

Kubelka, V., M. Šálek, P. Tomkovich, Zs. Végvári, R. Freckleton & T. Székely. 2018. Global pattern of nest predation is disrupted by climate change in shorebirds. Science 362: 680-683.

Eberhart-Phillips, L. J., C. Küpper, M. C. Carmona-Isunza, O. Vincze, S. Zefania, M. Cruz-López, A. Kosztolányi, T. E. Miller, Z. Barta, I. C. Cuthill, T. Burke, T. Székely, J. I. Hoffman & O. Krüger. 2018. Demographic causes of adult sex ratio variation and their consequences for parental cooperation. Nature Communications 9:1651

Pipoly, I., V. Bókony, M. Kirkpatrick, P. F. Donald, T. Székely & A. Liker. 2015. The genetic sex-determination system predicts adult sex ratios in tetrapods. Nature 527: 91 – 94.

 

 

 

其他相關資訊網頁連結：

 

ÉLVONAL SHROEBIRD SCIENCE: https://elvonalshorebirds.com

成大生科系：https://www.bio.ncku.edu.tw

 

PhD POSITION: Breeding ecology and evolution of mating systems in shorebirds in Taiwan

Mating systems can influence sexual selection, parental behaviour, and other social behaivours in wild animals. Despite many studies investigating the causes and consequences of several common mating systems such as polygamy and monogamy (with or without extra-pair mating), our understanding on polyandry remains limited. The diverse mating systems in shorebirds make them an ideal system to study the causes and consequences of sex-role reversal in polyandry. The objective of this studentship is to investigate these fundamental issues by means of fieldwork and population genetics on breeding shorebirds in Taiwan.

 

We seek one bright and highly motivated student with strong interests in evolutionary ecology and behavioural ecology. The successful candidate is expected to conduct extensive fieldwork in residential areas, so strong willingness to conduct fieldwork and good communication ability with residents are essential. This student will search for nests, trap and ring birds, take blood samples and record their behaviours. In addition, this student will use molecular methods to reconstruct the pedigree of avian population(s). Previous experience with avian field biology and the ability to work independently is important. 

 

The successful candidate will be co-supervised by Yu-Hsun Hsu and Tamás Székely. Both supervisors share their research interests on the evolution of avian mating systems. Professor Tamás Székely is one of the core members of the ÉLVONAL SHROEBIRD SCIENCE. By participating in this PhD project, the successful candidate may have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with other shorebird ornithologists.

 

This student will be based in the Department of Life Sciences in National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) (https://www.bio.ncku.edu.tw/english). Full funding is available by the ÉLVONAL SHOREBIRD SCIENCE to cover the fieldwork, attending conferences and visiting Tamás Székely in the University of Bath, UK. Scholarship for the first year will be provided by NCKU. The amount of scholarship may increase by Yu-Hsun Hsu’s grant funding for the second year onwards depending on your performance. 

 

To apply, please send your CV, the name of two referees, and a concise statement of your research interests, the transcripts of your BSc and MSc as a single PDF file to yuhsunhsu@mail.ncku.edu.tw. All documents should be in English. The deadline of application is 15^th September 2020. A double interviews with both Yu-Hsun Hsu and Tamás Székely will be held soon thereafter. After the interviews, the successful candidate will need to go through the official application process in NCKU before 10^th October 2020. For further information concerning this position, please contact Yu-Hsun Hsu (yuhsunhsu@mail.ncku.edu.tw).

 

 

Websites with related information:

 

Yu-Hsun Hsu: https://sites.google.com/site/yuhsunhsu/

Hsu, Y.-H.. The consequences of infidelity in non-human animals. In: Handbook of Infidelity. Expected in 2020. Edited by T. Shackelford & T. DeLecce. Oxford University Press. Invited review. Accepted.

Hsu, Y.-H., R. B. Cocroft, R. L. Snyder & C.-P. Lin. 2018. You stay, but I hop: Host-shifting near and far co-dominated the evolution of Enchenopatreehoppers. Ecology and Evolution 8(4): 1954-1965.

Hsu, Y.-H., J. Schroeder, I. Winney, T. Burke & S. Nakagawa. 2015. Are extra-pair males different from cuckolded males? A case study and a meta-analytic examination. Molecular Ecology 24(7): 1558-71

 

Tamás Székely: https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/tamas-szekely

Kubelka, V., M. Šálek, P. Tomkovich, Zs. Végvári, R. Freckleton & T. Székely. 2018. Global pattern of nest predation is disrupted by climate change in shorebirds. Science 362: 680-683.

Eberhart-Phillips, L. J., C. Küpper, M. C. Carmona-Isunza, O. Vincze, S. Zefania, M. Cruz-López, A. Kosztolányi, T. E. Miller, Z. Barta, I. C. Cuthill, T. Burke, T. Székely, J. I. Hoffman & O. Krüger. 2018. Demographic causes of adult sex ratio variation and their consequences for parental cooperation. Nature Communications 9:1651

Pipoly, I., V. Bókony, M. Kirkpatrick, P. F. Donald, T. Székely & A. Liker. 2015. The genetic sex-determination system predicts adult sex ratios in tetrapods. Nature 527: 91 – 94.

 

 

ÉLVONAL SHROEBIRD SCIENCE: https://elvonalshorebirds.com

 

Department of Life Sciences in NCKU: https://www.bio.ncku.edu.tw