PhD Position: Movement Ecology

Climate change is affecting ecosystems, species, populations and individuals worldwide. This project will link unique long-term individual tracking data with remote sensing products and explore the dependence of waterfowl on small to intermediate water bodies throughout the year, focussing on the availability of freshwater as a key requirement for survival and reproduction.

Freshwater availability is a key determinant of life on earth, yet climate change is rapidly altering hydrological systems worldwide. Migratory waterbirds are particularly sensitive to these changes because they depend on water bodies at multiple sites along their flyway. While the role of waterbodies in shaping spring migration of waterbirds is relatively well understood, its importance during breeding, autumn migration and winter periods remains largely unexplored.

The aim of this project is to fill this gap and quantify how changes in freshwater availability influence movements throughout the annual cycle, identifying feedbacks between hydrological conditions and waterbird behaviour. The greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons), one of the most abundant goose species wintering in the Netherlands, will serve as a model species. The project builds on a unique long-term dataset comprising GPS tracks of more than 200 individuals collected since 2013 and which is continuously expanding.

The following research questions are central to this project:

1. How do greater white-fronted geese adjust their movement decisions in relation to snow cover and freshwater availability in their Arctic summer ranges?
2. Which water bodies do greater white-fronted geese use for resting during autumn migration and how is this influenced by water availability and breeding success?
3. What is the effect of yearly temperature changes on freshwater roost availability and the movement of greater white-fronted geese during winter?

You will curate and analyse GPS tracking data, integrate them with remotely sensed environmental datasets, and develop statistical models to understand the ecological processes underlying the year-round movements of geese. You will also participate in BSc and MSc teaching activities. Your teaching load may be up to 10% of your working time.