Productivity and ecology in mixed forests of Northern Sweden

Would you like to contribute to the future of sustainable forestry? Together with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and the WIFORCE research school, the Swedish Forest Agency is currently looking for an administrator to work as an industry/collaboration doctoral student at SLU!

Biodiversity and the forest's role in climate change are central societal issues that require more knowledge. To both sustainably utilize timber resources and protect the forest's biodiversity, a cohesive fundamental research program is needed—one that addresses large and complex questions and develops new analytical tools. That is why the WIFORCE research school was created, as part of the Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research.

Research project

“Mixed forests in Northern Sweden: Productivity, Resilience, and Biodiversity”

Research subject

Biology

Description

Swedish forestry is largely dominated by the management of even-aged stands consisting of a single tree species. There is growing support for increasing species and functional diversity in managed forests as a strategy to: a) enhance forest productivity in the face of climate change, b) strengthen forest resilience, and c) provide additional benefits, such as improved climate regulation and biodiversity conservation.

Ecological theory suggests that different species within a community often vary in how they use resources and how they respond to environmental stress. These differences help reduce competition, allowing communities to use resources more efficiently and better withstand adverse climate conditions. While such relationships have been widely studied in non-forested ecosystems and, to some extent, in temperate forests, research in boreal forests remains limited. While studies in temperate forests have shown that mixed-species stands, particularly those combining conifers and broadleaf trees, tend to be more productive than monocultures, there is little empirical evidence that species mixtures improve resource acquisition and productivity in hemi-boreal forests. However, our previous research suggests that findings from southern hemi-boreal regions may not apply to high-latitude boreal forests, and we hypothesize that species mixtures will have more positive effects on various ecosystem services under the harsher northern climates.

This project aims to lay the foundation for the strategic transitioning towards mixed species forestry in northern Sweden, by providing comprehensive evaluation of the capacity of conifer-deciduous mixtures to deliver multiple ecosystem services, and by delivering clear eco-physiological mechanisms driving the interactions between tree species (competition vs facilitation). We will do this by addressing the following research objectives, which will also comprise the chapters of the PhD thesis:

1. To analyze whether conifer-deciduous mixed forests provide greater resistance and/or resilience to adverse climate events, like drought;
2. To quantify whether conifer-deciduous mixed forests provide greater climate benefits, by accumulating more carbon above and belowground;
3. To quantify if, and through what mechanisms, niche complementary enhances resource utilization in mixed conifer-deciduous stands in contrast to monospecific conifer stands;
4. To analyse if and how mixed forests enhance stand structural diversity and diversity of other taxa in the understory.

Qualifications

We are looking for someone with a master's degree in a relevant field (biology, ecology, forest science, ecophysiology, etc.), or alternatively, someone who has completed at least four years of full-time studies, including at least one year at an advanced level.

You should have strong communication skills in English, both spoken and written. Additionally, we expect that by the end of the doctoral studies, you will have acquired proficiency in Swedish, both spoken and written.

Experience in scientific field work (especially in forest ecosystems) is considered an advantage, as well as basic knowledge of statistical software such as R or JMP.

To thrive in the role of doctoral student and as an employee at the Swedish Forest Agency, you need to work well in a team, contribute to shared results, and also be able to independently manage tasks.

Driver's licence (category B) is an advantage or will otherwise need to be acquired after the start of the position.

Our offer to you/The position

We offer a permanent full-time position (100%). The start date will be determined by agreement.

The doctoral studies will be conducted over a five-year period, consisting of four years of doctoral research and one year of work at the Swedish Forest Agency. The distribution of working time between SLU and the Swedish Forest Agency will be discussed with the selected candidate.

The doctoral studies will take place at the Department of Forest Ecology and Management at SLU in Umeå. The doctoral supervision team will include Michael Gundale (Professor, SLU), Zsofia Stangl (Researcher, SLU), Maja Sundqvist (Researcher, SLU), and Tommy Mörling (Forest Management Specialist, Swedish Forest Agency).

After completing the doctoral studies, you will have the opportunity to continue as a specialist at the Swedish Forest Agency.

We welcome your application no later than August 19!

Selection Process

The selection will be based on your written application and CV, thesis work, copies of degree certificates, and transcripts from previous studies at both undergraduate and advanced levels at a university or college. Additionally, two personal references and English language proficiency will be considered. More information about the English language requirements can be found here.

Please note that applicants invited for an interview must provide certified copies of their degree certificates or equivalent, as well as transcripts from previous education at both undergraduate and advanced levels at a university or college.

Applicants who are not Swedish citizens must submit a certified copy of the passport information page, including a photo and personal details.

Learn more about doctoral studies at SLU here.