Postdoctoral researcher on rainforest transformation systems in Sumatra

Job description

Tropical rainforest landscapes are being transformed into agricultural systems, dominated by smallholder oil palm and  rubber plantations in Indonesia. This has contrasting effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functions and the livelihoods  of smallholder farmers (for a first analysis see Grass et al. 2020 Nat Comm 11: 1186). The goal of the postdoctoral  position is to identify policy scenarios and landscape characteristics that increase ecosystem services and biodiversity,  while having minimal impact on the economic benefits. This will be achieved via agent-based modelling, i.e. by refining  and analysing EFForTS-ABM, an integrated ecological-economic land-use change model (see Dislich et al. 2018 PLOS  ONE 13: e0190506). EFForTS-ABM is coded in NetLogo, additional software is coded in R (including a spatially-explicit  community biodiversity model (not yet published) and a framework for reproducible NetLogo model analyses (Salecker et al. 2019 MEE 10: 1854-1863). The position is part of the EFForTS (Ecological and Socioeconomic Functions of  Tropical Lowland Rainforest Transformation Systems) project, www.uni-goettingen.de/efforts, and thus builds on a  wealth of field data (https://tinyurl.com/y6qllae2) and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Your tasks will be the following:

• Disseminate research outcomes in peer-reviewed publications and at professional conferences.  • Refine EFForTS-ABM, conduct landscape-level optimization studies, evaluate potential policy measures • Co-supervise PhD students and research assistants 
• Actively participate in collaborations within the EFForTS project