đ» TWiB October 17, 2022
I had plans for this week, but so did my chest infection. Not keeping a close eye on Twitter meant that either I missed a few jobs, or else there weren't many listed this week for the automatic systems to find. So I've tried something different for the Careers section this week. There are also a few vacancies open at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, but the webpage doesn't make it easy for me to link to specific jobs, only the vacancies page.
I would say something about what I plan for next week, but at the moment managing a night's sleep is the priority. Assuming things don't get worse, there'll be another newsletter with you at the same time next week. Until then, take care.
Alun (webmaster@botany.one)
News & Views
Living Science: The compliment sandwich What is the best way to ensure that scientific criticism is heard and understood?
Statistics Are Being Abused, but Mathematicians Are Fighting Back â www.scientificamerican.com An expert explains how numbers can mislead and what sheâs doing to help people understand them better
How to breed a climate resilient sunflower? Look to its ancient cousins. â www.nationalgeographic.com Already capable of growing in harsh conditions, sunflowers have the potential to withstand even more.
Plants on the Moon? Aussie Scientists Reckon Itâll Be a Reality Come 2025 â www.gizmodo.com.au The Australian National University (ANU) and Aussie startup Lunaria One are teaming up to grow plants on the moon together, as early as 2025.
Tips for writing academic paper threads â kamounlab.medium.com The Title of your article is your billboard, but you can also advertize your work with paper threads. Here is how to make the most out of this latest genre in scientific writing, which has taken academic Twitter by storm.
Racism and colonialism embedded in language of conservation, NGO says Survival International issues guide calling for reappraisal of terms such as âwildernessâ, âvoluntary relocationâ and âprotected areaâ
Research finds unprecedented levels of insects damaging plants â phys.org Insects today are causing unprecedented levels of damage to plants, even as insect numbers decline, according to new research led by University of Wyoming scientists.
Australian wheat yields plummet after decades of global heating, study finds Farmers of one of the countryâs most important crops face challenging future as heating in Indian Ocean leads to drier conditions across wheat belt
Milestone: 100 new Important Plant Areas identified in Tropical Africa â www.kew.org Kew Science staff and partners have now identified over 100 sites from two highly biodiverse countries, Cameroon and Mozambique, as part of the Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAs) programme.
'Double Whammy' Could Wipe Out Carnivorous Plants â gizmodo.com Carnivorous plants are a wild and weird natural wonder, and they're more vulnerable to extinction now than ever before.
Why planting new forests could do more harm than good â www.popsci.com Misguided projects to plant trillions of trees distract from the real work of controlling carbon emissions and reining in climate change.
Scientific Papers
Anther developmentâThe long road to making pollen â academic.oup.com Anthers express the most genes of any plant organ, and their development involves sequential redifferentiation of many cell types to perform distinctive roles from inception through pollen dispersal. Agricultural yield and plant breeding depend on understanding and consequently manipulating anthers, a compelling motivation for basic plant biology research to contribute.
The genus Serratia revisited by genomics â www.nature.com
Williams et al. have assembled and analysed a representative set of 664 genomes from across the genus, including 215 historic isolates originally used in defining the genus Serratia. Phylogenomic analysis of the genus reveals a clearly-defined population structure which displays deep divisions and aligns with ecological niche, as well as striking congruence between historical biochemical phenotyping data and contemporary genomics data.
The cell biology of primary cell walls during salt stress â academic.oup.com
Colin et al. aim to provide insights into how plants respond and adapt to salt stress, with a special focus on primary cell wall biology in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
ï»żNew Piper species from the eastern slopes of the Andes in northern South America â phytokeys.pensoft.net
Trujillo et al. describe four new species of Piper from the Amazonian slopes of the northern Andes.
Valuing the contributions of non-native species to people and nature â www.cell.com
The study of non-native species has predominantly focused on quantifying the costs they inflict on people and nature. Recent decades have witnessed scientists acknowledging, and over the past few years increasingly investigating, the benefits that non-native species may provide. Sax et al. provide a framework for considering the diversity of positive benefits supported by non-native species relative to relational, instrumental, and intrinsic values.
The ecology and evolution of key innovations â www.cell.com The concept of âkey innovationsâ â the evolution of phenotypic traits that permit shifts into previously inaccessible ecological spheres â has been a powerful idea in evolutionary biology. The expectation that key innovations should result in increased species richness or adaptive radiation is conceptually problematic. The roles of behavior and physiology in major ecological shifts characteristic of key innovation evolution needs more research attention. Studies of key innovations that integrate experimental performance and evolution approaches, measures of ecological resource use, and novel phylogenetic comparative methods pose great promise for conceptual and empirical advances.
Carvalho et al. show that species discovery in the legume family (Fabaceae) across the Atlantic Forest has counter-intuitively been increasing. Since 1850, more than half of the legume species described for the domain are endemic, and the total number of endemic species has since increased almost four-fold, resulting in the current record of 442 endemic legumes. One such endemic is a new papilionoid legume, only known from a few giant trees that remained misidentified for 70 years since it was first collected. This new species, described here under the name Dipteryx hermetopascoaliana, based on morphological, geographical and molecular evidence, represents the first endemic species to the genus in the Atlantic Forest.
A function-based typology for Earthâs ecosystems | Nature â www.nature.com
Keith et al. present the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Ecosystem Typology, a conceptually robust, scalable, spatially explicit approach for generalizations and predictions about functions, biota, risks and management remedies across the entire biosphere. The outcome of a major cross-disciplinary collaboration, this novel framework places all of Earthâs ecosystems into a unifying theoretical context to guide the transformation of ecosystem policy and management from global to local scales.
Spatially structured eco-evolutionary dynamics in a host-pathogen interaction render isolated populations vulnerable to disease â www.nature.com
Höckerstedt et al. determine how the strength of pathogen-imposed selection depends on spatial structure, by analyzing growth rates across approximately 4000 host populations of a perennial plant through time coupled with data on pathogen presence-absence. They find that infection decreases growth more in the isolated than well-connected host populations.
LaRue et al. present the automation of GLO-Roots using robotics and the development of image analysis pipelines in order to examine the temporal dynamic regulation of root system architecture (RSA) and the broader natural variation of RSA in Arabidopsis, over time. These datasets describe the developmental dynamics of two independent panels of accessions and reveal highly complex and polygenic RSA traits that show significant correlation with climate variables of the accessionsâ respective origins.
Touch-sensitive stamens enhance pollen dispersal by scaring away visitors Animal-pollinated plants have to get pollen to a conspecific stigma while protecting it from getting eaten. Touch-sensitive stamens, which are found in hundreds of flowering plants, are thought to function in enhancing pollen export and reducing its loss, but experimental tests are scarce.
Careers
Technicien(ne) de laboratoire en biologie végétale Pour compléter son équipe, le groupe de recherche du Professeur Soyk appartenant au Centre intégratif de génomique (CIG) de la Faculté de biologie et de médecine de l'Université de Lausanne est à la recherche d'une technicienne ou d'un technicien de laboratoire.
Research Fellow of Ecology We are looking for a 3-year postdoctoral research fellow within the European Research Council project PlantSoilAdapt - âEco-evolutionary dynamics in plant-soil interactions during land use transition: consequences for soil functioning and resilience to droughtâ, led by Prof. Marina Semchenko.
Postdoctoral Fellow (Atkin) We are looking for a qualified plant scientist with proven and comprehensive knowledge of plant physiology and biochemistry. The appointee will be able to analyse and interpret large data sets, and have a demonstrated capacity to publish papers in international journals. Post-doctoral research experience in areas of plant physiology, abiotic stress will be an advantage
Associate Ecologist - Birmingham (UK) Are you passionate about protected species? Then youâll want to take this opportunity. Are you batty about bats or wild about botany? Yup, thatâs us too! Mad about mentoring others? Youâll fit right in.
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Physiology at Durham University Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Plant Developmental Biology and Physiology, with a particular emphasis on stem development in barley. The research project, funded by BBSRC, is led by Dr Peter Etchells in collaboration Prof Wendy Harwood at the John Innes Centre, Prof Lisa-Marie Shillito at the University of Newcastle, and Prof Robert Baxter at Durham University. The aim is to determine the function of receptor kinases in cambium morphology using a combination of genetics, plant tissue culture and transformation, X-ray CT imaging, and plant physiology approaches.
Research Associate in Plant-Fungal Genomics at Imperial College London The post is to investigate if plant-fungal symbioses can underpin plant diversity, including surveying mycorrhiza in Howea palms using 18S ribosomal DNA barcoding and looking at population effect on local adaptation of the palms. The post holder will also look at stress tolerance in related crop palms.
PhD: Garden Water Resilience for Plants, People and the Planet at Cranfield University This exciting PhD, in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society, will aim to use a combination of data analysis, monitoring and modelling to develop an improved understanding of the water balance of domestic gardens and evaluate how the âgreen infrastructureâ benefits of gardens can be improved to increase societyâs resilience to floods and droughts.Â
Lecturer in Botany at University of Otago
Applications are invited for the position of PĆ«kenga/Lecturer in Botany. The position affords the opportunity for interested scholars to teach and conduct research in a manner that is transformative and beneficial to MÄori or Pacifica. Applicants are encouraged to identify the manner in which they will complement existing strengths in the Department and develop new and innovative directions in research and teaching. Applications from candidates with a background in any aspect of plant ecology or ethnobotany are strongly encouraged.
Lecturer (Academic) in Forensic Biology at Bournemouth University This post will support teaching and research in the field of forensic biology. Applicants with experience in entomology, body fluid analysis, blood pattern analysis, forensic botany and taphonomy are welcomed, and experience of acting as an expert witness, or working for a forensic science provider, would be an advantage. Ability to apply a range of statistical techniques to interpretation of evidence is desirable.Â
Bioinformatician (m/f/d) Microbes and Plants at Austrian Institute of Technology You will work with sequencing data and corresponding metadata from different research projects. Specifically, you will be involved in the analysis of microbial amplicon sequencing data, bacterial and fungal whole genome sequencing data, metagenomic sequencing data and statistical analysis. You will use state-of-the-art tools and already established pipelines and contribute to developing new scripts and workflows. You will report and discuss the results within the project team and publish in scientific journals.
2022/2023 Biology Assistant/Associate Professor Positions
Wenzhou-Kean University College of Science, and Technology is seeking two tenure-track Assistant Professors and one lecturer in Biology. Early career researchers with PhD degree in genetics, organismal biology, cell biology or related disciplines, obtained within the past 10 years from reputable universities (Carnegie R1 institutions or comparable research institutions with strong academic reputation in the fields), are encouraged to apply. Tenure-track candidates should possess strong track record for publication and are ready to lead their own research groups independently.
Assistant - Plants and Crops at Ghent University You spend at least 50% of your assignment on academic research in preparation of a doctoral dissertation. You conduct research in the fields of plant breeding and crop husbandry; you actively seek and apply  for research funding  in these disciplines. Possible research topics include the agronomy and/or breeding of intercrops, local protein crops and climate-resilient fodder crops. You assist in the design, management and data analysis of field- and greenhouse trials.
Undervisnings - og forskningsstilling i biologi og naturfagdidaktikk Ved Institutt for grunnskole- og faglĂŠrerutdanning ved Fakultet for lĂŠrerutdanning og internasjonale studier er det ledig en 100 % midlertidig stilling, eventuelt to delte midlertidige stillinger, som fĂžrsteamanuensis/fĂžrstelektor/universitetslektor, fra 01.01.23 til 31.07.23 i biologi og naturfagdidaktikk. Du trenger kompetanse i biologi, og hvordan undervise naturfag.
OveringeniĂžr i paleoĂžkologi/arkeobotanikk Universitetet i Stavanger har ledig fast stilling og vikariat som overingeniĂžr i paleoĂžkologi/arkeobotanikk ved Arkeologisk museum, Avdeling for fornminnevern fra 1.1.2023. Vikariat er ledig for et Ă„r med mulighet for forlengelse.Â
Assistant Professor of Biology Plant Biology - Grand View University, Iowa
Grand View University aspires to serve a diverse community of learners- students, faculty, and staff- in an inclusive and equitable environment with the goal of empowering all to achieve their fullest potential. To learn more about Grand Viewâs commitment to diversity, and to read our entire Diversity Statement, click on this link: https://www.grandview.edu/about/diversity
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. in Biological sciences with expertise in Plant Biology or Botany (Ecology and field-oriented). Experience in teaching undergraduates plant biology and/or botany in a face-to-face format.
Tenure Track Faculty - Department of Biological Sciences (Plant Physiology) at Cal Poly Humboldt Cal Poly Humboldt and the Department of Biological Sciences invites applicants for an academic year tenure-track faculty position specializing in Plant Physiology. Cal Poly Humboldt is home to one of the largest undergraduate Botany programs in the nation. Our program prides itself in a strong tradition and focus on the organismal biology of different plant, fungal, and algal groups. The ideal candidate will establish a research program that uses contemporary methods in terrestrial plant physiology, integrating that with teaching that emphasizes all aspects of plant physiology.
Truman State University - Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Biology, Fall 2023 The successful candidate will be a broadly-trained plant biologist who can contribute to core teaching needs in the areas of plant taxonomy, plant anatomy, and medicinal botany, as well as specialty, upper-level electives that serve programs in Biology and emerging programs in Environmental Science (e.g., GIS) and Cannabis and Natural Medicinals (e.g., horticulture/plant propagation). The successful candidate will be expected to make contributions to teaching introductory courses, a freshman seminar, and/or an introductory writing course on a rotating basis. A research program that provides undergraduate students with high-quality research experiences is expected for the successful candidate.
Teaching Specialist at UWâMadison This position supports the teaching program of the Department of Plant Pathology. The incumbent will coordinate the laboratory portions and support the lecturer for PP123 (Plants, Parasites, and People) and PP300 (Introduction to Plant Pathology), and perform other duties related to the department's instructional mission as needs arise.
East Carolina University - Assistant Professor The Department of Biology (https://biology.ecu.edu) at East Carolina University (https://www.ecu.edu) seeks to fill a tenure-track faculty position (9-month appointment) at the Assistant Professor level, focused in Ecology or Evolution, where the successful candidate will have expertise in Infectious Disease or Macroecology. This position is set to begin August 2023. The successful candidate will be expected to have the ability and enthusiasm to teach students effectively in the areas of Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, or Introductory Biology, as well as upper-level undergraduate or graduate courses in the applicantâs area of expertise.
Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology in molecular bacterial plant pathogen interactions - UCR The Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology at the University of California, Riverside invites applications for a tenure track Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology available after July 1, 2023 in the area of bacterial interactions with plants. The position is an academic year (9-month) appointment in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) (http://cnas.ucr.edu/about/aes/). The position is a 60% Organized Research and 40% Instruction appointment and will be housed at the University of California Riverside.
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