Arctic meltdown affects tropical seagrass meadows via migrant shorebird

Global warming is most pronounced in the Arctic. Hence, Arctic-breeding migrants might carry over the ecological effects of climate change to their tropical wintering grounds. Although recently discovered, reductions in body size are already considered a universal response to climate change. Red knots (Calidris canutus), medium-sized shorebirds breeding as High Arctic as possible, are no exception to this rule. Over the past 30 years, their bodies have been shrinking, notably with respect to body mass and bill length. Preliminary analyses revealed that at their main wintering site (Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, West-Africa), small individuals with a short bill are now shifting niche by consuming readily accessible seagrass rhizomes instead of deeper buried shellfish. Here we will (A) experimentally unravel the coupling between body size and diet; (B) link survival rate to body size and diet; and (C) quantify the top-down effects of rhizome-grazing on seagrass.
Whilst the field work will be carried in Mauritania, the laboratory and desk work will mainly be carried out at the Department of Marine Ecology, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (Texel, the Netherlands). As this is a MARES-EU funded project (see below), regular visits will be made to the two partner universities, University of Aveiro (Portugal) and the University of Gdańsk (Poland).

Candidate profile:
The subject is open to highly motivated students that have a background in (marine) ecology, preferably with affinities to birds. The proposed fieldwork in Banc d’Arguin will be embedded in large expeditions in which a consortium of international researchers is involved. Henceforth, the candidate should be a team player, but, at the same time, should be able to work independently under seemingly pleasant, but sometimes tough, field circumstances.