PhD Studentship: Predatory Plant or Fair Trade? Shedding Light on the Relationship of Ants with Carnivorous Pitcher Plants - NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2025 Entry Ref 5415
University of Exeter - ESE
| Qualification Type: | PhD |
|---|---|
| Location: | Devon, Exeter |
| Funding for: | UK Students, EU Students |
| Funding amount: | From £20,112 annual stipend |
| Hours: | Full Time |
| Placed On: | 21st November 2024 |
|---|---|
| Closes: | 13th January 2025 |
| Reference: | 5415 |
About the Partnership
This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP). The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners: British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see nercgw4plus.ac.uk
Project details
For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via U.Bauer@exeter.ac.uk
Project Aims and Methods
Nepenthes pitcher plants trap ants to meet their nitrogen demand on nutrient-deprived soils. Ants evaluate risk when making foraging decisions, so why do they not avoid the traps? This PhD project tests the hypothesis that ants and pitcher plants engage in a “fair trade” of nitrogen for energy (sugary nectar), with benefits to both sides. In the lab, we will use a highly sensitive custom-built “weigh bridge” with constant video observation to quantify ant traffic and nectar transport between an ant colony and a pitcher plant over time. Pitcher traps are only slippery to insects when wet. The availability of fully controlled environmental simulator chambers (“weather pods”) in Exeter allows us to investigate how rain and air humidity shift the risk-reward balance, and hence the nutrient flux, between ants and plants. The project also offers the opportunity to conduct field work in Borneo, using stable isotopes to trace nutrient fluxes between ants and plants in the natural habitat. An interdisciplinary supervisor team with experience in behavioural ecology, plant biomechanics, AI-guided video analysis, stable isotope analysis and field work on pitcher plants provides optimal support and flexibility to shape the project to the student’s interests.
Training
The DTP offers funding to undertake specialist training relating to the student’s specialist area of research.
Share on social media
Advert information
Type / Role:
Subject Area(s):
Location(s):
PhD tools
PhD Alert Created
Job Alert Created
Your PhD alert has been successfully created for this search.
Your job alert has been successfully created for this search.
Ok OkPhD Alert Created
Job Alert Created
Your PhD alert has been successfully created for this search.
Your job alert has been successfully created for this search.
Manage your job alerts Manage your job alertsAccount Verification Missing
In order to create multiple job alerts, you must first verify your email address to complete your account creation
Request verification email Request verification emailjobs.ac.uk Account Required
In order to create multiple alerts, you must create a jobs.ac.uk jobseeker account
Create Account Create AccountAlert Creation Failed
Unfortunately, your account is currently blocked. Please login to unblock your account.
Email Address Blocked
We received a delivery failure message when attempting to send you an email and therefore your email address has been blocked. You will not receive job alerts until your email address is unblocked. To do so, please choose from one of the two options below.
Max Alerts Reached
A maximum of 5 Job Alerts can be created against your account. Please remove an existing alert in order to create this new Job Alert
Manage your job alerts Manage your job alertsCreate PhD Alert
Create Job Alert
When you create this PhD alert we will email you a selection of PhDs matching your criteria.When you create this job alert we will email you a selection of jobs matching your criteria. Our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy apply to this service. Any personal data you provide in setting up this alert is processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice
Create PhD Alert
Create Job Alert
When you create this PhD alert we will email you a selection of PhDs matching your criteria.When you create this job alert we will email you a selection of jobs matching your criteria. Our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy apply to this service. Any personal data you provide in setting up this alert is processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice
Max Saved Jobs Reached
A maximum of 500 Saved Jobs can be created against your account. Please remove an existing Saved Job in order to add a new Saved Job.
Manage Saved JobsMore PhDs from University of Exeter
MRes + PhD Studentships in Management and Business for Black British Researchers
MRes + PhD Studentships in Finance for Black British Researchers
MRes + PhD Studentships in Economics for Black British Researchers
More PhDs like this
PhD Studentship: Algal Tracers of Sea Ice Dynamics on the Greenland Margin
Nigel Groome Studentship: Gene Regulatory Networks Driving Male-Female Genital Co-evolution
PhD Studentship investigating the Interconnections Between Land Management, Nature and Culture
Join in and follow us
