Offer Description
In support to the project “The Plant Water Pump” funded by the European Research Council, the laboratory in Plant EcoPhysiology and Agriculture (PEPA) of the Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain (Belgium), seeks a qualified and highly motivated postdoc candidate to join its research team for 3 years and investigate the “Diversity of hydraulic responses to water deficit in major crops and trees in controlled conditions and natural habitats“
Context
With global warming, climate zones are projected to shift poleward, and the frequency and intensity of droughts to increase, driving threats to crop production and ecosystems. Plant hydraulic traits play major roles in coping with such droughts. Process-based plant hydraulics (water flowing along decreasing pressure Ψp or total water potential Ψtot gradients) has newly been implemented in many land surface models, but cannot explain an enigma reported for the past 35 years, which is the observation of water flowing along increasing water potential gradients across roots. Simulations combining the most advanced modelling tool from the emerging field of plant micro-hydrology with pioneering cell solute mapping data suggest that the current paradigm of water flow across roots of all vascular plants is incomplete: it lacks the impact of gradients of solute concentration (and thus negative osmotic potential Ψo) across living cells. The model suggests that this gradient acts as a water pump as it reduces water tension without loading solutes in plant vasculature (xylem). This project combines for the first time cutting-edge osmotic mapping and micro-hydrological modelling approaches to address the following objectives: (1) characterizing water status and osmotic responses to water deficit in diverse crop and tree species, (2) validating a new paradigm of plant water uptake, and (3) increasing the accuracy of plant water status functions for land surface models.
In this Postdoc, the candidate will address the first and second goals of the project.
Job description
The successful applicant will join a motivated team of young researchers in charge of monitoring soil and plant water status in diverse crops and trees, in environments including greenhouses, large lysimeters, and forests in Europe and in the USA.
The Postdoc candidate will benefit from close interactions with a PhD student and a technician for activities in the UCLouvain greenhouses and ICOS site of Vielsalm (Belgium) in partnership with Prof. Caroline Vincke. An internship is planned at the University of California Davis (USA) in the teams of Profs. Andrew McElrone and Kenneth Shackel to master the use of psychrometers and sapflowmeters in woody species (duration 2 to 3 months, in 2024). Other activities abroad (France, Sweden, Israel and/or USA) will be conducted in close partnership with local research teams currently monitoring the study sites with support from local technicians and students.
Tasks of the new researcher will include the:
‒ Estimation of water fluxes and water potential in crops and trees, ranging from maize and tomato, to grapevine, oak and beech trees;
‒ Collection of root samples using a “snap-freezing” method;
‒ Creation of didactic videos explaining the experimental methods;
‒ Development of simple functions of plant hydraulics versus soil water status;
‒ Reports and presentations of the progress in an international context.
In this work environment we share values of (eco-)feminism, respect for minorities and work-life balance. Researchers are encouraged to follow dedicated “soft skills” trainings on related subjects, also including stress relief, non-violent communication, etc. for free during their work-time.
Qualifications
The applicant will be:
– Graduated as PhD in bioengineering, biological sciences, or equivalent;
– Trained in using plant physiological sensors, such as the pressure chamber;
– Fluent in written / spoken English;
– Motivated to carry out research activities including field works in Europe and in the USA several weeks per year;
– Willing to actively contribute to collaborative research and international teams. Additional experience in supervising students, growing plants, experimental design, and programming are most welcome.
Application
The contract can start as early as possible between October and December 2023. The interested candidates are invited to send a curriculum vitae and a motivation letter of max 1000 words by email to Pr. Valentin Couvreur (valentin.couvreur@uclouvain.be) by August 10th.
