Graduate Student Position Available: Ecological and Economic Values of Tidal Freshwater Marshes as Treatment Wetlands

UPDATE 4.16.08: Allison Parnell will work on this project for her thesis.

My colleague, Dr. Jae-Young Ko, and I were recently awarded a Texas Sea Grant to evaluate the ecological and economic values of tidal brackish and freshwater marshes as wastewater treatment wetlands. Beginning in spring 2008, we will conduct a field survey that investigates the role of vegetation in taking up nutrients from two point sources of anthropogenic nutrients into Armand Bayou: a sewage treatment facility and a retention basin that filters drainage from a housing subdivision.

We are looking for a graduate student (M.S.) or part-time technician to assist with a field survey to measure percent vegetation cover, species composition and diversity, gross morphometric characteristics, and biomass of the dominant plant species. The student/technician will also measure carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content and stable isotopic values of plant tissue, sediments, and water samples. These data will be used to create an ecological nutrient budget in each study area and estimate nutrient removal rates by marsh vegetation within Armand Bayou.

Preferred qualifications include: B.S. or senior status in a biology-related field, experience with biological field work, a positive attitude, and a willingness to get wet and dirty. Project dates are from March 2008-February 2010. Interested parties should send a letter of interest, CV, unofficial transcripts and GRE scores, and the names and contact information for two references to Dr. Anna Armitage.

UPDATE: Additional funding for this project has been supplied by the Environmental Institute of Houston in collaboration with Dr. Steven Pennings at the University of Houston. We plan to begin field work in March 2008.