Marielos Peña-Claros

Wageningen University & Research is offering two fully funded PhD positions within the Forest Ecology and Forest Management Chair Group (FEM) to investigate the fire resilience of Amazonian forests in Bolivia. These positions are part of an ERC Starting Grant project led by Dr. Masha van der Sande, focusing on the present-day mechanisms and impacts of fire on tropical forests. The research will be conducted in both seasonally dry Chiquitanía forests and evergreen wet Amazon forests, utilizing permanent plot networks and a fire experiment. PhD project 1 will focus on understanding the mechanisms underlying forest resilience to fires, including resistance and recovery. The candidate will expand and manage a permanent monitoring network of plots in both burned and unburned forests, analyzing gradients of fire frequency and intensity. The project will also involve quantifying functional traits of trees that are relevant to fire resilience. Supervision will be provided by Dr. Masha van der Sande, Prof. Marielos Peña-Claros, and Dr. Peter van der Sleen. PhD project 2 will investigate the physiological and morphological impacts of fires on trees, aiming to understand the processes behind tree mortality and recovery. The candidate will implement a tree-level fire experiment in both dry and wet forests, applying different fire intensity and frequency treatments to selected tree species and monitoring their responses over 1-2 years. Supervision will be provided by Dr. Masha van der Sande, Prof. Hans Cornelissen, Dr. Silvia C. Gallegos, and Prof. Lourens Poorter. Both PhD candidates are expected to conduct fieldwork in Bolivia for approximately three months per year during the first three years. The projects offer ample opportunities for collaboration, including integration with postdoctoral research on paleo-ecological timescales and dynamic forest modeling. Candidates will be based in Wageningen, working at least four days per week on campus when in the Netherlands, and are expected to write at least three scientific publications as part of their PhD. Applicants should have an MSc in a relevant field (biology, forest & nature conservation, plant sciences), strong English skills, and preferably knowledge of Spanish. Experience in forest ecology, tree physiology, fieldwork in remote locations, statistical analysis, and an interest in fire and climate change impacts are important. Wageningen University offers excellent employment conditions, including a competitive salary, benefits, and support for international staff. The application deadline is November 26, 2025, with interviews scheduled for January 2026.