Objective Humans modify ecosystems to maximise benefits from natural resources and as a result wildlife adapts ecological relationships. For instance, voles show multiannual population cycles and predators respond numerically, possibly limiting vole populations. Voles also damage crops and reduce food available for livestock. Subsequently, farmers respond using anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) to control voles. That means indirect control of predators by secondary exposure or by reduction of food sources. Therefore, ARs will be acting analogously as a superpredator, impeding the natural autoregulation of vole populations. Here the Experienced Researcher will become an ecologist and ecotoxicologist and learn to use cutting-edge Bayesian state space models to determine the superpredator role of ARs in both predator and prey dynamics. To do that, he will work in the Universities of Franche-Comté (UFC, France) and Aberdeen (UNIABDN, UK), the Doubs Hunting Federation (FDC25), but also work hand-in-hand with farmers, stakeholders, etc. about vole populations in western Europe. He will also collaborate with small mammal work groups involved in research about small mammal surges. By combining multidisciplinary and intersectoral knowledge, the project will address the deleterious effect of pest control by poisoning ecosystems. In addition, it will show predation as one underestimated tool for pest control. By direct contact with interested parties, the Experienced Researcher will become fully involved with groups related to the hunting industry, among others, which will enable him to develop consultancy services about small mammal pests and control methods. He will also boost his research carrier and become a senior post-doc dealing with strongly applied issues of ecology and ecotoxicology with strong links between international research institutions, maximising the chances to get a permanent position. Fields of science medical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic healthagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagricultureagronomyplant protectionnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological behavioural sciencesethologybiological interactionsnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogy Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2014-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2014 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-CAR - CAR – Career Restart panel Coordinator UNIVERSITE DE FRANCHE-COMTE Net EU contribution € 173 076,00 Address 1 rue claude goudimel 25000 Besancon France See on map Region Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Franche-Comté Doubs Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
