PhD position: Can ecological systems remember? Information, ecological debt and evolution under climate extremes

Investigate how ecological systems acquire and store information by examining how environmental extremes generate ecological memories across different levels of biological organization. Explore whether information about past extremes can be transmitted between organisms, trophic groups and generations through ecological interactions and environmental modifications. Examine whether retained information enhances resistance and recovery, facilitates evolutionary adaptation, or generates persistent ecological debts and vulnerabilities. Combine controlled microcosm experiments, experimental evolution and quantitative modelling. Expose ecological systems to contrasting histories of climate extremes, followed by recovery periods and subsequent environmental challenges. Use a resistance–recovery framework to investigate ecological debts and test whether communities that appear to have recovered nevertheless retain hidden vulnerabilities or capacities for adaptation. Explore information-theoretic approaches to understand ecological memory, distinguish it from other environmental legacies, and examine whether it improves forecasts of future ecological and evolutionary dynamics.

The successful candidate will join the Terrestrial Ecology research group at the University of Bern, working in a collaborative environment that combines ecological experiments, evolutionary biology, climate-change research and quantitative approaches. The project is supported by an interdisciplinary research environment and offers substantial intellectual freedom to develop original hypotheses, experimental approaches and theoretical perspectives.

• A strong background in ecology, evolutionary biology, microbiology, systems biology or related disciplines.

• Experience with experimental research, quantitative analyses or programming (e.g., R or Python) would be advantageous.

• Scientific curiosity, original thinking, critical reasoning and a willingness to challenge established assumptions.

• Applicants are not expected to have expertise in every discipline involved in the project.