Post-doctoral position at INRA/France in 2010: Evaluation of a model of nitrogen transfer at the landscape scale ...

Submitted by stefan_reis on Tue, 01/12/2009 - 14:55.

Post-doctoral position at INRA/France in 2010: Evaluation of a model of nitrogen transfer at the landscape scale and application to agro-environmental scenarios

Context

One major challenge in agro-environmental research is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural activities. This requires defining and assessing scenarios allowing for the optimal management of nitrogen inputs at the farm and landscape scales. The “NitroScape” model has been developed to assess scenarios. It integrates the different transfer pathways (atmospheric, hydrological, through ecosystems, within farms) of nitrogen compounds interacting at the landscape scale. Datasets (including concentrations and fluxes of nitrogen compounds, farm survey data, landscape maps) are being collected within a network of 6 European landscapes to calibrate and evaluate the NitroScape model. Agro-environmental scenarios are under construction to evaluate the impacts of nitrogen management on the greenhouse gas balance at the landscape scale.

This work is being carried out within the 4th component (“Landscape scale assessment of nitrogen interactions”) of the NitroEurope-IP project (http://www.nitroeurope.eu/). The French Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA, http://www.inra.fr/) is a partner in this project.

Mission statement

The overall mission is to evaluate the NitroScape model from data collected within the 6 European landscapes and use the model for scenario assessment. The work involves:

  • Handling the NitroScape model and the landscape database;
  • Using the data collected within the 6 landscapes to evaluate the capability of the NitroScape model to predict nitrogen transfer and the greenhouse gas balance at the landscape scale;
  • Applying the model to associated datasets corresponding to agro-environmental scenarios to assess their impact on nitrogen transfer and the greenhouse gas balance. Scenarios are related to changes in farm practices, crop systems and landscape structure.

Requirements

  • PhD in Agronomy and/or Environment
  • Good experience in modelling, database handling and using computing tools
  • Skills in statistics. Skills in Geographical Information Systems would be a plus
  • Good English (written and spoken)
  • Ability to work on a team and in pluridisciplinary research

Working conditions

Location

  • Biosphere-Atmosphere team of the Environment and Arable Crops Joint Research Unit (INRA/AgroParisTech), F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon, http://www-egc.grignon.inra.fr/
  • The lab is located 25 min from Paris by train

Partnership

  • INRA SAS (Rennes, France), AU (Foulum, Denmark), CEH (Edinburgh, Scotland), ECN (Petten, The Netherlands), RCAFE (Poznan, Poland), CNR (Naples, Italy), IMK-IFU and JLU (Germany)
  • Integration into the NitroEurope community and attendance at European meetings

Terms of the contract

  • Duration: a 1-year contract starting February 2010
  • Net salary: 1,810 Euros/month (French public service sector)

Application

A letter of motivation, a detailed Curriculum Vitae and contact information for at least one reference to be sent to:

Dr. Jean-Louis DROUET email: Jean-Louis.Drouet@grignon.inra.fr

Dr. Pierre CELLIER email: Pierre.Cellier@grignon.inra.fr