The PhD will reconstruct multi-decadal patterns of plant phenology and biodiversity across Australia, integrating ground-based observations with citizen science and biodiversity datasets. Working with a Phenological Database Specialist, the candidate will harmonise and quality-control data from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium, ClimateWatch and historical sources (e.g. newspapers, naturalists' diaries). Using these spatially explicit data, the project will derive phenological metrics, species richness and diversity indices at multiple spatial scales to examine how biodiversity patterns shape phenological behaviour and how shifts vary across ecosystems, climatic gradients and latitude. We seek candidates with a background in botany, environmental science, ecology or geospatial science, strong analytical and programming skills (e.g. R/Python), experience with large ecological datasets, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
Phenological responses (e.g. timing of flowering) are key indicators of ecological change, yet long-term, spatially explicit records remain limited for many Australian ecosystems. By integrating heterogeneous data sources, this project will generate a robust, continent-wide record of phenological variability.The PhD project will reconstruct multi-decadal patterns of plant phenology and biodiversity across Australia, using ground-based observations and diverse citizen science and biodiversity datasets. The successful candidate will work with a Phenological Database Specialist for Australian plant records. This will involve harmonising and quality-controlling observations drawn from the Australasian Virtual Herbarium, ClimateWatch, and historical sources (e.g. newspapers, naturalists' diaries).Using these spatially explicit data, the project will derive summaries of phenological metrics, species richness, and diversity indices at different spatial scales. These products will be used to investigate how biodiversity patterns influence phenological behaviour, and how phenological shifts vary across ecosystems, climatic gradients and latitude.
