PhD position, Managing drained peatland forests for improved benefits

Department of Forest Ecology and Management

WIFORCE Research School

Do you want to contribute to the future sustainable use of forests? Apply to join WIFORCE Research School!

Biodiversity and the role of forests in climate change are now key social issues that require more knowledge. In order to both sustainably use and safeguard forest biodiversity, a coherent basic science research program is needed that addresses large and complex issues and develops new analytical tools. That’s why the WIFORCE Research School, part of the Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research (www.slu.se/en/wiforce), was created. 

A PhD position is available at SLU's Department of Forest Ecology and Management, a vibrant and internationally engaged environment for research and teaching. The department has about 115 employees, including 9 professors. Our mission is to advance the understanding of forest ecosystems and how these should be managed today and in the future.

For more information: http://www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-ecology-management/  

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/work-at-slu/

Name of research project/thesis

Rewetting versus Continuous Cover Forestry: Alternative strategies for managing drained peatland forests for improved climate impact and biodiversity

Research subject:

Soil Sciences

Description:

In the Nordic region, large areas of natural peatlands have been drained for forestry during the past century, inducing severe negative impacts on several key ecosystem services such as climate regulation and biodiversity. Today, governmental agencies and forest stakeholders in Sweden debate how to best manage drained peatland forests. One option is ditch-blocking to restore them towards a more natural state, with the goal to reduce soil carbon (C) losses, while providing wetland habitat (rewetting). Another is managing these areas with continuous cover forestry (CCF) methods that mitigate soil C losses while facilitating sustainable timber production as well as providing old-growth forest-type habitat. However, thorough empirical evaluations of these strategies, and their trade-offs for climate and biodiversity, are still lacking in boreal Sweden. This PhD project will assemble a novel empirical database on C balance and biodiversity in rewetted or CCF-managed peatland forests across boreal Sweden, enabling evaluation of how these strategies affect C sequestration and biodiversity. Thus, this project will advance our empirical understanding and thereby create an urgently needed decision support for developing optimized strategies for boreal peatland forest management.

The main supervisor for this PhD position is Dr. Järvi Järveoja and co-supervisors are Assoc. Prof. Therese Löfroth och Assoc. Prof. Joachim Strengbom. During the project, the doctoral candidate will collaborate with other graduate students and senior scientists with expertise in boreal peatlands and forestry, biodiversity and ecology, which provides opportunities for cross-project interactions and development of additional areas of interest.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate must meet the following qualifications:

• MSc degree in Environmental Sciences, Physical Geography, Ecology, Biology or another related field
• Strong interest in boreal peatland and/or forest ecosystem services, with focus on the C cycle and biodiversity values
• Strong communication skills, a solid work ethic, teamwork abilities and the capacity to thrive in a research environment
• Ability to conduct field work in remote locations
• Fluency in English to effectively interact in an English-speaking work environment
• A driving license valid in Sweden (required to access the field sites)

Merits:

• Previous knowledge of the C cycle and/or biodiversity functions of boreal peatlands and/or forests
• Experience in planning and reporting (in text and oral) scientific studies
• Experience with relevant field data collection methods (e.g. chamber- or eddy covariance-based C flux measurements, biodiversity sampling methods)
• Computer programming skills (e.g. Matlab, R) for analyzing large data sets 

Place of work:      

Umeå

Forms for funding or employment:

Employment as PhD student (4 years of education)

Starting date:

The preferred starting date is 1 May 2026, but flexible according to agreement

Application:

Please submit your application before deadline 2026-02-10. You can submit your application by clicking the button below. 

The application should include:

• CV (max 3 pages) including the following headings: education, work experience, research interests, awards, publications, presentations and conferences, software and computer skills, languages, and contact details for at least two professional references
• Cover letter (max 2 pages) explaining your qualifications and interest in carrying out this doctoral project  
• Copies of graduation degrees, or equivalent, as well as other relevant certificates, e.g. English-language certificate if you did not do your previous studies in Sweden or in a native English-speaking country (see here for more information on what is acceptable) 

To qualify for third-cycle (Doctoral) courses and study programmes, you must have a second-cycle (Master’s) qualification. Alternatively, you must have conducted a minimum of four years of full-time study, of which a minimum of one year at second-cycle level.

Applicants will be selected based on their written application and CV, degree project, copies of their degree certificate and transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution, two personal references, and knowledge of English. More information about the English language requirements can be found here: https://www.slu.se/en/education/programmes-courses/doctoral-studies/application-admission-doctoral-studies/

Please note that applicants invited to interview must submit attested copies of their degree certificate, or equivalent, a transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution. Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport’s information page containing their photograph and personal details.

Read about the PhD education at SLU at https://www.slu.se/en/study/programmes-courses/doctoral-education/

Academic union representatives:

https://internt.slu.se/en/my-employment/employee-associations/kontaktpersoner-vid-rekrytering/

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has a key role in the development for sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interaction between humans, animals and ecosystems and the responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Our main campuses are located in Alnarp, Umeå and Uppsala, however, the university also operates at research stations, experimental forests and teaching sites throughout Sweden. SLU has around 4,000 employees, 6,000 students and doctoral students and a turnover of over SEK 4,5 billion. We are investing in attractive environments on all of our campuses. We strive to provide a work environment characterised by inclusivity and gender equality, where different experiences generate conversations between people and pave the way for science, creativity and development. Therefore, we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.