PhD Studentship:
Quantifying the economic benefits of pollinators
and pollination services in the changing agricultural landscapes of the UK
The project aims to quantify the value of
pollinators and associated services to different
stakeholders in a UK agricultural setting and
explore future changes in these values. The specific objectives are to:
(1) Quantify the dependency of crop production
on pollinators for current and future UK crops;
(2) Calculate the net economic value of
pollination services by considering all production inputs;
(3) Estimate the amenity (aesthetic and
recreational) value to the public of pollinators
and pollinator-supported flower habitats;
(4) Model future changes in these values under
plausible future land-use changes, such as increased biofuel demand.
The studentship is trans-disciplinary bringing
together expertise in ecological, economic and
social sciences. Applicants should have, or
expect to gain, a 1st class or 2:1 degree in
Ecology, Biology or Agriculture. The applicant
should have strong organisational skills, be a
self-starter with good team skills, a numerate
and clear communicator, and able to design and
implement a multi-disciplinary research programme.
The position is based in the University of
Reading, which is one of the UKs 10 most
research-intensive universities with over 38
million of its current 68 million annual
research funding coming from external grants and
contracts. The University is home to a number of
international centres of research excellence in
areas such as agriculture, biological and
physical sciences, and meteorology. The School
of Agriculture, Policy and Development, achieved
the top rating of 5 in the most recent UK
Research Assessment Exercise, reflecting the high
international standard of its work. The broad
based composition of the school facilitates
multidisciplinary research, and in particular the
ability to integrate natural, social and
management sciences within a single research
activity. The appointed student will be co-supervised by:
* Dr Simon G. Potts (Pollination ecology),
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED],
www.rdg.ac.uk/caer/staff_simon_potts.html
* Dr Alison Bailey (Agricultural economics),
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED],
www.reading.ac.uk/apd/staff/a-p-bailey.asp
* Dr Kelvin Balcombe (Applied econometrics),
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED],
www.reading.ac.uk/apd/staff/k-g-balcombe.asp
Closing date: 30th June 2008
Start date: 1st October 2008
For an application form please contact:
Mr S. J. Barlow, Postgraduate Student Office,
School of Agriculture, Policy and Development,
Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading, RG6 6AR
Email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
