Scaling-up relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning Supervisors: Dr John Griffin, Dr Mike Fowler
Project and aims A fully funded NERC PhD studentship is available at Swansea University, working with Dr John Griffin and Dr Mike Fowler. We are looking for an enthusiastic, highly motivated student interested in pushing boundaries in an exciting and important area of ecological research. This ambitious PhD project is aimed at extending our understanding of Biodiversity Ecosystem Functioning (BEF) relationships across spatial scales. Human activities are driving major declines in global biodiversity. Understanding how biodiversity loss will affect the ecosystem functions and services that underpin human well-being is a key question in ecological, conservation and sustainability sciences. While hundreds of experiments have explored BEF relationships, these have generally been restricted to small spatial scales and may not provide accurate predictions for the natural landscapes and ecosystems they aim to represent. Ecological niche theory suggests that more species are required to maximize ecosystem functioning at large spatial scales. The project will scrutinize this aspect of niche theory, with an important implication for conservation and policy: is each species more important for ecosystem functioning (and valuable services) than current experimental evidence suggests? The successful applicant will combine state-of-the-art empirical and modelling approaches to meet the research goals. The Gower Peninsula (an area of outstanding natural beauty on Swanseas doorstep) provides extensive and spectacular rocky shores, which host diverse ecological communities and offer an excellent outdoor laboratory for the project. Spatially-explicit, large-scale field surveys will be combined with experimental approaches to identify species ecological niches and determine natural BEF patterns. The student will also use Agent/Individual Based Models and other simulation approaches based on empirical data, to predict the impact of biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning at different scales. The studentship will be based within the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (http://www.aquaculturewales.com/), situated in the Department of Biosciences at Swansea University, UK; a vibrant, growing, research led institution providing a high quality, diverse range of graduate training. The student will benefit from the complementary expertise of supervisors Drs John Griffin (empirical approaches) and Mike Fowler (ecological modelling), gaining multidisciplinary skills in field ecology, statistics and modelling. The student will interact with the large postgraduate community and world-class researchers in ecological and behavioural sciences within the Department of Biosciences. Training and collaboration will have a significant international component, where involvement in international Biodiversity working groups and attendance at international conferences will be encouraged. Applicant requirements Applicants should have or expect to receive a good BSc degree (First or Upper Second Class) in Biology or a related discipline, with good numerical skills and an enthusiasm for challenging themselves academically. Experience in any aspect of this project (field work, statistical/mathematical modelling, or computer coding skills) and MSc/MRes qualifications are desirable but not critical training will be provided where required. Informal enquiries are encouraged before application: please contact either Dr John Griffin (j.n.grif...@swansea.ac.uk; tel +44 (0)1792 295311) or Dr Mike Fowler (m.s.fow...@swansea.ac.uk; tel +44 (0)1792 295443; http://tinyurl.com/dywafuw). Application closing date: 11 April 2013 These studentships are open to candidates who have been ordinarily resident in the UK for three years preceding the date of application. Further details are available at http://www.swansea.ac.uk/biosci/postgraduate/researchtopics/scaling-uprelationshipsbetweenbiodiversityandecosystemfunctioning/
