We have two UK scholarships for you to apply for, Integrating science and practice for macaw reintroduction biology and conservation and Role of marine ornamental fisheries in achieving net positive outcomes for nature and people, read more below and apply via the form.
Integrating science and practice for macaw reintroduction biology and conservation
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only), Deadline- Sunday, May 19, 2023, 23:30 (UK time)
About the Project
Project Description
Supervisors
Dr Jake Bicknell (University of Kent, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation)
Prof Jim Groombridge, Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent
Dr John Ewen, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London
Dr Simon Tollington, School of Animal Rural & Environmental Sciences, Nottingham-Trent University
Project background
Deforestation in Central and South America, driven mainly by agriculture, has caused the endangerment of many species, some of which are fundamental to large-scale habitat protection. The Critically-Endangered Great Green Macaw is one of the World’s largest parrots with a vast range spanning six countries making it a flagship of Central/South American biodiversity. This species exemplifies the threat of habitat loss but also holds the key to driving regional/international landscape-level biodiversity conservation.
Reintroduction science has attracted renewed attention given the recent global focus on ‘rewilding’. However, data to inform methods for large Psittaciformes is under-developed, and it is increasingly evident that successful reintroductions of wide-ranging species require strong support from, and tangible benefits for local communities.
Objectives
(A) examine patterns of post-release survival, disease prevalence and genetic/genomic diversity of reintroduced Great Green Macaws in Costa Rica. These data will then be compared to captive and wild macaw populations in Costa Rica, with potential to include populations in other range countries such as Colombia where future reintroductions may occur but where information on distribution and status is lacking.
(B) examine socio-economic opportunities and barriers to improving human livelihoods associated with changes in land-use required for macaw restoration and identify what are the perceived and actual benefits associated with tropical forest restoration for macaw conservation. Identifying ‘macaw-friendly’ sites will enable conservation activities to be targeted to communities where they have the greatest and most sustainable positive impact.
Research methodology
The student will work with the Macaw Recovery Network to conduct fieldwork and data collection through intensive monitoring and management of wild nests and reintroduced individuals, alongside surveying local communities in conservation efforts. They will, where appropriate, utilise MRN’s regional network for surveys of landowners. Labwork and data analyses will be carried out at facilities available via the supervisory team.
Training
The student will gain skills in avian population monitoring and fieldwork, genetic/genomic analyses, disease-screening, and social science techniques.
Person specification
We seek an enthusiastic individual with a strong academic background in natural sciences. Prior experience in avian fieldwork and fluency in Spanish is strongly desirable.
Key Information
- The closing date for applications is 23:30 on 19th May 2023.
- Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a NERC studentship, which covers fees, stipend (£17,668 p.a. for 2022/23) and research funding.
- ARIES students benefit from bespoke graduate training and ARIES provides £2,500 to every student for access to external training, travel and conferences, on top of all Research Costs associated with the project. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses.
- ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion in all areas of its operation. We encourage enquiries and applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender status. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, and our recruitment process considers potential with the same weighting as past experience.
- All ARIES studentships may be undertaken on a part-time or full-time basis, visa requirements notwithstanding
- For further information, please contact the supervisor. To apply for this Studentship follow the instructions at the bottom of the page or click the ‘apply now’ link.
- ARIES is required by our funders to collect Equality and Diversity Information from all of our applicants. The information you provide will be used solely for monitoring and statistical purposes; it will remain confidential, and will be stored on the UEA sharepoint server. Data will not be shared with those involved in making decisions on the award of Studentships, and will have no influence on the success of your application. It will only be shared outside of this group in an anonymised and aggregated form. You will be ask to complete the form by the University to which you apply.
Candidates should apply by 23:30 (UK time) on 19th May 2023 using the online application form.
For more information regarding eligibility etc., please see the ARIES doctoral training programme website.
Role of marine ornamental fisheries in achieving net positive outcomes for nature and people
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only), Deadline- Sunday, May 19, 2023, 23:30 (UK time)
About the Project
Project Description
Supervisors
Dr David Roberts (University of Kent, School of Anthropology and Conservation) – d.l.roberts@kent.ac.uk
Dr Mahesh Poudyal, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent
Dr Joanna Murray, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Dr Matthew Bond, Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association.
Dr Donna Snellgrove, WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute
Project background
Ornamental fisheries has a global value of $15-20 billion pa and support some of the poorest communities around the world. If managed well, ornamental fisheries can provide livelihoods that have low environmental impact and promote the conservation of threatened habitats through disincentivising environmentally damaging income streams (S Zehev & Vera, 2015). The trade in marine ornamental fish is coming under ever greater scrutiny, with workshops planned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and growing interest in sustainable use of our oceans. With ornamental fisheries increasingly featuring on the CITES agenda, there is a need to better understand the ways sustainable ornamental fisheries could contribute to ecosystem conservation while enabling socio-economic development.
Research methodology
Student will work with fisher communities for extended periods in source countries (~6 months of total fieldwork time in each country, ~12 months overall), to understand environmental and socio-economic effects of marine ornamental fisheries. In the Philippines, the student will be hosted by colleagues at the School of Law at the University of Cebu. In Indonesia, the student will be hosted by Terengi, the Indonesian Coral Reef Foundation. These in country partners, along with the supervisory team will facilitate the student to address the following research objectives:
1. Determine extent to which communities rely on ornamental aquatics trade for their livelihoods.
2. Understand the availability of alternative livelihoods, the perception of alternatives, and their environmental impacts.
3. Using fisher knowledge, determine how reefs have changed over time, attitudes of fishers towards their own impacts and that of others, attitudes toward strategies that have been or could be used to mitigate negative impacts.
4. Using information from 1-3, supplemented with questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, determine impacts on communities of increased restrictions or bans, and availability of other alternative livelihoods that might mitigate these impacts.
The student will utilise social science techniques, such as participant observation, questionnaire surveys, focus groups and key informant interviews, to understand how people in source countries can impact or benefit reef environments. In the absence of long-term monitoring data on ecosystems utilised by ornamental fishers, use of established social science techniques will allow us to elicit local knowledge about the state and trend of these systems and understand the important role local communities play in the conservation of some of the most biodiverse and impacted habitats on the planet.
Training
The candidate will benefit from the diverse supervisory team and three CASE partners; Roberts (wildlife trade), Poudyal (sustainable development), CEFAS (governmental research centre, trade), OATA (Industry standard setting body), MARS (multi-national, reef restoration). These case partners will provide supervisory support and additional funding to support in country field work which is integral to answering research questions above. During fieldwork, the student will be locally-supervised by a designated mentor from the hosting partner who will meet the student regularly, in addition to monthly online meetings with the Kent supervisory team.
They will have opportunities for independent travel, working with fishery communities for extended periods. Further, they will gain skills in methods related to questionnaire development (e.g. sensitive questioning technique, household livelihood activity surveys), undertaking semi-structured interviews, and socio-economic analysis.
Person specification
We seek an enthusiastic individual with a degree in conservation, development studies, marine biology, or a relevant field. Prior experience with questionnaires and semi-structured interviews is desirable. The individual must be prepared to spend a significant amount of time in the field.
Key Information
- The closing date for applications is 23:30 on 19th May 2023.
- Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a NERC studentship, which covers fees, stipend (£17,668 p.a. for 2022/23) and research funding.
- ARIES students benefit from bespoke graduate training and ARIES provides £2,500 to every student for access to external training, travel and conferences, on top of all Research Costs associated with the project. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses.
- ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion in all areas of its operation. We encourage enquiries and applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender status. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, and our recruitment process considers potential with the same weighting as past experience.
- All ARIES studentships may be undertaken on a part-time or full-time basis, visa requirements notwithstanding
- For further information, please contact the supervisor. To apply for this Studentship follow the instructions at the bottom of the page or click the ‘apply now’ link.
- ARIES is required by our funders to collect Equality and Diversity Information from all of our applicants. The information you provide will be used solely for monitoring and statistical purposes; it will remain confidential, and will be stored on the UEA sharepoint server. Data will not be shared with those involved in making decisions on the award of Studentships, and will have no influence on the success of your application. It will only be shared outside of this group in an anonymised and aggregated form. You will be ask to complete the form by the University to which you apply.
Candidates should apply by 23:30 (UK time) on 19th May 2023 using the online application form.
For more information regarding eligibility etc., please see the ARIES doctoral training programme website.