Biodiversity and conservation

In response to the current crisis of species extinctions across the globe, research within this theme focuses on the evolution and maintenance of biodiversity with particular emphasis on conservation biology. Various questions in evolutionary biology and population dynamics are addressed, through specialisms in behavioural ecology, environmental physiology and terrestrial microbial ecology. Emphasis is placed on the interpretation of long-term experiments.

A key area of this theme is understanding how land-use changes affect biodiversity, and how more effective conservation management can be developed. The School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences hosts the Floodplain Meadows Partnership, which specialises in the management, promotion and restoration of floodplain meadows. The ecology and conservation of a diverse range of plant and animal species is currently being studied, including brown hares in Yorkshire, bumblebees in Wiltshire and grassland ecology in Siberia. The techniques used range from field survey to experiments in controlled environments. There is a strong focus on citizen science approaches via Treezilla and iSpot.

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) or an appropriate undergraduate degree and postgraduate qualification. If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.

Potential research projects

We encourage enquiries from prospective students on any aspect of biodiversity and conservation ecology. 

Current/recent research projects

• Nutrient availability in floodplain habitats
• Response of grassland communities to water and nutrient availability
• Plant community ecology on soil with fluctuating hydrology
• Responses of grassland composition to climate change
• Mammal conservation in tropical forests
• Management of mineral extraction sites for water conservation
• Microbe interaction with minerals and microbial weathering of rocks

Potential supervisors

• Dr Julia Cooke
• Dr Mandy Dyson
• Professor David Gowing
• Dr Clare Lawson
• Dr Phil Wheeler

Fees and funding

Some of our research students are funded via the Central England NERC Training Alliance; others are self-funded.

For detailed information about fees and funding, visit Fees and studentships.

To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see Current studentships.

Links

• School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences
• iSpot
• Floodplain Meadows Partnership