Project 1: Investigating changing harbour porpoise distributions around the UK
An understanding of the current distribution and drivers of mobile marine megafauna is integral to appropriate conservation management. Harbour porpoise are conserved under Article IV of the Habitats Directive, but are at risk of bycatch in fisheries gear. Large-scale surveys have revealed a shift in distribution, with porpoises appearing to move into the English Channel. In collaboration with the whale and dolphin charity ORCA, this project will use long-term citizen science time series to further investigate the shift in distribution and the environmental drivers, and whether this may lead to greater overlap with anthropogenic threats. This project will be primarily computer-based and will suit a student with strong quantitative skills (i.e. previous experience in R and GIS).
Project 2: Haul-out patterns and anthropogenic disturbance of the Solent seals
The number of harbour seals and grey seals utilising the Solent is increasing. Monthly counts by local monitoring schemes have identified two main haul-out sites, which are vital for seals to rest, moult and breed. In collaboration with the Chichester Harbour Conservancy and Langstone Harbour Board, this project will use a combination of existing datasets and field observations to investigate the environmental and anthropogenic variables influencing haul-out behaviour in seals. This project will have a strong fieldwork component and will suit a student with their own transportation who is willing to spend long hours outdoors, as well as being confident with data handling and analysis.
Requirements:
- BSc (minimum second-class or equivalent) or a Masters degree in a relevant subject
- English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (with no component score below 6.0)
The following would also be advantageous:
- Previous marine mammal field experience
- Proficiency in R and GIS software
- Strong background in statistical techniques
Application Deadline: 6pm (UK time) Friday 15th November 2019
Application Process: Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the main supervisor Dr Sarah Marley (sarah.marley@port.ac.uk) to discuss their suitability. Candidates will be asked to submit a formal application to the University of Portsmouth and write a short research proposal. Applicants will then be short-listed for interview.
More Info: Further information regarding entry requirements and course costs are available at https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/mres-science.
All the best,
Sarah
