PhD Studentship opportunity Plymouth University, UK /Galway Mayo Institute of Technology(GMIT), Ireland Modelling the sustainability and ecosystem services of wildlife ecotourism in remote rural communities PhD Code:MARES_11_13: http://www.mares-eu.org/index.asp?p=1376&a=1090&mod=phd&id=82 A collaborative studentship between Plymouth University and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology will examine the coupling of ecological processes and the socio-economics of cetacean based eco-tourism. Sustainability of this sector is dependent on the ecosystem services provided by target animals and socio-economic benefits to coastal communities. Coastal and marine ecosystems provide ecological functions that directly or indirectly provide ecosystem services of benefit to human society. However an integrated approach needs to consider the impacts of a growing marine tourism sector on wildlife together with impacts from other coastal activities which may affect the ecosystem on which these organisms are dependent. Threats may include the disturbance from increased vessel traffic directly on the animals but also on the management of other activities likely to affect the ecosystem on which top predators rely such as fishing and coastal developments such as shipping and marine renewable energy projects. This mobility studentship is open to applicants with a masters or equivalent degree from outside or within the EU (providing their most recent degree is not from an institution in Ireland or the UK) and will be based at Plymouth with at least six months working with partners in GMIT and in Scotland (Ecologic). For details on the Mares Erasmus Mundus PhD studentship application guidelines and eligibility go to http://www.mares-eu.org/index.asp For further details regarding this project contact Dr Simon Ingram (simon.ingram@plymouth.ac.uk<mailto:simon.ingram@plymouth.ac.uk>) or Dr Steve Fletcher (steve.fletcher@plymouth.ac.uk<mailto:steve.fletcher@plymouth.ac.uk>) at Plymouth University or Dr Simon Berrow at GMIT (simon.berrow@gmit.ie<mailto:simon.berrow@gmit.ie>) _____________________________________________________________________ Dr Simon Ingram Lecturer in Marine Conservation School of Marine Science and Engineering University of Plymouth Plymouth PL4 8AA UK Phone +44 (0)1752 584591 email: simon.ingram at plymouth.ac.uk Website http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/pages/dynamic.asp?page=staffdetails&id=singram1#