Ecosystem Engineers in Conservation: Niche Space Engineering Through Habitat Heterogeneity, NERC GW4+ DTP PhD Studentship for September 2025 Entry

About the Partnership

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP). The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners: British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.  The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/

Project details

For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via d.sanders@exeter.ac.uk

Project Aims and Methods

Ecosystem engineers are species that change the physical environment through their presence of activity. The “Tor to Shore” project by the Wildlife Trust in Cornwall is using pioneering conservation methods, including ecosystem engineering, to rewild a variety of connected habitats. At over 730 acres, Helman Tor, a focal area for the project, is the Trust’s largest nature reserve and home to interesting and rare wildlife. The use of ecosystem engineers in this project will allow to study how the engineers change the habitats, ecological communities and the network of interactions between species. In targeted surveys we will compare habitat responses using remote sensing and direct measurements (microclimate, heterogeneity) of engineered vs control sites (e.g. by pig, cattle, beaver) and the formation of food webs/interaction networks. The student can thereby focus on specific networks and ecosystem engineers/pathways. The main pathways are (1) habitat heterogeneity (amount and diversity), (2) available resources (lower levels in food web) and (3) abiotic factors such as moisture, wind and temperature. Interaction network metrics will allow to measure how engineers impact functions and community stability. This work can be expanded to address how engineers can be used to buffer against human stressors such as climate change. 

Project partners

The Cornwall Wildlife Trust will contribute at least 3 months for a supervised internship on Conservation projects. The student will have access to the "Tor to shore" conservation project for data collection and will be supported in their work.    

Training

The DTP offers funding to undertake specialist training relating to the student’s specialist area of research. 

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