Exploring Climatic and Anthropogenic Risks to High Andean Wetland Ecosystems, 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 t.p.roland@exeter.ac.uk

Project Aims and Methods

The bofedales of the Peruvian high Andes (> 4000 masl) are highly vulnerable ecosystems functioning at the extreme end of the bioclimatic envelope for wetland growth. They provide vital ecosystems services for traditional mountain communities, centering around water security (quality and quantity), biodiversity and the provision of pastoral and cultural landscapes. However, the risks posed to the bofedales by interactions between the pressures associated with climatic change and anthropogenic activities remain underexplored and, ultimately, uncertain. 

This project will adopt a systems thinking approach in exploring the risks facing bofedales, in recognition of the need for holistic mitigation and adaptation solutions that preserve both ecological functioning and traditional land management practices.  
 
The principle aims of the project will be to: i) map quantitative and qualitative evidence of risk to key bofedales systems across the Cordillera Blanca, Ancash, Peru; ii) identify best practice examples and sustainable solutions to the management of bofedales in the region; and, iii) empower local communities to increase climate-ecological literacy and identify social-cultural leverage points. 

The project will draw from an interdisciplinary pool of methods, including remote sensing and GIS, water quality monitoring, semi-structured interviews and the development of a citizen science scheme for environmental and ecological monitoring. 

Training

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

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