PhD Studentship: Resilient Dunes: Determining The Impacts of Winter Flooding Variability on Coastal Dune Wetland Plant Communities Using Remote Sensing

Project rationale:

Coastal dune slacks are depressions in dune systems at the level of the water table. They are a very biodiverse and extremely rare habitat which is under threat, and so are a nature conservation priority. Dune slacks are seasonally flooded, and the extent, depth and duration of this flooding is a key control over their ecology. Understanding the dynamics of this flooding is particularly important in the context of climate change, which is predicted to cause a gradual lowering of water tables resulting in drying or total loss of UK dune slacks. Monitoring of dune slack water tables is labour intensive, and so data is highly limited in temporal and spatial extent. Ainsdale Dune Slacks and Newborough Warren National Nature Reserves are two of the most important coastal dunes in England and Wales, with a long history of monitoring both water table depth and vegetation change. Working with Natural England, this project will develop new methods using remote sensing data for advancing understanding of dune slack hydrology, which will be combined with historical monitoring data to evaluate the resilience of their rich biodiversity to climate change.

Methodology:

This project will tie new satellite-based methods with long-term historical data. The project will use historic plant community surveys, and water table depth monitoring to model dune slack hydrological status and plant community metrics (e.g. alpha and beta diversity) from remote sensing data such as that from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 earth observation satellites.

Entry requirements:

Applicants must already have, or expect to shortly graduate with, a very good undergraduate degree or Master’s degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree) – or an equivalent international qualification from a high ranking university – in a relevant
subject.

English language requirements:

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/).

Funding information:

Studentship type – UKRI through Flood-CDT (flood-cdt.ac.uk)
The studentship is for 3.5 years and provides a tax-free stipend of £19,237 per annum plus university tuition fees at the UK rate.

How to Apply:

All applications should be made online via the above ‘Apply’ button. Under programme name, select 'Centre for Doctoral Training in Resilient Flood Futures'. Please quote the advertised reference number: FCDT-25-LU1-2 in your application. This PhD is being advertised as part of the Centre for Doctoral Training for Resilient Flood Futures (FLOOD-CDT). Further details about FLOOD-CDT can be seen at https://flood-cdt.ac.uk. Please note, that your application will be assessed upon: (1) Motivation and Career Aspirations; (2) Potential & Intellectual Excellence; (3) Suitability for specific project and (4) Fit to FLOOD-CDT. So please familiarise yourselves with FLOOD-CDT before applying. During the application process candidates will need to upload:

• A 1 page statement of your research interests in flooding and FLOOD-CDT and your rationale for your choice of project
• A curriculum vitae giving details of your academic record and stating your research interests
• Academic transcripts and degree certificates (translated if not in English)
• An IELTS/TOEFL certificate, if applicable.

You are encouraged to contact potential supervisors by email to discuss project specific aspects of the proposed prior to submitting your application. If you have any general questions please contact floodcdt@soton.ac.uk.

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