Understanding correlation between biodiversity and ecosystem functions across a modified tropical landscape

Tropical forests support much of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity yet, globally, approximately half their extent is considered degraded. Human influences have resulted in environments dominated by disturbed forests, agricultural mosaics and other modified habitats, leading to concerns that ecosystem functions are being eroded and greenhouse gas emissions elevated. The long-term persistence of biodiversity, and the important biogeochemical cycles it underpins, are thus dependent on how the wider tropical landscape is managed.

Several policies and certification schemes are available to mitigate the impacts of rainforest exploitation and agricultural expansion, typically favouring the preservation of forest remnants and riparian vegetation within production estates. However, most ecological research informing the design of tropical landscapes has focussed on fragmentation, without explicitly examining the value of riparian corridors. Against this backdrop, the United Nations REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) programme aims to enhance carbon stocks via payments for ecosystem services. One key assumption of REDD+ is that forest management to secure carbon will also benefit biodiversity, but few studies have tested this. This project aims to delineate and model biodiversity and carbon provision at a fine-scale over a modified tropical landscape, assessing whether degraded areas significant for carbon are also important for species of conservation concern.

The study will be nested within the Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems project (http://www.safeproject.net/) in Malaysian Borneo, and will run in parallel with the NERC Human-Modified Tropical Forests programme http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/forests . The student will spend extended field seasons in Sabah to collect primary field survey data for mammals and birds in riparian margins using a range of sampling techniques (e.g. camera trapping, acoustic recorders). (S)he will also need to collate additional data that will be made available for subsequent landscape modelling (e.g. vertebrate diversity rapid appraisals, biogeochemical cycling measurements).

Application criteria:

We seek a well-motivated, organized and conscientious individual with strong interests in applied conservation science. The successful candidate will have an MSc degree in conservation, ecology or environmental sciences and strong analytical skills. Other desirable attributes include tropical fieldwork experience and expertise in GIS, spatial modelling, mammal/bird biodiversity assessment and/or acoustic monitoring. Additional training in these areas, and also on data processing and analysis, will also be available.

The position will be based at the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), www.kent.ac.uk/dice , University of Kent. Please contact Dr. Matthew Struebig (www.kent.ac.uk/sac/staff/struebig_matt.html) with enquiries regarding the proposed research **PRIOR TO** the application deadline (ideally at least one week).

The above project has been shortlisted for funding by the newly-created ENV East Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) – a collaboration led by the University of East Anglia, with the Universities of Essex and Kent, and twenty other partners. A candidate will be shortlisted by University of Kent by the 20th January and submitted to the EnvEast Studentship Competition. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on 14th and 15th February 2014 at one of the three universities. Further information about EnvEast is available at: http://www.uea.ac.uk/science/graduate-school/home/prospective-students/enveast-nerc-doctoral-training-partnership