About the Project
Looking to the past to understand the future, the student on this project will use a mix of palaeoenvironmental and archaeological prospection methods to model the impact of climate change on the coastal heritage of Wales.
The research will generate the first reliable model of how the coastline of northwest Wales changed during the Late Holocene. It will use this knowledge to build models for the sustainable management of the region’s important coastal cultural heritage.
Using a case study of known high potential in the Dysynni Valley, Gwynedd, the student will analyse diatoms in sediment cores to establish a record of sea-level change, use archaeological geophysics and remote sensing to characterise the region’s cultural heritage, and generate a GIS predictive model of zones of high heritage value and indices of susceptibility to future environmental change.
The student will work in collaboration with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, including opportunities to undertake training placements and public engagement activities.
The project will suit a student interested in coastal landscapes, sea level and climate change, the interaction of environmental science and archaeological research, and with an enthusiasm for a mix of field, lab and computer based work.
Further project details
There are no reliable models of how the coastline of Northwest Wales changed during the Late Holocene – current sea-level reconstructions only cover 12,300-4700 cal BP. However, an understanding of the last 4000 years of change is crucial to assist in sustainable management of the region’s cultural heritage. Research elsewhere in Wales demonstrates that the Late Holocene witnessed considerable coastal change and human settlement in the coastal zone, and can be an analogue for future climate change scenarios.
The Northwest Wales coast is characterised by estuaries that are recognised as having high potential for archaeological evidence dating to the Late Holocene, though there have been no systematic surveys, and assessments of their heritage value are generalised.
Using a case study of demonstrable high potential in the Dysynni Valley, Gwynedd, the project will:
• Establish a record of sea-level change and the consequences of episodes of change upon the coastline and estuarine dynamics. Detailed stratigraphic investigations will be undertaken along transects in the valley, where the applicants’ pilot work has identified a long record of sediments rich in diatoms. High-resolution diatom analyses of the cores, along with radiocarbon dating, will establish sea level index points and rates of change.
• Map archaeological features and characterise their heritage value within a sample of estuarine landscape. Advanced remote sensing and geophysical prospection will be used to map the buried archaeological features in the lower valley (within the current and former tidal zone), employing Lidar alongside rapid, and high resolution magnetometry.
• Using the data from (1) and (2), generate a GIS predictive model of zones of high heritage value and indices of susceptibility to future environmental change.
The research is innovative and timely as recent advancements now allow modelling of detailed temporal and spatial records of past coastal reconfigurations. As a result this research has widespread global applicability and high relevance to coastal management.
The external partner, the RCAHMW, leads an international consortium researching the impacts of climate change on the heritage of the Irish Sea coastline. The partner will involve the student directly in the consortium’s activities, access to knowledge and data (relating to archaeological remote sensing) that are fundamental to the project, and a clear pathway for the results to impact on policy and practice in the heritage sector.
The student will join vibrant research communities in Sheffield and York. The study area, the Dysynni Valley, is the focus for a long-term landscape project led by the Sheffield supervisor. The project is funded by Snowdonia National Park and its primary focus is the region’s cultural landscape history. The student will complement and work alongside this project. Dr Selby, the York-based supervisor, presently supervises three PhD students researching sea-level and coastal changes and she is involved with the NERC funded CBESS project. The student would be integrated into the wider CBESS community as well as becoming part of a lively research community in York.
Funding Notes
Fully funded for a minimum of 3.5 years, studentships cover: (i) a tax-free stipend at the standard Research Council rate (at least £14,057 per annum for 2016-2017), (ii) research costs, and (iii) tuition fees at the UK/EU rate. Studentships are available to UK and EU students who meet the UK residency requirements. Students from EU countries who do not meet residency requirements may still be eligible for a fees-only award.
References
This PhD project is part of the NERC funded Doctoral Training Partnership “ACCE” (Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment, https://acce.shef.ac.uk. This is a partnership between the Universities of Sheffield, Liverpool, York and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Selection process: Short-listing will take place as soon as possible after the closing date and successful applicants will be notified promptly. Short-listed applicants will be invited for an interview to take place at the University of Sheffield on w/c 15th February 2016.