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| Evaluating the effectiveness of SACs and SPAs and their response to climate change. | ||||||||||||
Does marine conservation work? The UK is currently undergoing a revolution in the way in which the marine environment and the coast are managed and conserved with the establishment of a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that aim to conserve habitats and species. Integral and a foundation to this process will be the current conservation legislation SACs (Special Areas of Conservation) and SPAs (Special Protection Areas). One of the major habitats protected by the SACs is inter-tidal mudflats and these are also important sub-features for SPAs as they are the source of food for wading birds and wildfowl. The UK has a legal obligation for the identified features to remain in favourable condition, but there has been no assessment of SAC/SPA success for these habitats especially in the context of global climate change. The Solent region on the south coast of the UK provides a unique opportunity to assess the effectiveness of these current methods as numerous historical data sets exist. The project is designed to evaluate the efficacy of these conservation management strategies in meeting their primary objectives in the context of climate change. Historical data will be analysed using univariate and multivariate statistical methods to compare similarities and changes in biodiversity of the macrofaunal intertidal community between sites and over time. In addition, sites will be re-sampled to provide a current comparison. Climate modelling will be based on the climate scenarios already developed. Data will also be analysed using GIS software to determine the position and elevation and map changes in communities. Candidates must have at least a 2.1 honours degree in aquatic biology or a related subject. The project will be based at the Institute of Marine Sciences and supervised by Dr G. Watson Potential applicants should send a CV, covering letter and postgraduate application form (download from: http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/howtoapply/) to Dr Gordon Watson (gordon.watson@port.ac.uk), Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, PO4 9LY, 023 92845798. Funding Notes Fully funded 3 year studentship available from October 2010, and includes an annual tax-free stipend for students, which is currently £13,290. This position is open to any nationality with appropriate qualifications. |
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