Background
During the Last Glacial, the British and Irish Ice Sheet covered the majority of the North Atlantic Archipelago. The prevailing narrative for mammalian dispersal into Britain and Ireland is that wild animal species arrived in South-East England from mainland Europe as this ice sheet retreated, approximately sixteen thousand years ago (KYA)1–7. Ancient humans then supposedly transported select species to the more distant isles, for example The Outer Hebrides, Shetland, and Orkney5–7, and the Scilly Isles (Ashbee 1982).
However, the details of these translocations remain unclear. For instance, our previous research into ancient red deer colonisation identified that the first red deer arrivals on Orkney and the Western Isles (c. 6 KYA) had genetic diversity that was inconsistent with coming from Britain, Ireland or Scandinavia, suggesting that they may have arrived from further afield8. Also, morphological evidence indicates that multiple, distinct red deer populations may have been introduced to Oronsay during prehistoric times9, and it is unknown as to whether the deer found in the faunal assemblages of Scilly arrived “naturally”, or were brought by humans.
The distant isles of the North Atlantic archipelago contain an abundance of archaeological sites, having been firstly visited by early gatherer hunters and later by pioneering Neolithic farmers. On Scottish islands, by the third millennia BC, both domestic species and red deer are being exploited in large numbers. This interaction challenges existing definitions of a British Neolithic, as a production system dominated by domestic foods with a ubiquitous and unidirectional switch from hunting to farming. This human-wildlife interaction continues to the present-day, with the UK hosting 30% of the European population. With increasing numbers of red deer, introgression from Sika deer, and the question being raised about culling some island deer populations, new challenges are emerging in the conservation and management of British (and European) deer, and a clearer understanding of their deep history is essential.
This interdisciplinary project will investigate how red deer ancestry is structured over time, up to and including the present-day, to better understand how this species has been managed in the past and to inform future management practices.
Project aims
This PhD project aims to reconstruct the colonisation history, of red deer in Britain, with a focus on the smaller islands. Specific aims are: 1. Reconstruct a time-series distribution of red deer across the North Atlantic Archipelago following the last glacial, 2. Identify the origin of first red deer across these islands, and analyse this within their archaeological context, 3. Determine the extent of ancestry persisting to the present-day, from these original post-glacial deer, and feed this back into present-day conservation and management practices.
Methods
Samples (primarily bone and tooth) will be collected from museum collections. We will draw from the experience (and collections when sampling has already been done) of our collaborators, who are currently actively working on zooarchaeological collections from Ireland, mainland Europe, and Scotland and Scilly Isles. Ancient DNA lab work will be carried out at Cardiff University’s dedicated ancient DNA laboratory, including DNA extraction and NGS library building. The project will use a combination of mitochondrial enrichment and whole genome sequencing for samples with sufficient preservation. Phylogenetic and ancestry analyses will follow those in, for example 10,11.
Candidate requirements
We welcome applicants with a Master’s or relevant research experience. An understanding of molecular genetics and bioinformatics would be advantageous.
Supervisory Team
Dr David Stanton - Cardiff University, School of Biosciences, Professor Jacqui Mulville - Cardiff University, School of History, Archaeology and Religion (SHARE) and Professor Ingrid Mainland - University of the Highlands and Islands
The School of Biosciences’ research contributes to the underlying biological mechanisms of life and disease, seeking to deliver new solutions with major economic, societal and environmental impact. Through our research-led teaching, we will inspire and train new generations, equipping our graduates with the skills and understanding needed to contribute to research, the knowledge-based economy and wider society. - https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/biosciences/about-us
How to apply:
You can apply online - consideration is automatic on applying for a PhD in Biosciences, with an October 2023 start date.
Please use our online application service at https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research/programmes/programme/biosciences-phd-mphil-md and specify in the funding section state that you wish to be considered for School of Biosciences funding.
Please specify that you are applying for this particular project and the supervisor.
Information on the application process can be found here - http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying
The studentship will commence in October 2023 and will cover your tuition fees (at UK/EU level) as well as a maintenance grant. In 2022-23 the maintenance grant for full-time students was £17,668 per annum. As well as tuition fees and a maintenance grant, all School of Biosciences students receive access to courses offered by the University’s Doctoral Academy and become members of the University Doctoral Academy
As only one studentship is available and a very high standard of applications is typically received, the successful applicant is likely to have a very good first degree (a First or Upper Second class BSc Honours or equivalent) and/or be distinguished by having relevant research experience.