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Dr P Fernandes, Dr D M Scantlebury, Dr Tara Marshall
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Project
Marine ecosystems are changing due to several anthropogenic and natural impacts, such as increasing water temperatures, fishing, pollution, and noise, with consequent changes in distribution and biodiversity. Unsustainable fishing practices, in particular, have had significant impacts on biodiversity and fish populations.
The Irish Sea cod stock collapsed in the late 1990s and has been subject to strict conservation measures since 2000. The last 20 years have seen a steady decline in the catches of cod due to the improved cod avoidance method employed by fishing vessels, however, the stock has failed to recover. This is despite a large recruitment event (influx of young cod) in 2013, but these fish failed to reproduce and mysteriously disappeared from the Irish Sea, either by emigration or through increased mortality. There are currently plenty of open questions which form exciting research opportunities with the chance to directly influence policy, fisheries management and conservation.
Recent work suggests a number of hypotheses, largely focussing on an environmental shift to explain the population’s poor status. These include:
A) The local fish stock is very low and occasionally larvae/juvenile fish get transported into the Irish Sea from outside and will leave to their native spawning grounds once reaching maturity
B) Temperature generates a shift in spawning behaviour
C) Temperature might lead to higher mortality rates in larger fish or migration to other areas.
The aim of this PhD is to use ecological and numerical models in combination with tagging and otolith trace element analysis to investigate these hypotheses. Data storage tags (DST) will be implanted in Irish Sea cod and record depth, direction, temperature and heart rate. The recorded data will be analysed as part of the project to investigate the behaviour of individuals and communities in the presence of stressors such as increased temperature. In particular, the role of ambient temperature on movement and behaviour will be investigated.
Individual based and/or dynamic state variable models (Holt and Jorgensen 2014) will be used to explore migratory and spawning behaviour and DST recorded data will be used to validate the models. Additionally, otolith trace element analysis will be used to investigate stock structure and identify spawning grounds. Earbones (otoliths) of fish deposit chemical trace elements throughout their life, similarly to a tree forming rings. In addition to determining their age, a cross section can provide information about their environment from spawning to the time they were captured (Serre et al. 2018). Results of the otolith trace element analysis will complement the results of the models and DST tags.
Research training and experience
The student will gain in depth experience in a range of ecological models, the use of DST tags in understanding the life histories, behaviour and changes in communities, and how to translate these into sustainable fisheries management. Investigating the otolith structure forms the second part of the PhD study to gain an in-depth understanding of spawning ground fidelity. The student will have a unique opportunity to work closely with members from industry, policy and science by being a core member of a research project.
More project details are available here: https://www.quadrat.ac.uk/projects/exploring-behaviour-and-behavioural-changes-in-the-light-of-climate-change-in-irish-sea-cod/
How to apply: https://www.quadrat.ac.uk/how-to-apply/
Marine ecosystems are changing due to several anthropogenic and natural impacts, such as increasing water temperatures, fishing, pollution, and noise, with consequent changes in distribution and biodiversity. Unsustainable fishing practices, in particular, have had significant impacts on biodiversity and fish populations.
The Irish Sea cod stock collapsed in the late 1990s and has been subject to strict conservation measures since 2000. The last 20 years have seen a steady decline in the catches of cod due to the improved cod avoidance method employed by fishing vessels, however, the stock has failed to recover. This is despite a large recruitment event (influx of young cod) in 2013, but these fish failed to reproduce and mysteriously disappeared from the Irish Sea, either by emigration or through increased mortality. There are currently plenty of open questions which form exciting research opportunities with the chance to directly influence policy, fisheries management and conservation.
Recent work suggests a number of hypotheses, largely focussing on an environmental shift to explain the population’s poor status. These include:
A) The local fish stock is very low and occasionally larvae/juvenile fish get transported into the Irish Sea from outside and will leave to their native spawning grounds once reaching maturity
B) Temperature generates a shift in spawning behaviour
C) Temperature might lead to higher mortality rates in larger fish or migration to other areas.
The aim of this PhD is to use ecological and numerical models in combination with tagging and otolith trace element analysis to investigate these hypotheses. Data storage tags (DST) will be implanted in Irish Sea cod and record depth, direction, temperature and heart rate. The recorded data will be analysed as part of the project to investigate the behaviour of individuals and communities in the presence of stressors such as increased temperature. In particular, the role of ambient temperature on movement and behaviour will be investigated.
Individual based and/or dynamic state variable models (Holt and Jorgensen 2014) will be used to explore migratory and spawning behaviour and DST recorded data will be used to validate the models. Additionally, otolith trace element analysis will be used to investigate stock structure and identify spawning grounds. Earbones (otoliths) of fish deposit chemical trace elements throughout their life, similarly to a tree forming rings. In addition to determining their age, a cross section can provide information about their environment from spawning to the time they were captured (Serre et al. 2018). Results of the otolith trace element analysis will complement the results of the models and DST tags.
Research training and experience
The student will gain in depth experience in a range of ecological models, the use of DST tags in understanding the life histories, behaviour and changes in communities, and how to translate these into sustainable fisheries management. Investigating the otolith structure forms the second part of the PhD study to gain an in-depth understanding of spawning ground fidelity. The student will have a unique opportunity to work closely with members from industry, policy and science by being a core member of a research project.
More project details are available here: https://www.quadrat.ac.uk/projects/exploring-behaviour-and-behavioural-changes-in-the-light-of-climate-change-in-irish-sea-cod/
How to apply: https://www.quadrat.ac.uk/how-to-apply/
Funding Notes
QUADRAT studentships are open to UK and international candidates (EU and non-EU). Funding will cover UK tuition fees/stipend/research & training support grant only.
Before applying please check full funding and eligibility information: https://www.quadrat.ac.uk/funding-and-eligibility/
Before applying please check full funding and eligibility information: https://www.quadrat.ac.uk/funding-and-eligibility/
References
Serre, S. H., et al. (2018). "Analysis of cod otolith microchemistry by continuous line transects using LA-ICP-MS." Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Bulletin 41: 91-94.
Holt, R. E. and C. Jorgensen (2014). "Climate warming causes life-history evolution in a model for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)." Conserv Physiol 2(1): cou050.
Holt, R. E. and C. Jorgensen (2014). "Climate warming causes life-history evolution in a model for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)." Conserv Physiol 2(1): cou050.