Dr R Britton, Dr D Andreou, Dr Jonathan Bolland
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Habitat fragmentation is a major source of biodiversity loss in freshwaters, with rivers around the world fragmented by dams and weirs that create impoundments, restrict river longitudinal connectivity and inhibit fish migrations. Although restoring some longitudinal connectivity can be achieved via installing ‘fish-passes’ on the impoundments, these are generally designed for salmonid fishes. Impoundment removal or modification is increasingly used as an alternative restoration tool, but there have been few attempts to quantify the conservation and ecological outcomes of this for non-salmonid migratory fishes, such as European shads (Alosa spp.).
The River Severn and its tributaries (e.g. River Teme) have had major impoundments present in their lower reaches for over 150 years, despite having twaite shad Alosa fallax populations of European importance. This migratory fish cannot access its historical spawning grounds as a result and instead share spawning areas downstream of impoundments, resulting in high competition for spawning sites and reduced reproduction success. Correspondingly, weir removals and new fish-pass engineering schemes have started to re-connect these shad with over 250 km of lost spawning habitat.
This PhD, starting in January 2021, will evaluate changes in the shad migratory behaviours and spawning distributions in the River Severn between 2018 and 2023. In 2021/22, the Severn will be fully open to migrating adults of this threatened anadromous fish for the first time in over 150 years following completion of the weir modifications and fish passes. The research will test shad migration behaviours before and after river reconnection using contemporary telemetry, genetic and ecological methods. The research will assess shad migration distances and movements, and spatial spawning distributions, before (2018-2020) and after (2021-2023) reconnection, assess shad movements and behaviours in and around the newly constructed fish passes and the modified weirs, and quantify changes in shad migration ecology resulting from reconnection in the context of, for example, spawning site fidelity (spawning periods) and marine habitat use (non-spawning periods).
How to apply:
Applications are made via our Bournemouth University’s website by clicking ’institution website’ button. If you have an enquiry about this project please contact us via the ’Email institution’ button, however your application will only be processed once you have submitted an application form as opposed to emailing your CV to us.
Candidates for a PhD Studentship should demonstrate outstanding qualities and be motivated to complete a PhD in 4 years and must demonstrate:
• Outstanding academic potential as measured normally by either a 1st class honours degree (or equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA) or a Master’s degree with distinction or equivalent
• An IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 minimum (with a minimum 6.0 in each component, or equivalent) for candidates for whom English is not their first language and this must be evidenced at point of application.
Experience in fish telemetry, aquatic ecology and/ or ecological fieldwork is highly desirable.
Funding Notes
Funded candidates will receive a maintenance grant of £15,225 per year to contribute towards living expenses during the course of your research, as well as a fee waiver for 36 months.
Funded Studentships are open to both UK/EU and International students unless otherwise specified