The population consequences of excess fine sediment for Atlantic salmon

• Primary Supervisor: Prof John Iwan Jones
• Co-Supervisor(s): Prof Mark Trimmer and Dr Sophie Elliot (Game and WIldlife Conservation Trust)
• Funding: China Scholarship Council (CSC)
• Deadline: 29th January 2025

Project Overview

Excess fine sediment from soil erosion is considered one of the most pervasive pollutants affecting freshwaters, causing both physical and biological impacts on rivers. Increased deposition of fine sediment has a pronounced impact on the survival of the eggs of species that spawn on or in the bed substrate, such as commercially important salmonid fish species. However, adult fish may be able reduce the risk of sediment impacts on their offspring through their choice of spawning site. Working in a highly instrumented catchment with one of the most intensely studied Atlantic salmon populations, this project will use a combination of advanced survey techniques, artificial intelligence and modelling to explore the consequences of excess fine sediment for salmon populations.

Research Environment

The student will be embedded within The River Communities Group, an applied and impactful research group delivering high profile research and management solutions to government and wider society, in collaboration with The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, a leading charity dedicated to conservation science to enhance the countryside for public benefit. 

Find out more about the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences on our website.

Keywords: Fisheries, Population Modelling, Management, Salmon

Entry Requirements

We are looking for candidates to have or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in an area relevant to the project such as Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Data Science 

Knowledge of field ecology, fisheries, mathematical modelling, data science or artificial intelligence would be highly advantageous but are not required. 

You must meet the IELTS requirements for your course and upload evidence before CSC’s application deadline, ideally by 1st March 2025. You are therefore strongly advised to sit an approved English Language test as soon as possible, where your IELTS test must still be valid when you enrol for the programme.

Please find further details on our English Language requirements page. 

How to Apply

Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 29th January 2025 for consideration. Please identify yourself as a ‘CSC Scholar’ in the funding section of the application.

Applicants are required to submit the following documents:

• Your CV
• Personal Statement
• Evidence of English Language e.g.) IELTS Certificate
• Copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates
• References

Find out more about our application process on our SBBS website.

Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Prof John Iwan Jones AT j.i.jones@qmul.ac.uk Admissions-related queries can be sent to sbbs-pgadmissions@qmul.ac.uk

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the supervisor. If you are successful in your QMUL application, then you will be issued an QMUL Offer Letter, conditional on securing a CSC scholarship along with academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements.

Once applicants have obtained their QMUL Offer Letter, they should then apply to CSC for the scholarship with the support of the supervisor.

For further information, please go to the QMUL China Scholarship Council webpage.

Apply Online

Funding & Eligibility

Queen Mary University of London has partnered with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to offer a joint scholarship programme to enable Chinese students to study for a PhD programme at Queen Mary.  Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.

Applicants must:

·      Be applying for CSC funding. 

·      Be a citizen and permanent resident of the People’s Republic of China and hold a Chinese passport.

·      Satisfy all eligibility criteria set out by the CSC and must refer to the CSC website for full details.

·      Apply to QMUL by 29^th January 2025. Late applications will not be considered. 

·      Submit ALL required documentation, including evidence of their English Language ability ahead of the CSC application deadline. 

CSC application rules differ slightly for domestic applicants (students applying from China) and overseas applicants (students applying from overseas). Therefore, ALL applicants are advised to see the CSC website for full details on eligibility and conditions on the scholarship.