Finding the Feel-Good Factor: Relating Human Subjective Wellbeing to Biodiversity

We live in a time of profound environmental change. Phenomena such as urbanisation and agricultural intensification are degrading ecosystems and decreasing biodiversity. Yet, while it is widely asserted in research, policy and practice arenas that interacting with nature is fundamental to human subjective wellbeing, there is little evidence characterising how biodiversity underpins this accepted truth. This PhD tackles this challenging problem by working across the disciplines of human geography, environmental psychology and ecology.

Objectives

(1) Explore how people relate to different biodiversity attributes (e.g. particular morphologies, sounds, smells, ecological behaviours), both positively and negatively.
(2) Quantify variation in how people value different biodiversity attributes in relation to their social characteristics/identities (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, experience of rural-urban living).
(3) Examine whether increased biodiversity awareness/knowledge and biodiversity on sites interact to deliver non-additive wellbeing benefits.

Research methods

The studentship will entail a mixed methods approach:
(1) Thematic analyses of how motifs, imagery and sounds centred on human relationships with woodland biodiversity attributes are conveyed in the arts (e.g. paintings, film, music).
(2) Participatory video with local communities to investigate people’s interactions and relationships with woodland biodiversity attributes.
(3) In-situ and online questionnaires to assess human subjective wellbeing, biodiversity awareness and the (un)desirability of woodland biodiversity attributes.
(4) Biodiversity manipulations and surveys in woodland sites to relate to wellbeing results obtained from the questionnaires.

Training

Depending on the successful candidate’s background, training could include biodiversity survey skills, quantitative and qualitative social science data collection and analytical techniques (e.g. participatory visual methods, questionnaire design, NVivo, R), academic skills (e.g. writing journal papers, interdisciplinary collaboration), and transferable skills (e.g. multi-media communication, time management, collaboration with government and non-academic partners).

Supervisors

• Prof Zoe Davies (Ecology and Conservation, University of Kent)
• Prof Jay Mistry (Human Geography, Royal Holloway University of London)
• Dr Robert Fish (Human Geography, University of Kent)
• Dr Martin Dallimer (University of Leeds)
• Dr Katherine Irvine (James Hutton Institute)
• Dr Richard Bradbury (RSPB)
• Dr Dave Stone (Natural England)

Person specification

We are seeking a highly motivated individual, excited by the prospect of conducting cutting-edge interdisciplinary research. He/she will demonstrate enthusiasm for working collaboratively with social scientists, ecologists, conservation NGOs and government agencies. The successful candidate will have a BSc in conservation, ecology, zoology, environmental sciences, geography or psychology. He/she will be keen to undertake both ecological and social fieldwork, and have an interest in applying qualitative and quantitative methods.

Making an application

This project has been shortlisted for joint NERC-ESRC funding, with the SeNSS ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership. Terms and conditions with details on eligibility can be found on the UKRI website: View Website (https://www.ukri.org/files/legacy/publications/rcuk-training-grant-guide-pdf/)

Full details on the funding and how to apply can be found on our website: View Website (https://www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/search/FNADNERC0002) Please note: for this project you’ll need to apply for the PhD in Biodiversity Management at the University of Kent.

Interviews

There will be a two-stage interview process. The first round of interviews will take place on the 28th or 29th January 2019 at the University of Kent. Shortlisted candidates will be informed that they have been selected for interview by 21st January 2019. Successful nominees will then participate in the second round of interviews, with the Aries panel, on 26th/27th February 2019 (venue TBC).