Can we develop tools for securing Lawtonian landscape resilience?

CENTA2 is a consortium of research intensive Universities and research institutes that are working together to provide excellence in doctoral research training. Cranfield University is proud to be working alongside these partners to create the next generation of scientific leaders in environmental science. The student will be based at the Cranfield campus at Cranfield in Bedfordshire https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/About/How-to-find-Cranfield

Project Highlights:

1. Natural capital ecosystem service connectivity model synthesis
2. Biodiversity net gain through smart green infrastructure investment and ecological restoration / enhancement.
3. Smart tool development
4. Moving towards evidence based ecological assessments, away from natural history recording

Lawton (2010) reviewed England’s biodiversity and ecological networks and concluded that biodiversity sites did not comprise a coherent and resilient ecological network. We need to make our network of sites bigger, better and more joined up and plan effectively to avoid further degradation.

The Government’s 25 year environment plan sets goals for improving the environment, aiming to achieve a growing and resilient network richer in biodiversity.

This project answers the question, how do we deliver these goals by means of green infrastructure investments informed by robust science? This will:

1. be carried out in the context of the current development agenda and wider landscape management pre- and post-development using real planning data from AECOM’s broad portfolio of development projects;
2. allow analysis of established urban, peri-urban, rural areas and proposed plans; and
3. use scenarios to test how designs might be optimised to secure nature-people interactions.

Predicting spatial variation in biodiversity, broader natural capital and the provision of ecosystem services depends, inter alia, on a detailed understanding of relationships between landscape structure and biodiversity, and accurate spatial modelling. Delivering our assessments in a robust and rigorous manner will provide tools enabling a greater understanding of how to achieve “bigger, better and more joined-up” landscapes.

We will define the way in which landscaping interventions can lead to net gains in biodiversity and ecosystem service delivery, whilst securing ecosystem resilience of these landscapes in a changing environment. Figure 1 illustrates links between abundance and connectivity (Source: NERC funded Urban BESS project F3UES).

This approach will:
1. go beyond the industry standard and consider landscape scale rather than isolated assessments;
2. develop a decision-aiding tool for planning focused assessments; and,
3. facilitate transition from a biodiversity approach to a focus on connectivity and ‘bigger picture’ ecology, providing a measureable and quantifiable assessment– bringing cutting edge science into contemporary professional practice.

We have teamed up with AECOM who will provide experienced staff and case study material from infrastructure projects, ensuring that solutions/tools are practical and useful in current and future decision-making.

For full project description please visit: http://www.centa.org.uk/themes/organisms-and-ecosystems/c3/

Key dates
• Application deadline – 21st January 2019
• Interviews (to be conducted via Skype) – w/c 11th February 2019
• Selection panel – 21st February 2019
• Universal acceptance date – 20th March 2019

How to apply -
To apply for one of the Cranfield University projects you will need to complete our online application form.

1. Please state the name of the project you will to apply for
2. When asked how you intend to fund your postgraduate studies please state that you wish to apply for a NERC CENTA2 studentship.
3. You will also be required to complete and submit the CENTA2 studentship application form and attach it to the application form.