Eel Anguilla anguilla migration, barriers and loss of ecosystem services: the case of the River Parrett catchment, Somerset Levels.

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Project Detail
The European eel Anguilla anguilla is a critically endangered catadromous fish species with a poorly understood lifecycle. Newly hatched larvae (leptocephali) are transported on ocean currents from the Sargasso Sea to intertidal areas of Europe. On arrival in shallow coastal habitats, eels are washed into the mouths of rivers before continuing their journeys upstream. As elvers between 7 and 8 cm in length, fish search for nursery habitats, often located significant distances inland. It is within these nursery habitats the eels remain and reach maturity, before undertaking their seaward journey back to the Sargasso to spawn.

Conservation efforts are hampered by poor understanding of how eel movements and distributions within inland systems are affected by different types of in-river structure and eels’ ability to negotiate these barriers when moving in an upstream or downstream direction. Furthermore, knowledge of eel immigration and migration which define populations within catchments, remains limited, and is largely based on modelling not empirical data collection. This PhD therefore aims to improve our ability to conserve and manage inland UK eel populations by developing a comprehensive understanding of their distributions and movements, and how these are influenced by anthropogenic activities in the River Parrett, Somerset Levels, UK.

Find out more
For further information, please see the main CENTA website (http://www.centa.org.uk/)

Entry requirements
Applicants will need to hold, or expect to gain, at least a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in Geography, Biology, Earth Science or Environmental Science. A Master’s degree and/or experience in a related area associated with the research will be an advantage.

Contact details
Name: Prof Stephen Rice
Email address: [Email Address Removed]
Telephone number: +44 (0)1509 222748

Name: Prof Paul Wood
Email address: [Email Address Removed]
Telephone number: +44 (0)1509 223012

Name: Dr Andrew Pledger
Email address: [Email Address Removed]

How to apply
To apply:
1. Complete a CENTA studentship application form in Word format (available from www.centa.org.uk or
http://www.centa.org.uk/media/1202/centa-studentship-application-form.docx).
2. All applications should also be made online at http://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/apply/research/. Under programme name, select “Geography and Environment”. During the online application, upload the CENTA studentship application form as a supporting document.

Please quote CENTA18-LU6 when completing your application.