Dr C Sandom, Prof J Scharlemann
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
The world is losing biodiversity more rapidly than ever before. Rewilding seeks to reverse the loss of biodiversity by actively restoring the functioning of impoverished ecosystems. Large mammals deliver ecological processes, such as grazing, predation, rooting, and seed dispersal, that influence vegetation structure and ultimately entire ecosystems. Many ecological processes have been dramatically altered by the megafauna extinction and attrition that began in the Last Glacial, when modern humans expanded out of Africa. This expansion triggered the extinction of 166 large mammals globally and continent-wide extirpation of 11 mammals by 1,000 A.D.. Since then, large mammals have either gone extinct, such as aurochs and western black rhinoceros, or their ranges and abundances have declined, such as lion and elephant. The loss of large mammals can cause feedback loops resulting in declines or loss of other interacting species. For example, in East Asia the ranges of trees whose seeds are dispersed by large mammals are declining because of the loss of large mammalian seed dispersers. Much remains to be learned about which ecological processes delivered by large mammals have been denuded to date, how much ecosystems will continue to lose function with continuing biodiversity losses, and whether and how ecosystem processes can be restored through rewilding.
This PhD project will develop and analyse an ecological trait database characterizing the dietary requirements, preferences and mechanisms of mammals of the Late Quaternary to 1) determine how ecological processes have been altered globally, 2) identify how the ecological risks and opportunities of rewilding vary spatially, and 3) discover how different approach to rewilding could be implemented across the world.
The project will provide new insights by analysing and modelling data of past and present mammal distribution and traits to test conservation approaches related to rewilding. It offers an exciting opportunity for a motivated student with interests in quantitative ecology and applied conservation science to work with leading experts at the forefront of the emerging field of rewilding.
The student will be based in Dr Chris Sandom’s group in the School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex (www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/sandomlab/) and co-supervised by Dr Jörn Scharlemann (www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/scharlemannlab/). The School holds considerable expertise in evolutionary and conservation ecology (www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/ebe/), with emphasis on applying rigorous quantitative analyses to inform conservation policy. The student will receive excellent scientific training in statistical analysis, computer modelling, and conservation policy, will work within a dynamic group of students and early-career researchers, be part of the multi-disciplinary Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (www.sussex.ac.uk/ssrp), all embedded within the wonderful natural environment of the Brighton and Lewes Downs UNESCO biosphere, surrounded by the South Downs National Park, and minutes away from Brighton.
Please contact Chris Sandom for further details ([Email Address Removed]).
Funding Notes
Apply for PhD in Biology, September 2017 entry. Mention name of supervisor in “suggested supervisor” section. In funding mention sponsored or seeking funding. In Award details mention School of Life Sciences funded studentship. Include brief statement of interest (upto 2 pages), CV, two academic references, UG/PG transcripts, IELTS/TOEFL results if residing in EU. The studentship is for 3.5 years (full fee waiver, stipend Research Council equivalent rate). Only full time students will be accepted.
References
Sandom, C. J., R. Ejrnaes, M. D. D. Hansen and J. C. Svenning (2014). High herbivore density associated with vegetation diversity in interglacial ecosystems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 111(11): 4162-4167.
Sandom, C.J., S. Faurby, B. Sandel and J.-C. Svenning (2014). Global late Quaternary megafauna extinctions linked to humans, not climate change. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 281(1787): 20133254.
Kissling, W. D., L. Dalby, C. Fløjgaard, J. Lenoir, B. Sandel, C.J. Sandom, K. Trøjelsgaard and J. C. Svenning (2014). Establishing macroecological trait datasets: digitalization, extrapolation, and validation of diet preferences in terrestrial mammals worldwide. Ecology and Evolution 4(14): 2913-2930.
Sandom, C.J., C. J. Donlan, J. C. Svenning and D. Hansen (2013). Rewilding. In D.W. Macdonald and K.J. Willis (eds) Key Topics in Conservation Biology 2, Wiley-Blackwell, pages 430-451.
Ripple, W. J., T. M. Newsome, C. Wolf, R. Dirzo, K. T. Everatt, M. Galetti, M. W. Hayward, G. I. H. Kerley, T. Levi, P. A. Lindsey, D. W. Macdonald, Y. Malhi, L. E. Painter, C. J. Sandom, J. Terborgh, E. and B. Van Valkenburgh (2015). Collapse of the world’s largest herbivores. Science Advances 1(4): e1400103.
Svenning, J.-C. et al. (2015). Science for a wilder Anthropocene -synthesis and future directions for rewilding research. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 113 (4): 898–906.
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