Project Description
Hosted at British Antarctic Survey
Supervisors
Dr Simeon Hill, British Antarctic Survey – contact me
Dr Eoin O’Gorman, School of Life Sciences, University of Essex
Dr Claire Waluda, British Antarctic Survey
Dr Victoria Warwick-Evans, British Antarctic Survey
Scientific background
The Southern Ocean ecosystem is changing rapidly as a result of climate change and the recovery of over-exploited whale populations. There is concern about whether the ecosystem can support large increases in whale populations, alongside planned increases in krill fishery catch while maintaining contemporary populations of whale competitors such as seals, penguins, and fish. Understanding how the ecosystem is likely to change in future is thus critical for the international bodies responsible for protecting a wide range of Southern Ocean species. This requires the development of ecosystem models designed to meet the strategic objectives of these organisations.
Research methodology
This project will assess the capability of the current generation of ecosystem models to meet these strategic objectives, and develop a new model to simulate future change. The first phase will involve characterising the information requirements of these strategic objectives and matching current model outputs with these information requirements to identify any gaps in current capability. The second phase will involve addressing one or more important gaps through a combination of analysing existing ecological information (on how populations, distributions and feeding relationships change over time) and constructing a novel Southern Ocean ecosystem model. A likely framework for this model would combine the widely-used Ecopath with Ecosim approach with recent developments in energy flux modelling which are grounded in the mechanistic metabolic theory of ecology.
Training
The successful applicant will be co-hosted by the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Essex. This project will provide training in ecological modelling and analysis in the context of delivering scientific advice to policy makers. The supervisory team will offer training in a broad skillset related to marine biology, food web ecology, ecological modelling, ecophysiology, and science communication. The candidate will also have access to a wide range of courses in professional development and advanced research skills through Proficio funding at the University of Essex.
Person specification
We seek a numerate individual with a strong interest in marine ecology and conservation policy. Prior experience of programming is desirable as is a qualification in maths at A-level or higher.
Acceptable first degree subjects: Biology, Marine Biology, Zoology, Maths