PHD OPPORTUNITIES: Opportunity for two PhD candidates to join a multidisciplinary research team investigating key management questions in a Ramsar-listed coastal wetland; Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University *Scholarship applications close 31 January 2015* Management of coastal wetlands needs to be underpinned by a sound scientific understanding of ecosystem structure and processes, but also needs to align with social and political realities and community expectations. In an innovative research program, two PhD projects in the environmental and ecological sciences (joining another in the social sciences) will work towards providing an integrative solution for the management of the Ramsar-listed Vasse Wonnerup Wetland System (VWWS) in south-western Australia. This collaborative research team being led by Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University, is part of a larger multi-institutional program that is funded by the South West Catchments Council (SWCC) through support from the Australian Government. The successful PhD candidates will gain a wealth of experience in state-of-the-art research within a multidisciplinary team. They will directly engage with on-the-ground managers and community members to develop practical answers to serious environmental issues facing the VWWS. The two projects are: 1. Identifying nutrient and organic matter sources in an impacted coastal wetland system Eutrophication is a serious ongoing issue in the VWWS. This project will identify the different sources and sinks of nutrients and organic matter in the VWWS using a variety of approaches such as biomarker assessment, and field-based experimental manipulations. The student will also work with researchers from Southern Cross University. The specific aims of the project are to: • Identify the flow of nutrients and carbon between the potential sources of nutrients and the pool of nutrients in the wetland system; and • Identify the proportion of the allochthonous and autochthonous sources of carbon and nutrients (N and P) contributing to the wetland systems primary productivity. The outcomes of this research will provide recommendations that will lead to the water quality improvement in an important recreational region of south-western Western Australia. The candidate will become highly skilled in contemporary approaches for quantifying nutrient and organic matter fluxes. 2. Constructing a quantitative and predictive food web for the VWWS Comprehensive food webs are essential for understanding estuarine function and gaining insights into the key trophic pathways, which sustain estuarine ‘health’. This project will build on past and current work to construct a quantitative and predictive food web for the VWWS that encompasses the full spectrum of environments from marine to fresh waters and incorporates all trophic levels from detritus to large secondary consumers such as fish and birds. Both traditional and contemporary biochemical methods will be employed. Differences in food webs between ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ ecosystem states and different regions of the VWWS will also be investigated. The specific aim of the project is to: • Identify the energy sources and trophic linkages throughout the entire food web, including for key fish and bird species and functional groups on which the Ramsar listing is based. The outcomes of this research will be used to help determine: (i) the likely ecological consequences, particularly for the bird fauna, of different environmental or management scenarios that significantly alter the abundances of key consumer or food types; and (ii) which components of the food web at lower trophic levels provide good indicators of ecosystem health at higher trophic levels. The above two projects will join a third that is focused on identifying community values and perceptions towards the VWWS and the barriers and drivers for the adoption of ecosystem based management and measures for conserving Ramsar listed values. Funding: • Project 1: Industry Engagement stipend ($26,000 pa), with a possibility of $5,000 top-up. • Project 2: Stipend ($24,653 pa), with a possibility of $2,000 top-up. Contact information: For more information about this project, please contact: • A/Prof. Glenn Hyndes ([email protected]) or Dr Kathryn McMahon ([email protected]) - Project 1 • Dr Fiona Valesini ([email protected]) - Project 2 How to Apply: Visit the higher degree by research scholarships website for further information about eligibility criteria and how to apply: • Project 1: ecu.edu.au/scholarships/scholarships-by-pathways/higher-degree-by-research/details/coastal-wetlands-system-industry-project • Project 2: our.murdoch.edu.au/Research-and-Development/Resources-for-students/Future-research-students/Admission-and-scholarships/
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 02:30:35 +0000
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