Supervisors

Professor Stu Bearhop, Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter (Penryn Campus)

Professor Rich Fuller, School for Biological Sciences, University of Queensland

Additional Supervisors:

Zhijun Ma, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, China

Tom Auer, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, USA

Join a world-leading, cross-continental research team

The University of Exeter and the University of Queensland are seeking exceptional students to join a world-leading, cross-continental research team tackling major challenges facing the world’s population in global sustainability and wellbeing as part of the QUEX Institute. The joint PhD programme provides a fantastic opportunity for the most talented doctoral students to work closely with world-class research groups and benefit from the combined expertise and facilities offered at the two institutions, with a lead supervisor within each university. This prestigious programme provides full tuition fees, stipend, travel funds and research training support grants to the successful applicants.  The studentship provides funding for up to 42 months (3.5 years), for both Home and International Applicants.

Eight generous, fully-funded studentships are available for the best applicants, four offered by the University of Exeter and four by the University of Queensland. This select group will spend at least one year at each University and will graduate with a joint degree from the University of Exeter and the University of Queensland.

Find out more about the PhD studentships click here

Successful applicants will have a strong academic background and track record to undertake research projects based in one of the three themes of:  Healthy Living, Global Environmental Futures and Digital Worlds and Disruptive Technologies.

The closing date for applications is mid-day Friday June 28th 2024 (BST), with interview to be w/c 29th July 2024 (tbc). The start date is expected to be Monday January 6th 2025.

Please note that of the eight Exeter led projects advertised, we expect that up to four studentships will be awarded.

Supervisors

Exeter Academic Lead: Professor Stu Bearhop

Queensland Academic Lead: Professor Rich Fuller

THEME - Global Environmental Futures

Project Description

Avian migration is one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena, with billions of individuals moving between breeding and non-breeding grounds each year representing a huge transfer of biomass. However, our planet is undergoing huge landscape and climate changes and in common with many other species, numerous migratory bird populations are in decline. Understanding and addressing these declines presents something of a challenge in migratory species as the sources of population change could occur at any point in their wanderings across the globe and they often face different types of threats during different parts of their annual cycles. Until now gaining detailed insights into these processes has required intensive monitoring of populations or tracking of individuals throughout the year, meaning that insights are often restricted to single species or small subsets of taxa. This was a key knowledge shortfall identified by the Convention on Migratory Species in their inaugural State of the Worlds Migratory Species report issued earlier this year.

However, the recent advent of massive citizen science data sets such as eBird means that we are now in a position to investigate patterns of change in migratory birds across a broad range of taxa and at a global scale. In turn we can then investigate the most likely drivers of such change and suggest the best approaches to mitigate declines. This studentship will use the eBird database (curated by Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology), combining big data handling expertise, with geographic information systems and avian ecology to elucidate patterns of change (timing, range and abundance) across the globe using data from over a 1000 migratory species. This will reveal how global change is impacting migratory species, and provide maps of which threats are important in different regions around the world. The student will then explore the extent to which migratory birds are currently represented in the world’s protected area estate across every stage of their annual migrations. Finally, using the latest tools in spatial prioritisation, the student will determine the optimal locations of new protected areas and other effective conservation measures to conserve migratory birds worldwide. This global blueprint for migratory bird conservation will act as a conduit to turn knowledge into action.

Migratory birds act as bioindicators, signalling environmental health and deliver important ecosystem services including pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control. Their trans-hemispheric movements inspire awe and connections among different regions of the world that they link influencing art, literature, and traditions. Thus, there is considerable interest among both scientists and the public about the impact of our changing environment on migratory birds. However, although we know that numerous populations are in decline, our understanding of the drivers is restricted and measuring the way species can respond has proved difficult. The challenge is that populations can face threats at any point in their migration.

This means that the place where a decline is detected isn’t necessarily where the threat is occurring. To overcome this, potential threats and migratory routes need to be mapped across the species’ full distribution. While there are comprehensive data sets on global change in habitats, climate, and other human pressures, it has proven difficult to model migration routes for more than a few species. This means the causes of decline, and therefore appropriate mitigation measures, remain unclear for many migratory species. This multidisciplinary PhD would address these gaps, using the huge citizen science data sets that are now available, providing a comprehensive understanding of population change, its associated drivers, and potential routes to mitigation.

The project would map threats to migratory birds globally, and then derive strategies for their conservation. It would achieve this by

(1) discovering which threats are operating where in the annual cycle

(2) determining which species are most impacted

(3) measuring the extent to which full migration pathways of birds lie in the global protected area estate

(4) building a plan for expansion of protected areas and other conservation measures to safeguard migratory birds globally.

The project will use status maps, summarising the distribution of migratory bird species at weekly intervals across the year (n»1,000).

Spatial data (land use change, climate change, etc) will be overlain on these to determine where and when in the annual cycle threats/change happen

(Aim 1). Then, data on ecological and behavioural traits of species will be correlated with threats to understand why some species are more at risk than others

(Aim 2). The first ever global summary of progress in migratory bird conservation

(Aim 3) will be achieved by overlaying protected areas onto seasonal distributions of each species to assess protection throughout the year.

Finally, mathematical optimisation tools will determine cost-effective locations of new protected areas to achieve joined-up migratory bird conservation globally. This multidisciplinary project will combine the expertise in population ecology and behaviour of Stuart Bearhop in UoE with the global spatial skills of Richard Fuller at the UQ and the conservation planning skills of Zhijun Ma at Fudan University. Alison Johnston at the University of St Andrews will bring world-leading big data expertise, and Tom Auer from Cornell University will support geospatial data analysis. This globally diverse team is well placed to support the student to conduct the global analyses necessary for the project’s success.

Entry requirements

Applicants should be highly motivated and have, or expect to obtain, either a first or upper-second class BA or BSc (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements and provide proof of proficiency. Click here for more information and a list of acceptable alternative tests.

How to apply

Apply now

You will be asked to submit some personal details and upload a full CV, supporting statement, academic transcripts and details of two academic referees. Your supporting statement should outline your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake this project, with particular reference to the collaborative nature of the partnership with the University of Queensland, and how this will enhance your training and research.

Interview notifications date TBC

Please quote reference 5156 on your application and in any correspondence about this studentship.

Owing to essential maintenance, our system will be unavailable between 17:00 BST on Thursday 27th June and 09:00 BST Monday 1st July 2024.

The application deadline has therefore be extended until 12:00 BST on Wednesday 3rd July.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Summary