Ponds for Wildlife and People: Quantifying Opportunities for Wetland Creation in Agricultural Landscapes

Freshwater wetlands are the most biodiverse habitats on earth and are losing species faster than their marine or terrestrial counterparts. In addition to their nature value, the economic and social value of wetlands cannot be understated. Despite only covering a tiny proportion of the earth’s surface (<2%) their economic value globally is estimated at $58 trillion annually.

Small wetlands (ponds, ditches, ephemeral pools) support disproportionately high levels of biodiversity, and have been shown to be particularly important in agricultural landscapes. However, in the UK small wetlands, such as ponds, are estimated to have decline approximately 70% over the last 200 years alone. To address these loses, an increasing number of legislative and policy mechanisms are being implemented targeted at nature recovery and redirecting subsidies as public money for public goods, e.g. district level licensing (DLL), biodiversity net gain (BNG) and the environmental land management scheme (ELMS). Although wetland restoration and pond creation have been recognised as key priorities in these schemes, limited evidence-based evaluation has yet taken place.

This PhD project therefore aims to address this evidence gap and facilitate efficient and effective wetland creation by addressing the following research objectives:

1. Develop a conceptual framework of the ecosystem services provided by small wetlands in temperate farmed landscapes and the associated agri-environmental policies that influence wetland provision
2. Evaluate public and landowner/manager perceptions of small wetland ecosystems
3. Apply spatial analyses to model the flux of ecosystem services across each landscape, identifying priority areas for wetland creation that enhance ecosystem services and minimise disservices

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and variable experiences. You might come have a geography, social or environmental science or associated disciplinary background. If successful, you will have the opportunity to develop an interdisciplinary skillset, working in partnership with an industry-based CASE partner, The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. To this end, the successful applicant will also have a three-month placement with the Wetland Bioscience Team at the WWT to gain first-hand insight into research and policy formation at one of the UK’s largest wildlife charities.

Eligibility

Academic requirements

• Bachelor’s (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
• Master’s degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation (or overseas equivalent)

English Language

All applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency:

• IELTS test minimum score – 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing, 6.0 in other sections.
• TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score – 100 overall, 25 in all sections.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score – 76 overall, 76 in writing, 70 in other sections.
• To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
• Other tests may be considered.

Application Procedure

The application deadline will be Midnight (GMT) on 28/02/2025. Apply online for PhD Planning, Property and Environmental Management at the University of Manchester.

Under Section 6 Research Details select ‘Yes’ to Are you applying for an advertised project. Insert the project title as stated at the top of the advert. It is recommended when entering the name of the supervisor to simply enter this and not use the supervisor search function.

Please indicate in Section 9 Funding Sources your intention to apply for the ESRC CASE Studentship.

Please ensure all required supporting documents are included at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered. Your application must include the following:

• A copy of your Bachelor’s academic transcript and certificate.
• A copy of your Master’s academic transcript and certificate. If your Master’s degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
• If you have completed more than one Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, please provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, please also include an official document from your university verifying this information.
• An academic CV, summarising your employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
• Supporting statement of a maximum of 700 words indicating why you would like to undertake this studentship and explaining how your focus, experience, and skills link to the research outlined above
• Example of a piece of academic writing produced by you of up to 5,000 words (you may consider submitting two shorter pieces if these deal separately with conceptual and empirical analyses). This may be an academic essay or chapter(s) from a dissertation, in which case, an abstract or introduction outlining the context/aims/research questions of the study must also be included. In Section 12, upload the Writing Sample under Research Statement/Proposal and label it clearly as “Writing Sample.”
• You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution). Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following the submission of your application form. You may wish to contact your referees to request they submit your reference in a reasonable timeframe as this forms part of the review process.
• Please submit a complete copy of the ESRC NWSSDTP Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
• A PhD Proposal is not required.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact Dr Ian Thornhill (Ian.thornhill@manchester.ac.uk)

Formal interviews: Interviews are expected to take place week commencing TBC.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and are at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.