Applications are being sought for a NERC Doctoral Training Programme PhD studentship available from September 2019 on the topic of ‘Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of environmental DNA for monitoring and management of priority invasive species’.
Invasive Dreissenid mussels (zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha and quagga mussels D. rostriformis bugensis) spread rapidly and have negative impacts on biodiversity, infrastructure and human health. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is highly promising for early detection of both larval and adult Dreissenids. The successful student will use eDNA to improve Dreissenid monitoring and increase our understanding of the species’ ecology, distribution and impact. The student will be based at the University of Hull, supervised by Dr Lori Handley and Dr Bernd Haenfling in collaboration with Dr Alison Dunn (University of Leeds) and Dr Kat Bruce (Nature Metrics). The project CASE partner is Yorkshire Water, and the student will work closely with them to help improve monitoring and management of Dreissenids.
The main project objectives are:
- To understand the temporal dynamics of Dreissenid eDNA and inform future sampling campaigns.
- To understand the spatial dynamics of eDNA distribution and determine which key environmental variables influence the probability of detection of Dreissenid eDNA
- To use eDNA to identify key pathways and vectors for Dreissenid spread
- To evaluate the impact of Dreissenid mussels on the structure and function of invaded ecosystems
The deadline for applications is 7th January 2019. Full details of the studentship, including how to apply, can be found on the PANORAMA website
For further information and contact details for informal enquiries, please download the project flyer and full project description. Please circulate to anyone who might be interested and a suitable candidate, thank you!