Loughborough University has a PhD studentship competition open, with a closing date of 30 March, full details of which can be found here:
In the Geography Department at Loughborough, we have funding for summer 2012 fieldwork at Tarfala, northern Sweden, on the topic below. We would be very interested in hearing from anyone who would be interested in pursuing PhD research in this topic, and who would like to apply to the studentship competition noted above.
Clearly this opportunity would suit someone who is actually available for fieldwork in summer 2012; please note that a studentship application would be in competition with other topics across the university - although we hope that the availability of fieldwork funds will make for a compelling case.
HYDROECOlogical variability in ARCtic glacierized catchments: Tools for Interpreting Change (HYDROECO-ARCTIC)
Current studies of glacierized catchment hydroecology are biased towards mountainous, mid-latitude locations, though the characteristic features of Arctic latitudes, such as physical remoteness, extensive permafrost and the occurrence of the polar day and night, are likely to create distinctive ecological responses. There is consequently a need for interdisciplinary studies that link the particular hydrological characteristics of high-latitude catchments occupied by glaciers with their aquatic ecology.
Hydroecological research from alpine catchments has indicated significant variability in the composition of benthic stream communities in relation to variability in runoff characteristics and habitat. However, comparable evaluations for Arctic locations are currently very limited. To address this shortfall, the following aims are proposed:
(1) Define and quantify water-source contributions and pathways for an Arctic catchment exhibiting glacier retreat: Tarfala, northern Sweden;
(2) Test Brown et al.’s (2003) alpine stream habitat classification for the Arctic location;
(3) Assess spatio-temporal variability in aquatic physical habitat, in terms of runoff magnitude and variability, water temperature, total dissolved solids, turbidity, channel stability;
(4) Assess spatio-temporal variability in benthic macroinvertebrate community composition, diversity, life histories, species traits and habitat utilization;
(5) Evaluate Milner and Petts’ (1994) influential, conceptual model of benthic macroinvertebrate community structure for the Arctic catchment.
With the recent, unprecedented acceleration in atmospheric warming over the Arctic, the need to address uncertainties in environmental change response is urgent. A greater understanding of the resilience of hydroecological communities, and of biotic interactions within them, to changes in runoff sources, timing and magnitude, would increase our understanding of community response, and indicate the ability of organisms to adapt to environmental change. Our proposed Arctic-specific evaluation of stream habitat classification and of the development of benthic macroinvertebrate community structure will provide tools to interpret and predict the response of aquatic ecology to changes in hydrological regime forced by continued atmospheric warming.
References
Brown et al. 2003. Alpine stream habitat classification: an alternative approach incorporating the role of dynamic water source contributions. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 35, 313–322.
Milner, Petts. 1994. Glacial rivers: physical habitat and ecology. Freshwater Biology 32, 295–307.
