University of Waikato INTERCOAST Doctoral Scholarships Research Project List

Transcription

1 UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO INTERCOAST DOCTORAL SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH PROJECT LIST The University of Waikato and the University of Bremen are seeking top-quality doctoral students to undertake projects that will be part of the International Graduate School, INTERCOAST. The international research training group INTERCOAST Integrated Coastal Zone and Shelf-Sea Research is a collaboration between the Universities of Bremen (Germany) and Waikato (New Zealand). Research themes focus on aspects of global and climate change which have strong impacts in coastal and shelf-sea zones and are of ecological, geo-scientific, socio-economic, and legal interest. This training group will educate interdisciplinary, highly motivated, and internationally visible scientists in the fields of Marine Geosciences, Marine Ecology, Social Sciences, and Law. Projects will involve research relevant to the North Sea (Germany) and Bay of Plenty coastlines (NZ). Students will be based at the University of Waikato and will visit the University of Bremen for an extended stay of six to twelve months. Students will also participate in the annual workshops which will alternate between the two Universities. Students will be working in a rich research and training environment through interaction with the thirteen currently enrolled INTERCOAST PhD students, two postdoctoral researchers, and supervisors from the Universities of Waikato and Bremen. The research topics that are available to students are: LAW NZ1: Legal problems in fisheries management NZ2: Law for coastal and marine energy resources SCIENCE NZ3: Morphodynamic response to extreme events NZ4: Tidal inlets dynamics NZ5: Biostabilisation of benthic sediments NZ6: Modelling estuarine nutrient dynamics and macrophyte blooms NZ7: The impact of macrophyte mats on benthic nutrient dynamics SOCIAL NZ8: The use of GIS and remote sensing as a planning tool to spatially represent values and context of the coastal environment NZ9: Understanding social change in coastal communities and its environmental implications All enquiries should be directed to: Dr John Tyrrell jtyrrell@waikato.ac.nz Criteria: Skill and background requirements vary between projects. Application procedures: Stage One: Those wishing to undertake an INTERCOAST project with the support of an INTERCOAST Doctoral Scholarship will submit an Expression of Interest Stage Two: The top candidates will be contacted in early September, and invited to submit a full application for a University of Waikato INTERCOAST Doctoral Scholarship. Be sure to read either the domestic or international Scholarship regulations and application form. Application deadlines: Stage One: Expressions of Interest must be submitted by 31 August Stage Two: Applications for University of Waikato INTERCOAST Doctoral Scholarship close 30 September

2 More details on projects: NZ1: Legal problems in fisheries management New Zealand s Fisheries Act and its Quota Management System (QMS) is often viewed as a worldleading model for sustainable fisheries management. However, there have been a significant number of legal proceedings regarding the policy and management of the system. This research will examine the main cases in order to understand why legal disputes are so frequent. It may be that legal and regulatory design was insufficiently considered in comparison with economic elements. The research will consider different theoretical approaches to the management of common property resources, and will include a substantial comparative element, making particular reference to the law of the EU. LLB(Hons) or LLM in fisheries, natural resources and environmental law, with a keen interest in Contact and University of Waikato Supervisor: Prof. Barry Barton Bremen Supervisor: Prof. Dr Til Markus NZ2: Law for energy, minerals and carbon sequestration operations in coastal and marine areas Coastal and marine areas have increasing conflicts for use, as new energy and resources issues and technologies emerge. Gas hydrates, carbon capture and storage, marine energy (wave, current, tidal, wind), and submarine hydrothermal mineral deposits all raise special legal problems in relation to allocation of rights, returns to the public, and environmental regulation. Some of the legal issues arise equally in relation to existing offshore oil and gas and mining activity. This research will examine the adequacy of New Zealand s legal regime for such energy and resources activities in New Zealand coastal waters, including the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. The research will include a substantial comparative element, making particular reference to the law of the EU. LLB(Hons) or LLM in energy, natural resource and environmental law, with a keen interest in Contact and University of Waikato Supervisor: Prof.Barry Barton Bremen Supervisor: Prof. Dr Sabine Schlacke NZ3: Modelling the morphological response of tidal inlets to severe events Extreme events such as tsunamis, storms and associated surges can temporarily increase the tidal prism, resulting in significantly elevated currents. The resulting higher energy flows can result in longterm changes in the tidal inlet dynamics, including increased sedimentation or erosion. This project will undertake modelling of the short and long-term morphological response to severe events based on historical events. The modelling will contrast case studies around the New Zealand east coast, which are prone to tsunamis and earthquakes, with case studies from the German North Sea coast where storm induced flow enhancement is a common occurrence. BSc(Hons) or MSc in either oceanography, or coastal engineering with a keen interest in Good numerical skills are required, ideally with familiarity with Matlab and numerical models. Contact and University of Waikato Supervisor: Dr Willem de Lange University of Bremen Supervisor: Dr Christian Winter 2

3 NZ4: Modelling the sediment exchange in and around ebb-tidal deltas in meso-scale tidal environments Tidal inlets on low and barrier coasts are often characterized by sediment rich environments, loaded with additional sediment input from rivers, with the barrier enclosed estuarine lagoons infilling and the tidal inlets reducing in size and stability over time. This project will model the hydrodynamics and sediment transport patterns of a small tidal inlet rapidly infilling and developing accretion zones within the estuarine lagoon. This research will allow a better understanding of the processes of sedimentation and future longevity of the inlet. Of particular focus will be the competing role of sediment exchange with the barrier island beach face and dunes, the ebb-tidal delta and the estuarine input. BSc(Hons) or MSc in either oceanography, engineering, or quantitative physical geography/earth sciences with a keen interest in Good numerical skills are required, ideally with familiarity with Matlab and Fortran. Contact and University of Waikato Supervisors: Dr Karin Bryan and Dr Willem de Lange. Bremen Supervisors: Prof. Dr Alexander Bartholomä, Prof. Dr Dierk Hebbeln, Dr Christian Winter NZ5: Effects of benthic fauna on estuarine sediment transport It is recognised that the activities of benthic fauna can stabilise or destabilise the sediment surface altering rates of sediment transport. In turn, changes to the sedimentary environment (particularly the mud content) influence benthic community composition, a process that has been well documented for NZ estuaries in recent field surveys. The overall goal of this project is determine experimentally the effects of different community/sediment types on the erosion threshold and erosion rates. The derived relationships will be used incorporate the effects of biota into models of sediment transport. BSc(Hons) or MSc in either quantitative marine ecology, oceanography or physical geography with a keen interest in Good skills in statistics and experimental design is needed, introductory level programming experience would be an asset. Contact and University of Waikato Supervisors: Dr Conrad Pilditch., Dr Vicki Moon and Dr Karin Bryan Bremen Supervisors: Dr Christian Winter, Prof. Dr Ingrid Kröncke and Prof. Dr Katrin Huhn NZ6: Estuary-shelf nutrient exchange controls on interannual patterns in estuarine Ulva dynamics Funded by Environment Bay of Plenty Interannual variations in nutrients in estuarine systems are well documented, yet are not well understood. Such variability can cause nuisance blooms, such as the Ulva blooms commonly occurring on east coast NZ estuaries. Climatic patterns cause shifts in the shelf upwelling patterns which may drive variability, or variability to catchment land use, and run-off patterns may outweigh these signals. This combined modelling and field programme will allow differentiation of these competing forcing mechanisms. This project is closely linked to NZ8. BSc(Hons) or MSc in either oceanography, engineering, quantitative marine ecology or quantitative geochemistry with a keen interest in Good numerical skills are required, ideally with familiarity with Matlab and Fortran. Contact and University of Waikato Supervisors: Dr Karin Bryan, Dr Conrad Pilditch Bremen Supervisor: Dr Kai Bischof 3

4 NZ7: Effects of decomposing algal mats on benthic community structure and function Funded by Environment Bay of Plenty Ulva often accumulates in extensive, semi-permanent mats on inter-tidal sandflats that persist until they decompose or are removed by storm events. As these mats decompose the sediments may go hypoxic killing benthic infauna and altering nutrient cycling in the sediments. The goal of this project is to quantify the effects mats on benthic community composition and nutrient fluxes in a variety of intertidal habitats (mangroves, seagrass, sand and mud flats). The project will also examine factors regulating the recovery of benthic habitats following mats removal as well as incorporation of Ulva into benthic food webs. This project is closely linked to project NZ7 and results will be incorporate into models of Ulva dynamics, moreover results will determine the resilience of coastal habitats to this increasingly common disturbance. BSc(Hons) or MSc in either quantitative marine ecology or biological oceanography with a keen interest in benthic ecology and Good skills in statistics and experimental design is needed, experience in some of the following would be an asset; invertebrate taxonomy, environmental chemistry, stable isotopes. Contact and University of Waikato Supervisors: Dr Conrad Pilditch Bremen Supervisors: Dr Ingrid Kröncke and Dr Hemming Reiss NZ8: The use of GIS and remote sensing as a planning tool to spatially represent values and context of the coastal environment Background: Coastal values and context include recreation, landscape, place attachment, biodiversity, economic, historical, access, and spiritual values. GIS, associated data sets and analysis functions provide opportunity to represent these values meaningfully for public participation and consultation. GIS can be used for both informing the public and collecting information from the public, and this framework is known as participatory GIS. This research will explore methods for developing participatory GIS for the coastal environment, and investigate issues associated with conceptualisation, operational definition, and web GIS. The overall goal is to provide useful spatial tools for planning and policy development, and a potential candidate could concentrate on one particular value or explore the integration of many values. BA(Hons), or BSocSc(Hons), or BSc(Hons), or MA, or MSocSc, or MSc in Geography, Environmental Science or Biology with expertise in GIS and a keen interest in environmental issues, planning, and Contact and University of Waikato Supervisor: Dr Lars Brabyn Bremen Supervisors: Prof. Dr Michael Flitner, Prof. Dr Sabine Schlacke NZ9: Understanding social change in coastal communities and its environmental implications Social environments of coastal communities are changing rapidly around the world. Such changes include increasing population densities, changing social dynamics in coastal settings (e.g. gentrification, changing ethnic composition, increasing property values), increasing exposure to hazards, changing contributions of waste, nutrients and sediments and the possible effects of climate change and sea-level rise. Key questions are: Social aspects of vulnerability. What are the key social characteristics of communities in New Zealand that increase their vulnerability, or indeed resilience, to coastal hazards? Coastal places as contested sites. How do the changing characteristics of coastal areas increase social friction and what are the environmental consequences of such trends? 4

5 Can we distinguish different types of coastal community? Is it possible to develop a typology of coastal communities that can be used in conjunction with other classifications such as that for coastal hazards? What are the important social and environmental issues for these different types of coastal places? BA(Hons) or MA in Human Geography, with a keen interest in Contact and University of Waikato Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. John Campbell Bremen Supervisors: Prof. Dr Michael Flitner 5