Developing Your Dissertation Ideas
If you are seeking to deliver an impactful dissertation topic, with direct relevance to environmental policy makers or, simply looking for inspiration for your final year project, you can search for ideas below.
You can search the research questions that have been directly submitted to us, or browse other collections of research ideas from partner organisation such as Natural Resources Wales and Climate Cymru.
If you do find a question of relevance and decide to address it through your dissertation, we would really like to know about it. Please fill out the form that can be found here.
[Enter keyword and press ‘search’ or the return key]
.
What economic levers can be used to enable resource efficient and circular use of nutrients to land?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To help incentivise sustainable use and management of nutrients to land.
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Enclosed farmland
Waste
Climate change
Biodiversity
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What evidence is needed to ensure the effective conservation of semi-natural grassland species?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Diversity is a basic measure of sustainable management of natural resources. Some species require specific management for populations to be stable or expand, but there are gaps in knowledge for some species
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
Ecosystem resilience
Biodiversity
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What funding would be required to restore a number of poorly/under restored coal mining sites around South Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This would provide a point around which delivering on the restoration standards originally promised to surrounding communities could be campaigned for by CAN and other groups.
Keywords (discipline, other): Coal, politics, energy
Website/URL links:
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: Coal Action
Contact Details
Name: Daniel Therkelsen Email Address: daniel@coalaction.org.uk Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What has changed in the extent and distribution of semi-natural grassland since the Phase 1 habitat survey of late last century?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Stocks of natural resources is a basic measure of sustainable management of natural resources. The Phase 1 Habitat survey is old and remote sensing is mostly poor as recording grassland extent
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Biodiversity
Coastal margins
Enclosed farmland
Ecosystem resilience
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What impact does introduced hard substrate (turbines, mattresses, rock dump) have on the biological and ecological structure and functioning of designated sediment habitats in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
The introduction of hard substrate to sedimentary benthic habitats has the potential to change their ecological characteristics and biological composition. A better understanding is needed of the tipping points that lead to changes to community structure and function.
Next steps and progress: This has been discussed by various groups working on offshore wind evidence. Work could include an evidence review, analysis of monitoring data from industry and research.
Keywords (discipline, other): marine science, hard substrate, turbines, mattresses, rock dump, biological and ecological structure, designated sediment habitats, Marine Protected Areas, ecological characteristics, biological composition, tipping-point, data
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Dr Kirsten Ramsay Email Address: kirsten.ramsay@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What impact does introduced hard substrate (turbines, mattresses, rock dump) have on the biological and ecological structure and functioning of designated sediment habitats in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
The introduction of hard substrate to sedimentary benthic habitats has the potential to change their ecological characteristics and biological composition. A better understanding is needed of the tipping points that lead to changes to community structure and function.
Suggested level of research: Various
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, hard substrate, turbines, mattresses, rock dump, biological and ecological structure, designated sediment habitats, Marine Protected Areas, benthic habitats, ecological characteristics, biological composition, tipping points
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Dr Kirsten Ramsay Email Address: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What indicators can be used for the sustainable use and management of soils?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To assess the extent to which sustainable use and management of soils is achieved.
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Woodland
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Coastal margins
Urban
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
Waste
Climate change
Biodiversity
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What interventions are most efficient at reducing the greenhouse gas emissions on farms in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To help inform future sustainable land use and management pratices.
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Coastal margins
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
Climate change
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What interventions are needed to increase the use of Welsh grown timber in construction in Wales, to support decarbonisation and a regenerative economy?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
The use of more Welsh grown timber in construction would generate multiple ecosystem services and well-being benefits. Understanding exactly how all players need to come together to achieve this would help inform future policy and delivery mechanisms.
Keywords (discipline, other): Woodland
Energy
Climate change
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________
What interventions promote health related use of the environment?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To improve our assessment of healthy places
Keywords (discipline, other): Healthy places
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: n/a External Partner: Y Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: n/a n/a Email Address: Phone: NA
________________________________________________________________________________