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. We are still adding relevant keywords to the data, so try a different search term if nothing comes up or get in touch for support searching the database.
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.
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What are the critical inshore and coastal migration routes and marine habitats used by diadromous fish in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Based on recommendations in NRW Evidence reports; ‘Feasibility Study of Methods to Collect Data on the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Diadromous Fish in Welsh Waters’ and ‘Acoustic tracking in Wales – designing a programme to evaluate Marine Renewable Energy impacts on Diadromous fish’. The project would hydroacoustically tag and track diadromous fish from a selection of Welsh rivers, to collect data on their distribution, particularly in marine energy resource areas. The evidence would be used to inform modelling tools to establish risk to salmon, sea trout, eel and shad populations from tidal range and tidal stream developments in Wales.
Next steps and progress: Strategic evidence which needs large scale funding. However, some progress is being made notably for shad in the Bristol Channel through working with research partners. Large gaps remain for other species and regions of Wales
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, inshore and coastal migration routes, marine habitats, diadromous fish, acoustic tracking, marine renewable energy, rivers, data, distribution, risk to salmon, sea trout, eel, shad, tidal range
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
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What are the critical inshore and coastal migration routes and marine habitats used by diadromous fish in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Keywords (discipline, other): Diadromous fish, migration routes, coastal habitats, marine energy, hydroacoustic tracking, salmon, sea trout, eel, shad, Wales, tidal developments
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Looking for collaborators: No External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone:
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What are the critical loads for nitrogen deposition & sea cliff habitats?,
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
For more, and updated information, please visit https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Keywords (discipline, other): Critical loads for nitrogen deposition & sea cliff habitats,”Nitrogen deposition, Sea cliffs, Critical loads, Marine habitats, Environmental management”,
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: Email Address: marinecoastalevidence@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Phone: NA
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What are the different soil management practices and systems used in Wales and are these practices sustainable?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To assess the extent to which soils are managed sustainably for tackling the Climate and Nature Emergency and to help inform future policy changes. Sustainable Soil management is an increasing concern for society.
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use, soil, sustainable management, soil management, , agriculture, farming
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: No External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
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What are the distributions, abundances, and population structures of marine fish species in Welsh waters?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Data on marine fish is lacking for this assessment. We need data on the abundance, distribution, population structure and movements of fish in Welsh waters to develop a baseline for the SoNaRR assessment. The evidence need would build on Ellis et al (2012) and would inform our work in many areas
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine
Freshwater
Coastal Margins
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
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What are the downstream impacts of reducing nutrient to land?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To assess the impact on soils and wider environment
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Marine
Freshwater
Enclosed farmland
Air quality
Waste
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
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What are the ecological impacts of fine sediments on freshwater pearl mussel and salmonid fish?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Pollution from rural sources including nutrient and silt run-off is the second biggest factor in preventing Welsh rivers from achieving Good Ecological Status. In order to address this issue, we need to improve our understanding of the impacts of fine sediments in rivers.
Keywords (discipline, other): Freshwater
Marine
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
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What are the effects on fish communities from the presence of offshore wind farms, or marine renewable energy device arrays?,
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
For more, and updated information, please visit https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en
Keywords (discipline, other): Effects of offshore wind farms and renewable energy device arrays on fish communities,”Offshore wind farms, Renewable energy, Fish communities, Habitat disturbance”,
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: Email Address: marinecoastalevidence@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Phone: NA
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What are the extent, severity and impacts of diffuse water pollution in the marine ecosystem?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To inform our understanding of and advice on building resilient marine ecosystems. This would investigate the extent to which diffuse water pollution, from both agriculture and urban sources, including point sources and in combination effects, affects MPA condition. This could also include a case study in Milford Haven.
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine
Freshwater
Coastal Margins
Urban
Enclosed farmland
Land use and soil
Waste
Water efficiency
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
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What are the flood-risk benefits provided by coastal habitats?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This work would comprise a technical assessment to bring together recent evidence and research relating to the flood risk benefits of different marine and coastal habitats in Wales. It would explore the wider well-being outcomes and produce a summary report and visual materials to share with wider stakeholders such as Welsh Government.
Next steps and progress: Likely to be contracted out
Keywords (discipline, other): marine science, flood-risk benefits, marine and coastal habitats, technical assessments, wellbeing
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
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