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]
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What is the effect of tree species diversity on woodland productivity in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Tree species diversification is key to improving resilience but its impact on woodland productivity for timber in Wales is not well understood. This information would be helpful to suport discussions about timber’s role in supporting a regenerative economy.
Keywords (discipline, other): Woodland
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 is the effect of using water efficiently on reduction in energy bills?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
In the UK 89% of household energy use is for heating water. Behavioural change to water use is likely to be more successful if linked to savings on energy bills.
Keywords (discipline, other): Water efficiency
Energy
Ecosystem resilience
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
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What is the effectiveness of natural colonisation by trees as an approach to increasing woodland cover in Wales, specifically to result in the establishment of mature trees which cover more than 20 per cent by area, are more than 0.5 ha in size and a minimum of 20m wide as per National Forestry Inventory and Forestry Commission?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
If natural colonisation by trees is effective (resulting in establishment of woodland that meets the National Forest Inventory definition), this could increase the extent of total woodland cover in Wales, with knock-on benefits for resilience, the provision of ecosystem services and well-being benfits.
Keywords (discipline, other): Woodland
Land use and soil
Ecosystem resilience
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
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What is the efficacy and potential longer-term impacts of acoustic deterrent devices for marine mammals, birds, and fish?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
There remains a gap in knowledge of how some marine mammal, fish and bird species respond to acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs). They are routinely advised as potential mitigation techniques for tidal energy and other industries/activities but while there is some information for seals around aquaculture sites, and for fish at power stations, our understanding of how effective these are for some species remains limited or unknown. The need is for experimental research observing reactions to ADDs at sea. There is also a need to explore how ADDs optimised for one receptor (species) could affect other receptors, particularly given differences in hearing range, auditory sensitivity, and behaviour in reaction to underwater noise. Finally, research is needed to evaluate longer term ADD deployments, and whether these could have lasting displacement or disturbance effects on different receptors.
Next steps and progress: May be taken forward as part of a collaborative project.
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, efficacy, longer-term impacts, acoustic deterrent devices, ADDs, marine mammals, birds, fish, mitigation, tidal energy, seals, aquaculture sites, power stations,
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 is the efficacy of acoustic deterrent devices on marine mammals, birds and fish?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Important evidence to balance priorities for provisioning ecosystem services through renewable energy resources with maintaining and enhancing biodiversity, specifically mobile species. To inform our advice to developers.
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine
Energy
Ecosystem resilience
Biodiversity
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
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What is the extent and condition of intensively managed grassland and arable peatlands? How can these be managed more sustainably to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
The most intensive greenhouse gas emissions are from intensively managed arable and grasslands not semi-natural habitats (Low Carbon Wales Report).
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Coastal Margins
Enclosed farmland
Cimate 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 is the extent and condition of river gravels across Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Outdated or absent data and associated analyses hinders the assessment of the current extent, condition and trends of our freshwater ecosystems.
Keywords (discipline, other): Freshwater
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 is the extent and quantified impact of unconsented river modification in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Physical modification is the main reason for rivers Welsh rivers failing to achieve Good Ecological Status. Modifications to floodplains have significant impacts on ecosystem health and flood risk. However limited information is available on the extent and specific impacts of these modifications. This information is required to inform ecosystem resilience and restoration opportunities.
Keywords (discipline, other): Freshwater
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
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What is the extent and severity of topsoil and subsoil compaction in soils across Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To help to inform what practices and which areas would benefit from natural flood or drainage management
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Woodland
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Urban
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
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 is the extent and spatial-arrangment of qualifying habitats in protected sites across Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Ecosystem resilience evidence needs encompass several needs from the other ecosystem and theme chapters.
Keywords (discipline, other): Ecosystem Resilience
Woodland
Marine
Freshwater
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Coastal margins
Urban
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
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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