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 impact of nutrient enrichment due to diffuse pollution and adjacent land use on the ground flora of woodlands in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
The ground flora of woodlands is particularly senstive to the effects of nutrient enrichment. An up-to-date assessment of nutrient enrichment extent, impacts, and risks would help inform future assessments of sustainable management of natural resources.
Keywords (discipline, other): Woodland
Land use and soil
Air quality
Biodiversity
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
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What is the impact of pesticide applications on soil fauna?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Soil fauna are vital to good soil condition. There are significant differences in soil fauna populations between highly productive land and semi-natural land, evidence from ERAMMP. How much do pesticides contribute to reductions in soil fauna? Where there is a significant impact, which pesticides are chiefly responsible?
Keywords (discipline, other): Enclosed farmland
Land use and soil
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 is the impact of public opinion on their use of local green space in urban areas of Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
People need to access urban green space daily to remain well, but poorly managed urban green space deters people from using it. It also fails to deliver other ecosystem servies such as heat regulation and air pollution control. Systematic sampling and monitoring will show if urban green space is being managed sustainably
Keywords (discipline, other): Urban
Ecosystem resilience
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
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What is the impact of soil sealing due to land use change in Wales on soil function and ecosystem services?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This will help inform the extent of soil sealing especially in areas vulnerable to flooding.
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Urban
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
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 is the impact of the “scale of use” on cost benefit of water efficency measures such as sustainable drainage?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Cost benefit analysis of Welsh Water’s Greener Grangetown retro fitting sustainable drainage measures. Identify cost benefit of technologies and scale of use.
Keywords (discipline, other): Water efficiency
Urban
Climate change
Energy
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
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What is the impact of waste generated by households in Wales on greenhouse gas emmisions and ecological footprint within Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Current waste data sources are limited in terms of providing comprehensive coverage across all waste producers on a regular basis. In addition, some data sources such as surveys, have limited accuracy owing to their voluntary nature and we do not have data on all waste managed in Wales for example because some activities are exempt from reporting to the regulator.
Keywords (discipline, other): Waste
Urban
Land use and soil
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 impact of waste generated by the commercial sectors in Wales on greenhouse gas emmisions and ecological footprint within Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Current waste data sources are limited in terms of providing comprehensive coverage across all waste producers on a regular basis. In addition, some data sources such as surveys, have limited accuracy owing to their voluntary nature and we do not have data on all waste managed in Wales for example because some activities are exempt from reporting to the regulator.
Keywords (discipline, other): Waste
Urban
Land use and soil
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 impact of waste generated by the construction and demolition sectors in Wales on greenhouse gas emmisions and ecological footprint within Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Current waste data sources are limited in terms of providing comprehensive coverage across all waste producers on a regular basis. In addition, some data sources such as surveys, have limited accuracy owing to their voluntary nature and we do not have data on all waste managed in Wales, for example because some activities are exempt from reporting to the regulator.
SoNaRR 2020 has had to use Construction and Demolition National survey estimates that are now 8 years out of date. The Construction and Demolition sector accounted for the majority of waste generated in Wales in 2012 so this is a significant evidence gap in assessing Wales’ progress in reducing waste and increasing recovery.
Keywords (discipline, other): Waste
Urban
Land use and soil
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 impact of waste generated by the construction and demolition, household, industrial, and commercial sectors in Wales on greenhouse gases emmisions and ecological footprint outside Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Keywords (discipline, other): Waste
Urban
Land use and soil
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 impact of waste generated by the industrial sector in Wales on greenhouse gas emmisions and ecological footprint within Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Current waste data sources are limited in terms of providing comprehensive coverage across all waste producers on a regular basis. In addition, some data sources such as surveys, have limited accuracy owing to their voluntary nature and we do not have data on all waste managed in Wales for example because some activities are exempt from reporting to the regulator.
Keywords (discipline, other): Waste
Urban
Land use and soil
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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