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 wave and tidal renewable energy devices on mobile species behaviour and what is the risk of collision?
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 importance of varied root depths and the role of deep rooted perennials on carbon storage and sequestration in semi-natural grassland?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Semi-natural grasslands support a greate range of species with a much greater range of root depths than improved, intenively managed grasslands. Deep rooting species (some go to >2m) have a role in carbon storage at depth, but more research is needed.
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
Land use and soil
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 likely efficacy of noise abatement measures in the hydrographical conditions in Welsh waters?
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 long term and combined impact of chemical contaminants on ecological status of lagoon water bodies and estuarine water bodies associated with saltmarsh?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Inform condition and pressure from poor water quality.
Keywords (discipline, other): Coastal margins
Marine
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 long term impact of chemical contaminants on saltmarsh ecology including the impacts on vegetation, marine fauna and terrestrial organisms supported by the marsh?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Inform condition and pressure from poor water quality.
Keywords (discipline, other): Coastal margins
Marine
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 long term impact of mowing blanket bog on mountains, moorland, and heath ecosystem resilience?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Drainage of blanket bog often led to an increase in ericoid, for example heather, cover/height and a decline in typical blanket bog breeding bird species for example curlew, golden plover, dunlin. Despite restoration of hydrology, ericoids continue to dominate while the bogs recover and mowing is advocated to control it, with potential to conflict with natural bog development. We need to assess the impact of mowing, which is not traditional in this habitat, on the long-term prospect for recovery.
Keywords (discipline, other): Mountains, moorland, and heath
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 long term impact of mowing dwarf scrub heath on ecosystem resilience in mountains, moorland, and heath?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Dwarf shrub heath was often traditionally grazed and burnt, but with changes in grazing practice for example the loss of cattle and landowner reluctance to burn due to regulatory requirements, potential damage to wet heath and bog, and public perception, mowing is increasingly advocated to break up large swards and create firebreaks and access for stock. Lack of fire-induced Calluna germination coupled with mulching with unharvested material may change the nature of the vegetation. A review of current knowledge and possible experimental manipulation is required to enable appropriate advice to be provided.
Keywords (discipline, other): Mountains, moorland, and heath
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 long term impact of planting trees on shallow peats and or organo-mineral soils on carbon storage and sequestration in soil and vegetation?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Planting trees on deep peat soils is thought to lead to significant loss of soil carbon, but the effect on soil carbon of planting on grasslands over organo-mineral soils, including peats of up to 50 cm, and in particular the overall carbon balance in the long term, is less well understood.
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
Land use and soil
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 long time impact of climate change on the different types of semi-natural grassland?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Grasslands are affected by climate change, such as from summer droughting and hydrological changes, but more research is needed on the long term effects on species composition of different types of grassland.
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
Woodland
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 long-term impact of climate change on different semi-natural grassland species, including northern species at the southern end of their geographic distribution?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Grasslands are affected by climate change, such as from summer droughting and hydrological changes, butmore research is needed on the effects on specific species.
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
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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