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 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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What is causing persistent cliffing of frontal dunes?,
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): Causes of persistent cliffing of frontal dunes
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 is driving the decline of Kittiwake in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To inform our understanding of and advice on building resilient marine ecosystems. Kittiwake is an iconic seabird in Wales and a feature of a number of SSSIs and Skomer and Skokholm and the Seas off Pembrokeshire SPA. According to the most recent results from the seabird census there has been a 40% decline in Kittiwake populations in Wales. The main theory is that it is climate change driven but Kittiwakes eat similar prey species to auks which have doubled their population over the last 15-20 years. A project is needed to collate existing information as well as setting up various monitoring e.g. camera traps, which could give information about numerous colonies around Wales
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine
Coastal Margins
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 good condition for improved grassland and arable land? How could it be measured?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To be able to measure progress towards sustainable management of natural resources we need to understand good condition of productive land and to be able to measure it.
Keywords (discipline, other): 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
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What is restricting the recovery of arctic-alpine plants? Have there been genetic bottlenecks, is there a need to boost or migrate populations, or do we need land management changes?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Wales supports a distinctive suite of arctic-alpine flora and fauna. While threatened by climate change, its resilience and ability to resist or respond to change is compromised by past and present landuse, pollution, and isolation. Ecological studies of these species are required to determine the key factors to address.
Keywords (discipline, other): Mountains, moorland, and heath
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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