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 condition of grassland habitat outside statutory protected sites?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Condition is a basic measure of stocks of natural resources and resilience. Very little is known about grassland condition outside SSSIs.
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
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 condition of grassland SSSI features on statutory protected sites?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Condition is a basic measure of stocks of natural resources and resilience. Only a minority of grassland SSSI features have received recent detailed monitoring.
Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
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 condition of inter-tidal habitats around 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
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 is the condition of our protected marine features and status of coastal and transitional waters?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Understanding the condition of Welsh waters is a fundamental requirement that ultimately leads to us being able to advise on the management measures required to recover and/or increase biodiversity and resilience. NRW has a marine monitoring programme which covers features of Marine Protected Areas and the coastal and estuarine water bodies under the Water Environment Regulations. Ideally this would be expanded to cover more habitats, species and the wider ecosystem; with increased monitoring in terms of both frequencies and locations. Next steps and progress: Continue with current NRW marine monitoring programme and expand if possible. Potential to establish collaborative monitoring where relevant.
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine ecology, marine monitoring, coastal waters, transitional waters, Marine Protected Areas, biodiversity, resilience, Water Environment Regulations, ecosystem monitoring, Wales
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 is the condition of Section 7 marine habitats and species marine in 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
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
________________________________________________________________________________
What is the condition of semi-natural habitats in 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
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Freshwater
Semi-natural grassland
Coastal margins
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
________________________________________________________________________________
What is the condition of sub-tidal habitats around 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
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 is the contribution of non-agricultural sources of nutrient to land?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To help inform future sustainable land management pratices
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Enclosed farmland
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 is the contribution that Welsh-grown timber makes to a regenerative economy and the more efficient use of natural resources in Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
We have reliably information on timber flows into and out of the UK, but data on Welsh grown timber contributing to a regenerative economy in Wale is lacking. This evidence would help inform future policy and delivery options.
Keywords (discipline, other): Woodland
Urban
Land use and soil
Waste
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 curent status and trends in common frog and toad populations in Wales, and can these species be used as a reliable indicator of pond ecosystem health?
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
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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