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. We are still adding relevant keywords to the data, so try a different search term if nothing comes up or get in touch for support searching the database.
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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How do human activities and changes in habitat condition affect carbon sequestration and storage in the marine environment?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
There is a growing focus on the ability of the marine environment to store and sequester carbon, and a requirement to both maintain and enhance blue carbon stores to help achieve net zero. Particular focus at present is on blue carbon habitats such as saltmarsh and seagrass, with a view to include them in the UK’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Existing studies show that marine habitats play an important role in carbon storage and sequestration, but we have little current knowledge on how impacts on them, and / or changes to habitat condition, may affect their ability to provide this ecosystem service.
Suggested level of research: Various
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, human activities, change in habitat condition, carbon sequestration, carbon storage, marine environment, ecosystem service
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: Kirsten Ramsay Email Address: kirsten.ramsay@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk Phone: NA
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How do human activities and changes in habitat condition affect carbon sequestration and storage in the marine environment?,
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): Human activities and habitat condition impacts on carbon sequestration and storage in the marine environment,”Human activities, Carbon sequestration, Habitat condition, Marine carbon storage, Environmental impact”,
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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How do marine mammal populations respond to removals of individuals?,
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): Response of marine mammal populations to removals of individuals,”Marine mammals, Population response, Removals, Conservation management”,
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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How do marine restoration activities support wider social and economic benefits?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
The project would develop an understanding of how marine restoration activities can support job creation & local economies in Wales.
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): Economics, Social Science, Marine restoration activities, social, economic benefits, Marine restoration, Social benefits, Economic benefits, Marine conservation,
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: Phone: NA
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How do people perceive the value of coastal habitats in relation to coastal defence?,
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
A study investigating the social perception of coastal margin habitats (particularly dunes and shingle) in relation to coastal defence is required to improve our social evidence base for the value and potential inclusion of coastal margin habitats.
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): Coastal habitats, Public perception, Coastal defence, Social value, Marine
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: Phone: NA
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How do sub-sea cabling practices affect sand wave and sand bank morphodynamics, and the wider sedimentary system?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Cable laying activities include sand wave clearance, cable burial via trenching and cable protection measures. The morphological impacts on sand waves and sand bank systems caused by these activities are poorly understood. Equally, the implications of any change on the wider sediment budget, especially links to the coast, requires investigation. Key questions include: does cable protection block bedload transport pathways? Do sand waves recover after clearance and what are then timescales? Does sand wave clearance affect the form and function of the sandbank system? Will the impact of cabling practices alter the natural coastal protection that sand banks provide? It is particularly important to understand this for areas of Wales where cable routing and landfall is expected; for example, the North Wales coast and the Pembrokeshire coast.
Next steps and progress: Collaboration on a knowledge exchange project underway, but further research, including bathymetric surveys, will be required.
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, sub-sea cabling practices, trenching, cable protection, morphological impacts, sand waves, sand bank, sediment, natural coastal protection, bathymetric surveys
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
________________________________________________________________________________
How do sub-sea cabling practices affect sand wave and sand bank morphodynamics, and the wider sedimentary system?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Cable laying activities can include sand wave clearance, cable burial via trenching and cable protection measures. The morphological impacts on sand waves and sand bank systems caused by these activities are poorly understood. Equally, the implications of any change on the wider sediment budget, especially links to the coast, requires investigation. Key questions include: does cable protection block bedload transport pathways? Do sand waves recover after clearance and what are the timescales? Does sand wave clearance affect the form and function of the sandbank system? Will the impact of cabling practices alter the natural coastal protection that sand banks provide? It is particularly important to understand this for areas of Wales where cable routing and landfall is expected; for example, the north Wales coast and the Pembrokeshire coast. Next steps and progress: Build on a knowledge exchange project underway. Potential collaboration.
Keywords (discipline, other): Sub-sea cabling, sand waves, sand bank morphodynamics, cable burial, trenching, sedimentary system, coastal protection, north Wales, Pembrokeshire coast
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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How do the dynamics of the Severn Estuary and Bristol channel control the exchange of freshwater and nutrients from river to sea?
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): Dynamics of Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel controlling freshwater and nutrient exchange,”Severn Estuary, Bristol Channel, Freshwater exchange, Nutrient exchange, Estuarine ecology”
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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How do we address the tight timescales of climate emergency whilst ensuring developments of national significance retain sufficient benefit in our coalfield areas?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
We’re currently seeing a high number of DNS being validated with varying degrees of community benefit/social value, some having no community fund/local ownership despite policy/guidance and industry minimum recommendations. Our coalfield communities remain areas of high deprivation and low resilience. Large scale renewable energy projects have the opportunity to address climate change and retain community wealth within our coalfield communities.
Keywords (discipline, other): Coal, climate change, politics
Website/URL links: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-11/developments-of-national-significance-dns-procedural-guidance.pdf
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation:
Contact Details
Name: Natalie Sargent Email Address: natalie.sargent@coalfields-regen.org.uk Phone: NA
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How do we assess impacts on fish communities in Welsh estuaries and coastal waters?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This relates mainly to Marine Protected Areas where fish communities are included in the site Conservation Objectives. Qualitative and quantitative methods could be explored, including the application of ecosystem modelling. This project proposal will initially need to be scoped out to determine a small number of more specific projects.
Next steps and progress: Needs further development and scoping through in-house working group
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, fish communities, estuaries, coastal waters, Marine Protected Areas, MPAs, conservation, Qualitative and quantitative methods, ecosystem modelling
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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