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 should land use change be managed?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
• What are the impacts of replacing livestock grazing with woodland creation or habitat restoration?
• How can competing demands for food production, carbon sequestration and biodiversity be balanced?
• What are the social impacts of large-scale environmental land management schemes?
• How can land-use decisions reflect local community priorities?
Keywords (discipline, other): land use change, grazing, woodland creation, habitat restoration, food production, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, land management, decisions, communities, priorities
Website/URL links: https://landscapeswales.org.uk/
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: Yes Organisation: Tirweddau Cymru Landscapes Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
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How suitable is the Conwy River for the establishment of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)?,
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): Suitability of Conwy River for establishment of Chinese mitten crab,”Conwy River, Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, Habitat suitability”,
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 to assess cumulative effects of sewage discharges when issuing permits for new discharges
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
There is a need for tools to better assess the loading from existing discharges (both those holding a permit and the small sewage discharges which are registered with us) within a catchment when assessing applications for new discharges. Current approach used by Natural Resources Wales is geared towards assessing each sewage discharge permit application to ground on its own merits, but new tools would help assess if the catchment can accommodate additional loading.
Keywords (discipline, other): Groundwater, sewage, septic tanks, pollution
Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/water-environment-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 to create new habitat, other than saltmarsh. For example mudflats, sandflats, mixed shores, seagrass beds?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To inform our understanding of and advice on building resilient marine ecosystems. There is a need to develop methods to create new intertidal and subtidal habitat. At present there are reliable methods available only for creation of saltmarsh habitat. Projects are needed at a variety of different scales, from small scale developments of techniques like propagation of seagrass and algae to larger scale habitat creation trials
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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How to determine sustainable limits for seaweed harvesting from the wild?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To inform our understanding of and advice on building resilient marine ecosystems. Review of current evidence and methodology for managing seaweed harvesting. Deciding whether any species are not sustainable to harvest and develop methodology for setting sustainable limits for seaweed gathering/harvesting in other areas. This evidence need is particularly aimed at commercial harvest but with increase in recreational gathering it is important to protect some areas that are particularly important for seaweeds
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine
Coastal Margins
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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How to present what a zero-carbon future might look like in an inspiring way.
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
To help the transition feel like we will be gaining a better quality of life not just having to give things up. Helping people to want to push for things to go in that direction faster.
Keywords (discipline, other): Psychology, graphic design, transition, behaviour change
Website/URL links:
Looking for collaborators: Yes External Partner: No Organisation:
Contact Details
Name: Soo Hutt Email Address: soohutt2@gmail.com Phone: NA
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How well do brushwood polders work to protect and restore saltmarshes and what is the most appropriate design?,
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): Brushwood polders for saltmarsh restoration and appropriate design,”Brushwood polders, Saltmarsh restoration, Design optimization, Coastal protection”,
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 will climate change affect the ecosystem service delivery of grassland, such as levels of carbon storage and sequestration in a warming climate?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
More research is needed on the effects of, for example, higher temperatures and rainfall, on soil carbon levels and other ecosystem services, including water regulation.
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
________________________________________________________________________________
How will tidal lagoons impact water quality?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Identify the approach and techniques that may be used to quantify the impacts of tidal lagoons on water quality receptors. Some questions to consider include:
How will lagoons impact turbidity, salinity, temperature, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, bacterial concentrations and phytoplankton communities both inside and outside the lagoon?
How will lagoons impact the dispersion of discharges from 3rd party assets such as trade effluents and sewage discharges
Next steps and progress: Contract and/or research
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, tidal lagoons, water quality, techniques, turbidity, salinity, temperature, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, bacterial concentrations, phytoplankton communities, discharges, trade effluents, sewage discharges
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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Impact of urban biodiversity on the economic growth and sustainability of a city – a case of tropical Indonesian cities
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This research intends to find the impact of urban biodiversity on a city’s economic growth and sustainability. It will show how urban biodiversity affects various economic growth and sustainability metrics (employment levels, carbon emissions, air quality index, population growth, infrastructure development, etc.) of tropical cities in Indonesia. Moreover, it will show how urban authorities in Indonesia maintain biodiversity and take advantage of it. Lastly, it will recommend learning from Indonesia to increase their urban biodiversity and sustainability.
Keywords (discipline, other): Economics, urban biodiverity, sustainability, growth, sustainable development, Indonesia
Website/URL links: https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=A673B09CD3ADE8F9!70595&migratedtospo=true&redeem=aHR0cHM6Ly8xZHJ2Lm1zL28vcyFBdm5vcmRPY3NIT21oS2REa0RONzJYd2RpWWljSWc_ZT1LcEpUYUQ&wd=target%28Economics.one%7C6f6db21e-3e7a-475f-b60b-1ce0bf02d9f9%2FProject%20ideas%7C1b1bc330-23a9-4d7a-9e61-7a5e8654e522%2F%29&wdorigin=NavigationUrl
Looking for collaborators: No External Partner: No Organisation:
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
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