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.
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What is the source apportionment of nutrients to Welsh estuarine and coastal waters?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
We need to investigate the sources and apportionment of nutrients coming into our estuaries and causing water quality failures there. Modelling is needed to identify those sources. Many of our transitional and coastal waters fail for Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) and five of our Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and their features are in unfavourable condition due to DIN. Any modelling would need to be able to represent diffuse and point sources, including continuous and intermittent discharges, entering these systems both direct and from the catchment. An additional part of the project would be to add aerial deposition of Nitrogen to the project to look at apportionment in the estuarine and coastal environment.
Next steps and progress: Some water body failures and SAC feature failures to be taken forward by the National Environment Programme; further investigation needed for other water bodies.
Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, apportionment of nutrients, estuarine, coastal waters, water quality failure, modelling, transitional waters, Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, Special Areas of Conservation, SAC, diffuse source, point source, National Environment Programme
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 is the source apportionment of nutrients to Welsh estuarine and coastal waters?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
We need to investigate the sources and apportionment of nutrients coming into our estuaries and causing water quality failures there. Modelling is needed to identify those sources. Many of our transitional and coastal waters fail for Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN). Any modelling would need to be able to represent diffuse and point sources, including continuous and intermittent discharges, entering these systems both direct and from the catchment. An additional part of the project would be to add aerial deposition of Nitrogen to the project to look at apportionment in the estuarine and coastal environment. Next steps and progress: Seek external funding or collaborative working.
Keywords (discipline, other): Source apportionment, Nutrients, Welsh estuaries, Coastal waters, Water quality, Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, Modelling, Point sources, Diffuse sources, Aerial deposition, External funding
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 spatial extent and types of recreational use of the coast?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This evidence would help evaluate the importance of the coast for well-being and to the economy in terms of recreation
Keywords (discipline, other): Coastal margins
Marine
Land use and soil
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 spatial extent, rate and severity of soil loss in Wales? Do rates of soil loss exceed soil formation rates?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This is a priority in order to assess the extent to which SMNR is being achieved. This relates to Aim 1. Are stocks of natural resources being maintained and enhanced.
Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Woodland
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Freshwater
Coastal margins
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
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 is the state of urban green spaces in Wales? An assessment of the quality of management of publicly accessible green space which has not been entered into the Green Flag or Blue Flag Award schemes.
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
People need to access urban green space daily to remain well, but poorly managed urban green space deters people from using it. It also fails to deliver other ecosystem servies such as heat regulation and air pollution control. Systematic sampling and monitoring will show if urban green space is being managed sustainably. Currently, only a minority of urban green spaces are assessed for management quality (Green, and Blue Flag Awards)
Keywords (discipline, other): Sustainability, Planning, Environmental Policy, green space, assessment, management quality, ecosystem services, Urban, Ecosystem resilience, 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: No External Partner: Yes Organisation: Natural Resources Wales
Contact Details
Name: Email Address: Phone: NA
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What is the status and potential long term trends of regional sediment budgets in coastal margins?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Evaluate extent of pressure and identify areas for intervention.
Keywords (discipline, other): Coastal margins
Marine
Land use and soil
Freshwater
Ecosystem resilience
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 is the toxicity of pesticides being applied to land and the variety of pesticides used on a single crop?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Fera Science provides data on the weight and treated areas but there is limited data on the toxicity of pesticides. The weight of pesticides applied to land has decreased over past 25 years but the hectarage and the frequency of treatments have increased. This could be having impacts on ecosystems and the soil, especially if the toxicity levels have increased.
Keywords (discipline, other): Enclosed farmland
Land use and soil
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 trend in airborne insect abundance and diversity in urban areas compared to in the wider landscape?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
Insect abundance in the wider landscape has declined drastically. Comparing insect abundance in urban areas will indicate if urban areas are being managed more, or less sustainably than the wider landscape. This could help develop hypotheses to test why declines are happening, and how to arrest them. Focussing on insects as this is currently lacking.
Keywords (discipline, other): Urban
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 trend in distribution and impact of invasive non-native species of priority to Wales?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
This would establish if any trend in terms of the impact on ecosystems, their resilience and the ecosystem services they provide could be derived from the distribution data and the information we have about impacts.
Keywords (discipline, other): Invasive non-native species
Woodland
Marine
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Freshwater
Coastal margins
Urban
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
Land use and soil
Ecosystem resilience
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 is the trend in the quantity of organic fertiliser, manure and slurry, being spread on grassland? If an increase has occurred, which farming systems are responsible for this?
Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:
There is some evidence that rates of nutrient inputs from animal waste are increasing. We wish to quantify this and pinpoint the main contributors. Increased nutrient levels would have a further detrimental impact on air and water quality as well as biodiversity.
Keywords (discipline, other): Enclosed farmland
Freshwater
Land use and soil
Air quality
Waste
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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