Exploring dynamics of natural capital in coastal barrier systems
Not stated
- Location
- Southampton, United Kingdom
- Funding
- Fully funded (UK and international); Stipend in line with UKRI standard levels, including the recent cost of living increase
- Application deadline
- See university guidance
About the project
Coastal barrier systems – environments typified by beaches, ridges, dunes, floodplains, and wetlands – provide a wide variety of ecosystem services, from flood protection and carbon sequestration to recreation and cultural heritage. Some ecosystem services may be quantified in economic terms of natural capital: resources of some estimable value to people.
This project will explore and quantify how ecosystem services – and natural capital, specifically – manifest in coastal barrier systems in the UK and elsewhere around the world. Given that there are many types of coastal barrier systems, how does their natural capital differ? Furthermore, because coastal barrier systems are inherently dynamic, changing gradually over time and suddenly with storm events, how do stocks of natural capital change with them? How are different types of ecosystem services, and stocks of natural capital, linked in space and time? Where are there trade-offs in space and time between different types of ecosystem services and stocks of natural capital?
Insight into these and other fundamental questions regarding the dynamics of ecosystem services and natural capital in coastal barrier systems is essential for most effectively supporting their sustainable management and stewardship in the context of future climate change.
For full project details visit the Inspire project page .
Supervisors
- Dr Eli Lazarus (University of Southampton)
- Professor Felix Eigenbrod (University of Southampton)
- Nick Williams (Natural England)
- Emma Wright (Joint Nature Conservation Committee)
Professor Eli Lazarus
- coastal and fluvial dynamics
- geomorphology
- human-environmental coupled systems
Supervisors
- Supervisors: Professor Felix Eigenbrod Professor of Applied Spatial Ecology
Professor Felix Eigenbrod
- Professor Felix Eigenbrod: Professor of Applied Spatial Ecology
Entry requirements
A 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent , in one of these subjects:
- any Earth or environmental science discipline
- any numerate discipline
- biology
- oceanography
- marine science
Fees and funding
INSPIRE studentships are funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC, part of UK Research and Innovation, UKRI). The stipend is in line with UKRI standard levels, including the recent cost of living increase.
All studentships are fully funded for 3.5 years.
How to apply
To make an application, visit the how to apply section of the INSPIRE website .
Contact us
For questions about the project, contact Dr Eli Lazarus.
Email: E.D.Lazarus@soton.ac.uk
For questions about the application process, contact the graduate school office.
Email: gsnocs@soton.ac.uk