I’m looking to recruit a new PhD student (international or domestic) to work on integrating ecological and social dynamics for the assessment of marine ecosystems. The project includes a CSIRO top-up so total annual living allowance scholarship of ~$42,000.
More details on the UTas page.
The project will be based at the University of Tasmania, in Hobart, Australia, and will be supervised by myself and other members of the Centre for Marine Socioecology and CSIRO.
The integrated assessment of development and use impacts on Australia’s marine estate examines the comprehensive effects of human activities on the marine environment (direct and indirect). By evaluating the consequences of development and resource use, it aids in informed decision-making, sustainable management, and the use and protection of Australia’s marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Integrated Ecosystem Assessment has been called for in Australia by the National Marine Science Committee as part of planning Australia ocean use and maximising benefit. In Australia, IEA could support managers and policy makers to find solutions that support triple-bottom line outcomes across multiple use including fisheries, cultural, tourism, aquaculture and renewable energy.
Aims/Objectives Develop modelling approaches for integrated ecosystem assessment that represent the human dimensions and support social-ecological system stewardship. Assess triple-bottom-line outcomes (economic, ecological and social) from changes to management in the marine environment. The focal area will be south-east marine ecosystems, including Bass Strait soft sediment ecosystems and the Great Southern Reef. The work will aim to inform on policies for ecosystem assessment in government and national assessments such as the State of Environment Reporting.
Methods This project is supported by a CSIRO R+ top-up and project funds. Ecosystem models that include qualitative network models and dynamic end-to-end models will be further developed to include social dynamics. Emphasis will be placed on representing cross-sectorial interactions, such as the influence of offshore infrastructure on changes in fishing distribution, and corresponding changes in ecosystems.
The case-study application to Bass Strait will assess dynamic interactions among fisheries, aquaculture, renewables and protected areas. The case-study for the Great Southern Reef will assess interactions among restoration, recreational fisheries and cultural values.
Designed by Chris Brown. Source on Github