Overview
Reintroduced populations face novel environmental pressures including altered vegetation communities, climate variability, and spatial isolation. Across the UK, large herbivores like bison and elk are being reintroduced to landscapes after extinction of related large herbivores, whereas in other areas, the overabundance of deer species are causing devastation to ecological systems.
About this opportunity
The ongoing rewilding initiatives in the UK are not only restoring ecosystems but are also providing a unique opportunity to study morphological trait evolution in isolated populations. Studying trait evolution in slow evolving mammals, such as large artiodactyls, can help inform or predict trait shifts in rewilded population. Habitat fragmentation, land management and climate changes have led to distinct selective pressures that influence morphological traits such as skull shape, body mass, and limb length. For example, climate and land management impact grazing pressures and plant availability, shaping dietary adaptations and subsequently influencing skull and body morphology. Understanding these evolutionary dynamics is crucial as they elucidate how populations adapt over time, especially in the context of ecological restoration.
This project aims to quantify how founder effects, environmental pressures, and interspecific competition drive morphological trait changes over time, using Artiodactyla as a model system to inform population management of rewilded communities in the UK.
The student will join the Principal Supervisor, Dr Alana Sharp (https://alanacsharp.weebly.com/research.html), in the Evolutionary Morphology and Biomechanics (EMB) research group at the University of Liverpool, a vibrant and diverse research group with students and postdocs working on evolutionary dynamics of eco-functional morphology. Co supervision will be provided by Dr Thomas Guillerme (University of Sheffield) and Dr Tori Herridge (University of Sheffield).
In addition, this project involves placements supervised by Janice Bradley (Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust) and Lorienne Whittle (Nattergal Ltd) to gain experience outside of academia and develop practical hands-on skills. These partnerships provide added value for the student to gain experience in conservation outside of academia. The student will visit both sites, working with Rangers and volunteers, and receive training in ecological surveys and public outreach. All other project-specific training will be provided by the supervisors, and a wide range of additional training resources are available through the University of Liverpool Doctoral College.
This project would be ideal for a candidate with a high 2.1 or 1st class Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in zoology, biosciences, vertebrate palaeontology, or with equivalent relevant expertise. Prior experience with statistics, geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic methods would be a bonus but is not essential as training will be provided during the PhD.
Project CASE Status
This project is a CASE project. Your project will be co-supervised by the non-academic partner organisation, and you will spend 3-6 months on a placement with your CASE partner in their workplace. You will experience training, facilities and expertise not available in an academic setting, and will build business and research collaborations.