Predicting Synergistic Effects of Multiple Stressors on Estuarine Hydro-Ecological Resilience

This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit:  https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/

Estuaries, essential for human well-being and socioeconomic development, are increasingly threatened by climate change, pollution, habitat loss, over-abstraction, and invasive species. These stressors often interact, creating complex and unpredictable impacts on estuarine health. While individual stressor effects are well studied, understanding their combined impacts is crucial for effective management. This PhD project addresses this gap using a holistic approach that integrates data science (Dr Sandhya Patidar, HWU), hydro-ecological modelling (Dr Cedric Laize, UKCEH), and water quality modelling (Dr Michael Hutchins, UKCEH), with collaboration from partners Dr Rob Collins (The Rivers Trust) and stakeholders at SEPA and RSPB.

The student will gain expertise in interdisciplinary research, combining data science (statistical, time-series, machine learning), hydro-ecology, and water quality modelling, with a focus on climate change and environmental impact assessment. They will develop programming skills in R or Python to process diverse hydro-ecological, water quality, climate, and flow datasets. By integrating data science with physics/process-based models, they will study multi-stressor impacts. The student will also enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, while collaborating with partner, stakeholders and professionals from various fields. They will have opportunities to present work through seminars, publications, and media outreach.

This project is novel in its holistic approach to understanding how multiple stressors interact to impact estuarine resilience. Unlike previous studies that focus on individual factors, it combines data science and physics/process-based modelling to analyse complex interplay of various stressors using diverse dataset. The innovative tools will assess estuarine dynamics, identify long-term trends and short-term fluctuations, and conduct scenario-based impact analysis. Collaborating with partners and stakeholders, students will create scenarios for risk mitigation and management strategies, which will be evaluated using the diagnostic tool. The project’s outcomes will provide critical insights to support sustainable decision-making for estuarine conservation.

Estuaries are under siege from multiple stressors, pollution, including habitat degradation, and climate change, with stressors often interacting in unpredictable ways. Our limited understanding of these cumulative impacts makes it challenging to develop effective risk mitigation strategies. To address this, the project will advance data modelling to better understand estuarine responses to stressors and create predictive models for impact assessment. These models will inform evidence-based risk mitigation and management strategies for estuarine protection and restoration. Engaging policymakers, environmental managers, and coastal communities is crucial, though aligning research with their needs presents a challenge that the project is designed to overcome.

Funding

This is a full scholarship which will cover tuition fees for Home students and provide an annual stipend in line with UKRI recommended levels (£19,795 in 2025-26) for the 44 months duration of the project.

International candidates may apply but if successful, will need to demonstrate that they (or their supervisory team) have co-funding to cover the difference between home and international fees to be eligible. The difference in fees varies by programme. The current difference for 2024/25 academic year is approximately £20,000 per year.

Supervisors

Dr Sandhya Patidar – Heriot Watt University

Dr Rob Collins – The Rivers Trust

Dr Cedric Laize – UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Dr Michael Hutchins – UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Eligibility

This project is available to home and overseas students*. Applicants typically should have a first or upper second-class honours degree or equivalent in an appropriate subject and preferably a relevant Masters’ qualification or similar experience.

Essential Skills:

• Data analysis
• Modelling
• Communication skills across a broad range of stakeholders

We recognise that not every talented researcher will have had the same opportunities to advance their careers. We therefore will account for any particular circumstances that applicants disclose (e.g. parental leave, caring duties, part-time jobs to support studies, disabilities etc.) to ensure an inclusive and fair recruitment process.

*Due to CDT funding rules and Institutional policies, there is a cap on the number of scholarships that can be awarded to international students. Once this limit has been reached, ECOWILD CDT scholarship will only be awarded to students who are eligible for Home fee status.

English Language Requirements

Overseas students must be able to provide proof of their ability in the English language.

We require an IELTS certificate showing an overall score of at least 6.5 with no component scoring less than 6.0, or a TOEFL certificate with an overall score of at least 85, including reading 20, listening 19, speaking 20 and writing 21. Alternatively, if you have received an English-taught Bachelors or Masters degree from one of the countries listed on the UK Government Guidance under ‘Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English’, and it was obtained less than two years from your intended start date, you should provide evidence of your award that clearly states it was delivered and assessed in English language.

How to Apply

For information on how to apply, please visit the ECOWILD website: https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/how-to-apply/

For project specific enquiries, please contact S.Patidar@hw.ac.uk

For general enquiries or technical support with your application, please contact ecowild@hw.ac.uk

Timelines

The closing date for applications is 5pm GMT Thursday 9th January, and applicants must be available to start in October 2025.