Fully Funded PhD in Biology: Past-present-future variations in carbon stocks, and trade-offs with other ecosystem services in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Supervisor 1: Prof Lindsey Gillson (Biology)

Supervisor 2: Dr Jonny Gordon (Archaeology)

Supervisor 3: Dr Brennen Fagan (Mathematics)

Home department: Biology

PhD programme: PhD in Biology

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Closing date: 2nd February 2025

Project title: Past-present-future variations in carbon stocks, and trade-offs with other ecosystem services in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Project Description 

Savanna and grassland ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa are important carbon pools and provide a range of ecosystem services. However, they have been targeted for tree planting to increase carbon stocks and mitigate climate change. Better understanding of landscape history and current and future stakeholder needs could lead to more holistic decision making in savanna landscapes that includes ecological, economic and social dimensions. In this project, in collaboration with South African National Parks (SANParks), insights from palaeoecological data showing how tree cover has varied over time will be complemented by participatory stakeholder consultation to inform future management pathways.

You will be based in the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity (LCAB) at the University of York, and undertake fieldwork in South Africa, supervised by Lindsey Gillson, Jonny Gordon and Brennen Fagan, as well as members of Scientific Services in the Kruger National Park.

You will:

● Model tree cover and carbon stocks through time and into the future based on existing palaeoecological data from the Kruger National Park, complemented by surveys of current woody plant cover and carbon stocks.

● Explore future scenarios of ecosystem service bundles as they relate to changing tree cover, in collaboration with SANParks and other stakeholders.

You will ideally have knowledge of African savannas, plant surveying and soil carbon estimation.

Your skills should include some of the following: data analysis, knowledge and experience of a programming language (ideally R), palaeoecology, stakeholder participation and scenario planning. 

You will be able to engage across academic and cultural boundaries.

LCAB provides opportunities to interact with students and researchers across departments and institutions, and will offer additional training as required. Training in some of the above skills will be provided.

Several studentships are available with LCAB – take a look at our others, including the option to submit your own research proposal.

Funding Notes:

This studentship covers UK fees for 4 years and a tax-free stipend to match the UKRI’s minimum rate for 2025/26 for 3.5 years.

Entry requirements:

Students with, or expecting to gain, at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree, or equivalent, are invited to apply. The interdisciplinary nature of this research project means that we welcome applications from students with backgrounds in any relevant subject that provides the necessary skills, knowledge and experience for the project. You will need to submit a 1-page proposal outlining how you would approach the research project. See our FAQs for further details.

Eligibility:

To qualify for UK (home) fee status, you normally need to have UK nationality, and to have been ordinarily resident here for some years to be classified as a home student. Time spent in the UK for educational purposes is not counted as ordinary residence.

Students living in the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey are usually charged the same fee as UK students. EU citizens with settled or pre-settled UK status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, are eligible for a UK rate if the usual residency requirements are met.

Interviews: Feb/March 2025