University of Plymouth, England invites online Application for number of Fully Funded PhD Positions at various Departments. We are providing a list of Fully Funded PhD Programs available at University of Plymouth, England
Eligible candidate may Apply as soon as possible.
(01) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Swamped: Is Crassula helmsii a significant threat to wetland biodiversity?
Biological invasions represent one of the most significant threats to biodiversity. Freshwaters are disproportionately affected by such invasions, and home to a disproportionately large proportion of biodiversity, especially invertebrates. They also provide crucial ecosystem services. Crassula helmsii, a native Australasian plant, has been aggressively invading European freshwaters for over 30 years, with drastic consequences for their floristic diversity. Understanding of Crassula’s impacts on invertebrates, which make up the bulk of freshwater diversity, are more limited. Our work suggests that whilst Crassula invasion changes community composition and function, it does not lead to drastic declines in fully aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity or biomass. Much of the biodiversity in sites invaded by Crassula is not fully aquatic, however, with many specialist wetland invertebrates living in the seasonally flooded margins, which are heavily invaded, alongside open water habitats. The impact of Crassula on this critical component of wetland ecosystems remains unknown, and there is an urgent need for quantitative data to inform management and policy.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(02) PhD Positions- Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: The biology and ecology of disease in seagrass: Understanding the pseudo-fungus Phytophthora gemini and its impact on common eelgrass (Zostera marina) development
Seagrass meadows, such as those formed by Zostera marina (common eelgrass), are vital marine ecosystems that support biodiversity, stabilise sediments and sequester carbon. However, these meadows are increasingly threatened by climate change, pollution and disease. Emerging evidence highlights the role of microbial pathogens, especially the pseudofungus Phytophthora gemini (a fungus-like oomycete), in undermining restoration efforts by infecting eelgrass seeds and seedlings. This project addresses a critical knowledge gap in the biology and ecology of seagrass pathogens and their impact on restoration success, offering timely insights into disease mitigation strategies.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
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(03) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Anthropogenic impacts on growth and protein metabolism in the European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(04) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Sitting ducks, what’s the flux? The impact of seabird nest abundance and spatial distribution on ecosystem processes
- Objective 1: Quantify the “nest footprint” by establishing relationships with soil microclimate, plant community, and carbon flux, and by mapping how these effects decay with distance from the nest.
- Objective 2: Test whether nest footprint varies systematically with position in a ‘landscape of fear’.
- Objective 3: Develop spatially explicit models to predict how nest footprints combine to generate landscape-level variation in microclimate, carbon flux, and plant biodiversity under different stressors or population management.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(05) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Ecology of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: connecting functional diversity and resilience
Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), such as deep-sea coral gardens and sponge fields, are biodiversity hotspots that deliver critical ecosystem services through their complex structures. However, they face increasing threats from fishing, resource extraction, and climate change. Functional diversity -the range of ecological roles species fulfil within a community – is central to ecosystem resilience, but remains poorly understood in VMEs. Quantifying VME functional diversity can help assess vulnerability and guide conservation of VMEs. This project will advance our understanding of VME functional ecology and develop science-based indicators of ecosystem health, directly supporting international policy goals for deep-sea biodiversity protection.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
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(06) PhD Positions- Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Impacts of UK heatwaves on coastal biodiversity: from genes to ecosystems
Climate change is driving more frequent and intense heatwaves, with major consequences for biodiversity, ecological functioning, and ecosystem services provided to society. In coastal habitats, most research has focused on impacts of marine heatwaves in subtidal environments and tropical or sub-tropical regions, while the temperate intertidal zone remains relatively underexplored, despite being one of the most thermally extreme habitats on Earth. Intertidal organisms face unique challenges, exposed to both marine and atmospheric heatwaves, often in rapid succession or concomitantly. Understanding individual-level responses, and the mechanisms underpinning these, is vital to identifying sensitive and resilient populations and species. Scaling from individuals to community-level responses is then essential for identifying ecological tipping points and forecasting climate change impacts in complex marine ecosystems.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(07) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Next-Generation Sensors for Tracking Calcium and Magnesium in Marine Ecosystems
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(08) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: The role of climate and tectonics on correlated and path dependent landsliding
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
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(09) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Nanoplastic-phytoplankton interactions under ocean warming and their multi-stressor effects
Our seas have absorbed ~90% of the heat accumulated on Earth in the past 50 years. Consequently, sea surface temperatures and the frequency of marine heatwaves are increasing rapidly. Meanwhile, millions of tons of plastics enter the marine environment every year. Continual fragmentation has led to the occurrence of nano-scale plastic particles (nanoplastics; 1-1000 nm) which represent the majority of plastic in the ocean. The impact of nanoplastics on marine life and ecosystem function requires attention to understand the risk of these abundant pollutants in the context of other co-occurring environmental stressors. The influence of ocean warming on the biouptake of nanoplastics will be explored under simulated natural conditions in the laboratory. Marine phytoplankton, which act as the base of the marine food web and contribute to major global biogeochemical cycles, will be used as a model to understand bioaccumulation of nanoplastics and any impact of exposure on oceanic carbon cycling in the future warmed ocean.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(10) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Tools for assessing microbial risks of groundwater heating
We invite applications for an exciting project that will explore how microbes interact with aquifer energy systems, a crucial technology in the decarbonisation of our built environment. The project will involve field and laboratory investigations to understand how temperature changes associated with ground source heating and cooling will affect the microbiology in groundwater. Changes to microbial community diversity and number (including pathogens); precipitation/dissolution/biofilm formation; organic matter degradation; redox status of groundwater and production of toxic products; and decomposition and mobilisation of contaminants have been identified as potential consequences of increased groundwater temperatures in the Environment Agency Ground Source Heating and Cooling systems map (https://kumu.io/csgnz/environment-agency-gshc-systems-map-2024 ). All these impacts are identified as having “complex/uncertain” interactions indicating the need for further research.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
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(11) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Hot rocks and hidden metals: The porosity puzzle of the Cornubian batholith
The Cornubian batholith of SW England represents a crucial resource for the UK’s Energy Transition, providing a source of critical metals (Li, Sn, W) and heat for geothermal projects. Deep crustal fluid flow and the resulting fluid-rock reactions that mobilise heat and metals into the fluids are key to its potential as an economic resource. However, the nature of the porosity and permeability which controls fluid flow within these rocks is poorly understood, limiting our ability to capitalise on their resource potential. Central to this problem is the uncharacterised role of microporosity (i.e. grain scale) versus the broader macro-scale porosity and permeability generated by local and regional structures (e.g., faults and fractures). How does microporosity vary across the granites, how is this impacted by mineralogy and macroscopic structures, and how can we scale lab-based measurements of porosity with field observations? The answers to these questions will provide a new and much needed understanding of the controls of fluid-flow processes in the Cornubian batholith and their controls on the fluid mobilization of geothermal heat and metals.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
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(12) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Microbial drivers of Temperate Rainforest expansion and functional resilience
The British and Irish Isles have very low levels of current tree cover and what remains is frequently of poor condition [1]. The UK government has therefore proposed increasing tree cover through tree planting and natural regeneration via seed dispersal. Tree planting is expensive but necessary for woodland expansion in areas lacking trees [2], yet the relative capacity of planted woodland and natural regeneration to support healthy and resilient native woodland is still unclear [3]. In particular, we know little about the roles of soil regeneration and associated microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) for supporting woodland restoration [4]. This project will focus on temperate rainforests of SW England, examining the connection between woodland restoration, soil condition and biodiversity in temperate rainforests of SW England.
Deadline : 7 January 2026
(13) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: From Oceans to Clouds: Is the Antarctic ocean microlayer a source of cloud forming particles?
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(14) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Dynamics of land-to-lake transfers in the Lake Victoria basin
The Winam Gulf catchment of Lake Victoria has historically been affected by poor land management practices leading to soil erosion, loss of agricultural productivity, flooding and downstream impact on lake ecology and associated fisheries. A gap in local knowledge/data and technical capacity to coordinate and deliver usable data tools was identified. This gap inhibits the dynamic understanding of the impact of soil degradation on soil-to-crop dynamics and subsequent impact on lake ecosystem/human health via the food chain. This is particularly pertinent given the growing importance of aquaculture to economic and food security in the Lake Victoria basin. Limited resources to monitor and regulate land degradation and inputs into the lake environment require scalable geospatial tools to direct limited resources for the mitigation of land degradation.
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
(15) PhD Positions – Fully Funded
PhD position summary/title: Peatlands on the edge: integrating modern and long-term ecology to inform UK peatland fire management in a changing climate
Climate change is increasing wildfire risk globally. In the UK, peatland wildfires have been frequent and severe in recent years(1). Peatlands are important carbon-rich biodiverse ecosystems. Wildfire can severely damage peatlands with significant environmental impacts(3). Fire has played an important role in shaping landscapes historically(2), but uncontrolled fires lead to loss of ecosystem function and reduced peatland carbon storage capacity(3). This research aims to inform future peatland fire management strategies and improve understanding of carbon loss following fire events. Information about recent and long-term past ecological trends(4) in response to fire, climate and vegetation change will be integrated with modern ecological research
Deadline : 7 January 2026.
About University of Plymouth, England –Official Website
The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With 18,410 students, it is the 57th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students (including the Open University).
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