PhD opportunities in kelp forest ecology, restoration and marine protected areas at the University of Auckland

Three new PhD positions are available in the University of Auckland’s Rocky Reef Ecology Lab, based in the Institute of Marine Science at the Leigh Marine Laboratory. These projects will address research questions that complement ongoing research, but students will have the opportunity to independently develop and pursue related research questions. We are seeking students with varying combinations of skills from scientific diving, small boat experience, quantitative and GIS skills, and a demonstrated ability to publish scientific papers.  Each position includes a three-year scholarship covering a $33,000 pa stipend and full tuition fees. To be eligible for the PhD program students must have previously undertaken independent research in a related field as part of an Honour’s or Master’s degree.

Ideally the successful applicants will be based at the Leigh Marine Laboratory, which is situated on the beautiful coastline of northeastern New Zealand, approximately one hour north of Auckland. The lab provides easy access to boats, vehicles and equipment for fieldwork, along with flow-through seawater facilities and laboratories for running experiments and analyses. https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/about-the-faculty/university-reserves/leigh-marine-laboratory.html

For more information or to apply for one of these positions please send a cover letter, CV and academic transcript to Associate Professor Nick Shears (n.shears@auckland.ac.nz) by 31st May 2024. Check out what we do on Instagram: #nzreefs

Download pdf of PhD advertisement UoA PhD scholarships 2024 

Kina barrens and restored macroalgal forest following kina removal at Hauturu-o-Toi/Little Barrier Island. Photos by Paul Caiger

1. Climate-consequences of kelp forest loss and the effectiveness of restoration Kelp forests are increasingly being promoted as important blue carbon ecosystems, yet empirical evidence of the contribution of kelp forests to climate change mitigation and the wider consequences of kelp loss is limited. For example, alternate ecosystem states such as urchin barrens and turfing algae may be net producers of CO₂ meaning that shifts to these states may have greater impacts in terms of climate change mitigation than the loss of kelp alone. This project will use a combination of field and lab-based studies to examine how shifts from kelp forest to deforested reef states impacts the biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and service provisioning of reefs.  It will also examine the effectiveness of marine protected areas and other kelp restoration approaches (e.g. urchin removal) in restoring ecosystem function and biodiversity on reefs. Supervisors: Nick Shears, Caitlin Blain and Kelsey Miller

The subtropical sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii is increasing in northern Aotearoa New Zealand. Photo by Paul Caiger

2. Understanding and managing the emerging threat of Centrostephanus rodgersii With warming temperatures, the subtropical sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii is increasing and poses a major threat to northern Aotearoa’s reefs. However, little is known about the current distribution and impacts of this species, and the potential importance of predators in controlling C. rodgersii populations.  This project will undertake C. rodgersii removal experiments at the Poor Knights Islands in collaboration with the Department of Conservation and investigate the potential role of predators (in particular lobster) in controlling C. rodgersii using a combination of field and tank-based experiments. Additional aspects may include examining urchin behaviour and interspecific competition, and the regional distribution of C. rodgersii through analysis of reef photos using AI. Supervisors: Nick Shears, Arie Spyksma

Snapper Pagrus auratus in the Leigh Marine Reserve. Photo by Paul Caiger

3. Investigating the contribution of protected snapper populations to surrounding fisheries Marine protected areas (MPAs) are expected to contribute to surrounding fisheries as fish are larger and in potentially better condition than in fished areas, and therefore produce more and better-quality gametes. However, the contribution of these fish to adjacent populations and fisheries, versus the potential impacts of displaced fishing effort, is less well understood. This project will use a combination of approaches to examine this question, including video survey methods to estimate snapper size, abundance and egg production inside and outside MPAs, and analysis of existing acoustic tracking data to describe snapper movement and spawning dynamics. Additional aspects may include hydrodynamic modelling of larval dispersal from existing and proposed MPAs, analysis of fishing effort data, and spatial modelling of all these aspects to better understand the interaction between MPAs and the snapper fishery.  Supervisors: Nick Shears, Craig Radford and Benn Hanns