Modelling the resilience of ecosystem service provision in African landscapes, Global Systems Institute/Geography– PhD (Funded)
Application deadline: 4 March 2022
African landscapes are changing rapidly in response to climatic change and increasing pressures on natural resources to support a rapidly growing population. Models represent one of the most important tools we have for understanding the current and future functioning of landscape systems and the implications of these predictions for the ecosystem services upon which so many Africans depend. However, all models are imperfect, and most are poorly calibrated and validated for important African ecosystems, limiting their capacity to inform decision making and adaptive management.
This PhD project will examine the healthy and resilient functioning of socio-ecological systems including rangelands, croplands and woodlands that support human society, by focusing on the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) land surface model to improve its value to decision makers in Africa.
The studentship will cover international tuition fees, a tax-free stipend of at least £15,609 for four years full-time, and a research training support grant.
