PhD Studentship: The ecology and functional role of demersal deep-water elasmobranchs. NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2026 Entry

University of Exeter - Department of Ecology and Conservation

About the Partnership

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP).  The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners:  British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology,  the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory.  The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/

For eligible successful applicants, the studentships comprises:

• An stipend for 3.5 years (currently £20,780 p.a. for 2026/27) in line with UK Research and Innovation rates
• Payment of university tuition fees
• The budget for project costs is £9,000 which can be used for computer, lab, and fieldwork costs necessary for you to conduct your research.
• There is also a conference budget of £2,000 and individual Training Budget of £1,000 for specialist training

Project Aims and Methods

Larger deep-water sharks, many of which are slow-growing and late to mature, have been heavily targeted by commercial fisheries, leading to significant population declines across much of their range (Finucci et al., 2024). As these apex predators have diminished, smaller non-targeted species, particularly catsharks, appear to be increasing in abundance (Neat et al., 2015). Changes in demersal shark communities may have ecosystem level impacts that must be considered as part of sustainable management of the deep ocean, and in light of the new High Seas Treaty. This studentship will ask: how are deep-water elasmobranchs distributed in the North-East Atlantic? how might that shift under climate change? how do deep-water elasmobranchs use or associate with benthic habitats? what role do they play in deep-sea food webs? how might key species respond to cumulative impacts? The questions are deliberately broad to provide scope for the student to shape the research direction, however, that direction is constrained by access to physical samples and observations, which are provided by PML and Marine Science Scotland. The student will receive training in elasmobranch taxonomy both from imagery and physical specimens, species distribution modelling, stomach content and dietary isotope analysis, and ecosystem modelling.

Useful recruitment links:

For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via: kho@pml.ac.uk

This Project will be hosted by Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) but you will need to apply to the University of Exeter as the registered University who will be awarding the PhD.