Marine-based research opportunities
Please see below for a list of our marine-based research opportunities in need of project leads, students, volunteers, specialists and professionals. Each project has a 'contact lead' identified at the end of the description. This person and their organization should be your first port of call and will help you write the application to the Jersey Community Foundation for the required funding. Please note, projects listed as (FULLY SUBSCRIBED) are no longer open for applications.
More Information
Les Sauvages is an impressive reef system at the very southeast edge of Jersey’s territorial waters. The rugged topography and strong currents make for interesting biodiversity, both sessile and mobile, that is locally and regionally important. The challenging conditions of this site combined with its distance from the nearest port make surveying here difficult. Despite this, there have been numerous dive surveys here over the years through which sessile diversity has been catalogued. These surveys led to the site being proposed as a No Take Zone (NTZ) through the recent Jersey Marine Spatial Plan due to the high levels of biodiversity recorded. Marine Resources and the Marine Biology Section of the Societe Jersiaise are in search of a Masters student to undertake a study to provide a baseline on the mobile species assemblages using baited videos ahead of this area becoming a NTZ. There will also be scope to update the baseline of sessile diversity, the methods of which are to be determined. Ideally the candidate would look to collect data over 3 to 4 days of surveys in the summer. The survey days do not need to be back to back.
For more information on the project and to apply, please contact Sam Blampied: s.blampied2@gov.je
The western English Channel is currently experiencing changes in its crab population, particularly for brown / edible crab (Cancer pagurus). The intertidal zone plays and important part in the lifecycle of some crab species but there is very little data about this part of their lifecycle. Marine Resources are looking for an undergrad or earthwatch student to examine the ecology, population structure, behaviour and dynamics of several species of intertidal crab species (plus lobsters, if desired). Some data is available from a 2014 intertidal crab survey and landing and offshore survey data are available for commercial species. This project would also monitor the expanding intertidal population of Montagues Crabs (Xantho hydrophilus) and how this is interacting with C. pagurus distributions. There would be potential for some experimental work on mid shore rockpools looking at clearing, recolonisation and competition situations. Additionally, in 2016 a detailed assessment was undertaken of the sudden population explosion of Asian Shore Crabs (Hemigrapsus sanguineus) on Jersey’s East coast. First recorded in 2009 the population of H. sanguineus had remained relatively low until 2016 when record numbers were reported. Further study is required to determine if the 2016 population explosion was a one-off event, if the population is now stabilising or if it may continue to grow in the coming years. As part of this project, the local community could be engaged through a citizen science project to survey areas of the shore. It would be down the student to devise a methodology and create an identification leaflet for these three crab species.
For more information on the project and to apply, please contact Sam Blampied: s.blampied@gov.je
Marine Resources are looking for a masters student to analyse information regarding marine mammals in Jerseys waters. This is a desk-based project that will utilise two large datasets obtained by the MBS/DOE. Since April 2017, 1500+ boat encounters with dolphins, seals and whales have been recorded in Jersey’s territorial waters via a smartphone app. Since March 2017 the Marine Biology Section has had CPOD hydrophones located at various points off Jersey’s coast recording and analysing the clicks made by dolphins passing within a kilometre. Between the 6 CPOD units in use 4000+ encounters have been recorded and analysis of this data set will build on the work of three previous dissertations to understand factors that influence cetacean distributions.
This analysis will require using specialist software to process the data and then to cross-reference the results against environmental and other data. The objective is to try and understand aspects of the movement and behaviours of local dolphins. The project could also look to utilise the last two years of sightings data where over 1000 records have been made in recent years. This project would be primarily desk-based but there is scope for shore-based fieldwork and also the possibility of working with partner organisations in France and the UK.
This project is currently fully subscribed. For information on similar projects and to apply, please contact Sam Blampied: s.blampied2@gov.je
Maerl is a highly biodiverse and sensitive habitat in Jersey's waters. There have been recent efforts to better understand this habitat and it's importance in the local marine environment, from its distribution and associated biodiversity to its fisheries value and blue carbon potential. Some of this research is contained in spreadsheets and has not been fully reported on. Analysis of this data and comparison to both local and global data on maerl will allow a better understanding of the current condition of maerl in Jersey and inform future research and management. The expected output from this desk based study will be a synthesis report that starts with a literature review on maerl, it's importance, and maerl research in wider Europe (or worldwide if relevant), then provides a summary of each study carried out in local waters (some data analysis may be required), and concludes with knowledge gaps and research/management recommendations.
Marine Resources are looking for an undergraduate or masters student to continue research on Jersey's intertidal seagrass beds. This project has been successfully run since 2013 and is ideal for under and postgraduate students in search of field and laboratory work with large datasets. Originally based on the French Water Framework Directive monitoring methodology, the project monitors the health of three of Jersey’s intertidal seagrass beds via a combination of fieldwork (using quadrats and sediment cores) and laboratory and computer-based analysis. Results from this project have been impressive and the first five years’ monitoring are in the process of being published. The field and lab work are flexible and can be fitted around summer work.
For more information on the project and to apply, please contact Sam Blampied: s.blampied2@gov.je
Marine Resources are looking for an undergraduate or masters student to collaborate on proposed seagrass research which aims to build on previous surveys relating to infauna species diversity and carbon storage within seagrass beds of known age. There are currently plans to undertake grab sampling of these seagrass beds and there is scope to expand this research to include CHN (Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen) analysis to improve carbon estimate and CNP (Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus) analysis to obtain health metrics of the seagrass beds. The student would assist in taking the grab samples and processing them in the lab with another MSc student. Samples for CHN and CNP analysis will be sent away to a UK lab. The student would be responsible for analysing the resulting dataset.
For more information on the project and to apply, please contact Sam Blampied: s.blampied2@gov.je
