The aim of this PhD position is to assess the impact of multiple stressors from agricultural headwater catchments in Europe on aquatic ecology. The objectives of the project are to:
- Assess the impact of acute and chronic inputs of multiple pollutants (including P, N and sediment) and flow variability on aquatic bio-indicators
- Establish the mechanism by which nitrate can impact aquatic communities
- Establish ecological impact thresholds for nitrate and sediment
The project will consist of an exciting combination of fieldwork, mesocosm and laboratory studies. It will address the need for better data on the interaction of multiple pollutants/stressors in the context of acute vs chronic inputs and climate change.
The project will be supervised by Dr Daire Ó hUallacháin & Dr Per-Erik Mellander (Teagasc, Ireland); and Prof Mary Kelly Quinn & Dr Marcin Penk (University College Dublin, Ireland).
The position duration is three years. The doctoral candidate will be based in Teagasc in the Environment, Soils and Land Use Department (https://www.teagasc.ie/environment/johnstown/), located in Wexford, Ireland.
As part of this PhD position, the doctoral candidate will have an opportunity to take part in short visits and secondments to BEYOND partners, including The James Hutton Institute (UK), Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet (Sweden) and WasserCluster Lunz (Austria) for additional training and knowledge exchange.
The expected start date for this position is between the 1st of July and the 30th of September 2025.
Candidates selected for interviews will be contacted within one month from the closing date.
