Application Deadline: 30 April 2026
Details
Sphagnum mosses are keystone species in peatland ecosystems, acting as ecosystem engineers that maintain wet conditions, promote bog growth, and underpin vital ecosystem services such as biodiversity, flood alleviation and carbon sequestration. However, Sphagnum is highly sensitive to disturbance.
The UK supports 15% of the world’s blanket peatlands, but much of this vital resource has been severely damaged over the last ~200 years by atmospheric pollution and human action. Damaged peatlands lose their vegetation cover and hydrological integrity, causing them to dry out and erode. Water then flows rapidly across bare surfaces and through erosional channels, exacerbating these problems and increasing the risk of flooding downstream. Over the past 20 years, over £250m has been invested in UK peatland restoration. Recently, focus has shifted from halting erosion to reintroducing Sphagnum moss as part of multi-benefit ecological and hydrological restoration initiatives.
The University of Manchester has worked closely with Moors for the Future Partnership and National Trust to restore our local peatlands in the Peak District and Pennines1 and understand the unique contribution of Sphagnum moss to healthy peatland function. Our research shows that planting Sphagnum during restoration significantly slows peatland runoff2, likely due to increased roughness. However, we are yet to quantify how Sphagnum increases surface roughness, limiting our ability to scale up the impacts of Sphagnum on runoff through modelling.
This PhD will advance our understanding of the impact of replanting Sphagnum on peatland hydrology and flood risk reduction by measuring the roughness that Sphagnum brings to restored peatland landscapes. The successful candidate will conduct fieldwork at our outdoor laboratory in the Kinder National Nature Reserve3 and lab work using experimental flumes. They will also collaborate with our wider network, including Moors for the Future Partnership and colleagues at Newcastle University and Manchester Metropolitan University.
The application deadline will be Midnight (GMT) on 30th April 2026. Apply online for a PhD in Physical Geography at the University of Manchester at the University of Manchester.
Under Section 6 Research Details select ‘Yes’ to Are you applying for an advertised project. Insert the project title as stated at the top of the advert. It is recommended when entering the name of the supervisor to simply enter this and not use the supervisor search function.
Indicate in Section 9 Funding Sources your intention to apply for the Sphagnum Moss Studentship.
Please ensure all required supporting documents are included at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered. Your application must include the following:
- A copy of your Bachelor’s academic transcript and certificate.
- A copy of your Master’s academic transcript and certificate. If your Master’s degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
- If you have completed more than one Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, please provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, please also include an official document from your university verifying this information.
- An academic CV, summarising your employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
- Supporting statement of a maximum of 700 words indicating why you would like to undertake this studentship and explaining how your focus, experience, and skills link to the research outlined above
- Example of a piece of academic writing produced by you of up to 5,000 words (you may consider submitting two shorter pieces if this deals separately with conceptual and empirical analyses). This may be an academic essay or chapter(s) from a dissertation, in which case, an abstract or introduction outlining the context/aims/research questions of the study must also be included. In Section 12, upload the Writing Sample under Research Statement/Proposal and label it clearly as “Writing Sample.”
- You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution). Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following the submission of your application form. You may wish to contact your referees to request they submit your reference in a reasonable timeframe as this forms part of the review process.
- A PhD Proposal is not required.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please contact Emma Shuttleworth (emma.shuttleworth@manchester.ac.uk)
Formal interviews: Interviews are expected to take place in late May.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and are at the heart of all of our activities. We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.
We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.
Funding Notes
3.5 year studentship starting in September 2026 covering International/Home fees, Stipend and RTSG.
References
Shuttleworth, E.L., Evans, M.G., Pilkington, M., Spencer, T., Walker, J., Milledge, D. and Allott, T.E., 2019. Restoration of blanket peat moorland delays stormflow from hillslopes and reduces peak discharge. Journal of Hydrology X, 2, p.100006.
Goudarzi, S., Milledge, D., Holden, J., Evans, M., Allott, T., Johnston, A., Shuttleworth, E., Kay, M., Brown, D., Rees, J. and Edokpa, D., 2024. Natural flood management through peatland restoration: catchment‐scale modeling of past and future scenarios in Glossop, UK. Water Resources Research, 60(8), p.e2024WR037320.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/services/media/kinder-scout-national-nature-reserve-extended-climate-change-research
