草霉视频

Director of Studies: Professor Kerry Howell; and Univerisity of 草霉视频 profile  

4th Supervisor: , University of Aveiro, Portugal 

Applications are invited for a 3.5 years PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 1 October 2026

Scientific background
Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), such as deep-sea coral gardens and sponge fields, are biodiversity hotspots that deliver critical ecosystem services through their complex structures. However, they face increasing threats from fishing, resource extraction, and climate change. Functional diversity -the range of ecological roles species fulfil within a community -  is central to ecosystem resilience, but remains poorly understood in VMEs. Quantifying VME functional diversity can help assess vulnerability and guide conservation of VMEs. This project will advance our understanding of VME functional ecology and develop science-based indicators of ecosystem health, directly supporting international policy goals for deep-sea biodiversity protection. 

Research methodology
This project will combine seafloor visual survey, targeted sampling and AI-assisted image analyses to:

The candidate will gain skills in:

Professional development will include research cruises, collaboration with international scientific presentations, and co-authorship of additional non-PhD publications. This training will prepare the candidate for careers in academia, environmental consultancy, conservation, and resource management.

We seek a motivated candidate with strong analytical skills, and interest in biodiversity, functional ecology, image/video analysis, and conservation. Experience with programming, statistical analysis, or spatial modelling is desirable but not essential, as full training will be provided. A willingness to join multi-week ship-based fieldwork is welcomed but not required. 

Susini, I., Tillin, H.M., Anderson, L., Robertson, C.M., Rees, S. and Howell, K.L., 2025. Towards Greater Standardisation in Benthic Trait Research to Support Application to Environmental Management. Ecology and Evolution, 15(3), p.e71072. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71072

Piechaud, N. and Howell, K.L., 2022. Fast and accurate mapping of fine scale abundance of a VME in the deep sea with computer vision. Ecological Informatics, 71, p.101786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101786

Howell, K.L., Bridges, A.E., Graves, K.P., Allcock, L., la Bianca, G., Ventura-Costa, C., Donaldson, S., Downie, A.L., Furey, T., McGrath, F. and Ross, R., 2022. Performance of deep-sea habitat suitability models assessed using independent data, and implications for use in area-based management. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 695, pp.33-51. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14098

Buhl-Mortensen, P., Braga-Henriques, A. and Stevenson, A., 2022. Polyp loss and mass occurrence of sea urchins on bamboo corals in the deep sea. Ecology, 103(2), pp.1-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3564

Stevenson, A., Mitchell, F.J. and Davies, J.S., 2015. Predation has no competition: factors influencing space and resource use by echinoids in deep鈥恠ea coral habitats, as evidenced by continuous video transects. Marine Ecology, 36(4), pp.1454-1467. https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.12245

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum English requirements for the programme, IELTS Academic score of 6.5 (with no less than 5.5 in each component test area) or equivalent.  

Successful candidates who meet UKRI鈥檚 eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded ARIES studentship of fees, maintenance stipend, 拢20,780 p.a. for 2025/26 (2026/27 rate TBC) and research costs. 

A limited number of ARIES studentships are available to International applicants. Please note however that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK.

NB: The studentship is supported for 3.5 years of the four-year registration period. The subsequent 6 months of registration is a self-funded 鈥榳riting-up鈥� period. 

ARIES is committed to in all areas of its operation. We encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, and transgender status. Projects have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive, and appropriate research and fieldwork environment. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, with equal weighting given to experience and potential. 

For further information, please visit

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact Professor Kerry Howell (kho@pml.ac.uk). 

Please see our apply for a postgraduate research programme page for a list of supporting documents to upload with your application. 

For more information on the admissions process generally, please visit our apply for a postgraduate research programme page or contact the Doctoral College .

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview after the deadline. We regret that we may not be able to respond to all applications. Applicants who have not received a response within six weeks of the closing date should consider their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.