This project will use marine ecosystem modelling to understand the functioning of marine ecosystem services (e.g. carbon export, fisheries, pollutant and waste processing) from a 'bottom-up' perspective (i.e. starting with nutrients, primary productivity and carbon cycling), with a policy and marine management focus. It would suit a candidate with strong technical computing skills; an interest in, or experience of numerical modelling and a desire to undertake policy-relevant research, grounded strongly in the natural sciences (biogeochemistry and/or ecology).

The shallow (continental shelf) seas around the UK provide essential services, including food production, waste and pollutant processing and atmospheric carbon export to the deep ocean; all of which depend on the complex interactions and feedbacks within the marine ecosystem. This has lead to the adoption of the 'ecosystem approach' to the sustainable management of marine resources. The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive aims to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) in European marine waters by 2020. Under MSFD key indicators of GES  will be identified and monitored. This project will focus on identifying and assessing indicators pertinent to the functioning of the marine ecosystem across the whole shelf system and assessing how their management will effect key marine ecosystem processes. As well providing answers to the question "how effective are specific indicators at telling us the state of the ecosystem across the shelf" the project will also ask "can human activities within the system be modified to improve environmental status as defined by the indicators?" and "what are the effects of such action on key marine ecosystem services?". With support from the supervisory team, the student will determine the specific approaches and direction taken by the project as it evolves.

With input from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in Lowestoft, the student will use state of the art marine ecosystem models to assess what the indicators mean, whether they behave uniformly across different parts of the UK shelf and how the system will respond over the coming decades to policy decisions based around the indicators of GES. For instance what will the effect of reducing nutrient loads to prevent eutrophication in the southern north sea be on carbon burial/ export to the deep ocean or fisheries production in the northern north sea? There will be scope for model development work as well as running large ensembles and long timescale runs; and also some seagoing work with Cefas if the student desires.

As well as primary supervisor Dr Martin Johnson, the project will be co-supervised by Dr Erik Buitehuis (UEA), who is an expert in marine ecosystem modelling, and Dr Suzanne Painting (Cefas), who has conducted important research into assessing indicators of ecosystem function (see Painting et al., 2012).

S. J. Painting, J. van der Molen, E. R. Parker, C. Coughlan, S. Birchenough, S. Bolam, J. N. Aldridge, R. M. Forster, N. Greenwood (2012) Development of indicators of ecosystem functioning in a temperate shelf sea: a combined fieldwork and modelling approach, Biogeochemistry, in press (online first), doi:10.1007/s10533-012-9774-4.

J. van der Molen, J. Aldridge, C. Coughlan, R. Parker, D. Stephens and P. Ruardij (2012) Modelling marine ecosystem response to climate change and trawling in the North Sea, Biogeochemistry, in press (online first), doi:10.1007/s10533-012-9763-7

J.C. Blackford, J.I. Allen and F.J. Gilbert (2004) Ecosystem dynamics at six contrasting sites: a generic modelling study

M. Vichi, N. Pinardi, S. Masina (2007) A generalized model of pelagic biogeochemistry for the global ocean ecosystem. Part I: Theory, J. Mar. Sys. 64, 89-109, doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2006.03.006