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Our planet’s natural resources face unsustainable demands and there is evidence that current management approaches are failing to move resource use towards a sustainable future. This failure is particularly acute in marine systems, where damage to marine ecosystems is occurring at a global level.

The “Pyramids of Life” project develops new ways to manage marine ecosystems that reduce human impacts on them, and improves their sustainability and resilience to climate change, with fishing based on size-resolved productivity. Because experiments on real systems are not feasible, your task will be to develop mathematical models to capture the key ecosystem features and to forecast the likely effects of the proposed changes in exploitation. To be useful, any proposed changes must be practical to implement and be commercially viable; the project will involve interdisciplinary working to ensure this is the case.

The models will be based on the mathematics of multispecies, dynamic size spectra. These are systems of coupled partial differential equations that track body-size distributions of an arbitrary number of species over time. They contain a basic principle that larger organisms eat smaller ones, and increase in size through doing so. In this way, they do the detailed bookkeeping of biomass as it flows through marine ecosystems.

The project is based in the Department of Mathematics at the University of York, and will involve working closely with the Departments of Environment and Geography, and Biology, at the University of York, and with other partners in UK universities and with external stakeholders.

Role

To develop size-resolved mathematical models of marine ecosystems, in collaboration with experts at a range of academic and external partners, and to apply these models in order to predict the impact of novel, productivity-based exploitation patterns.

Interview date: to be confirmed

For informal enquiries: can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected]

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork