Project summary:
Seagrass meadows are foundational coastal habitats that support biodiversity, enhance carbon storage, and sustain key ecosystem functions. However, they are increasingly threatened by multiple interacting stressors, including eutrophication, sediment alteration, contaminants, thermal variability, and changing hydrodynamics. These pressures can affect reproductive output, seed quality, germination success, and ultimately the resilience of seagrass populations. 
The student will work within established field campaigns at two contrasting Scottish Zostera marina meadows: 
–  Estuarine meadow: variable salinity/temperature, dynamic porewater chemistry, higher contaminant exposure 
  – Coastal meadow: more stable conditions with lower contaminant loads 
Together, these sites provide a natural gradient of stressor exposure, enabling the student to investigate how environmental conditions shape seagrass reproductive ecology. The goal is to quantify how multiple stressors (nutrients, contaminants, sediment properties, temperature, salinity) influence reproductive processes in contrasting meadow types. 
The student will design and conduct controlled germination experiments using seeds collected earlier in the season. Experimental treatments will reflect measured environmental differences between the sites, such as: 
  – Contaminant levels (e.g., metals, microplastics) 
  – Sediment organic matter and grain size 
– Salinity or temperature regimes 
There will also be opportunities to develop additional project components depending on the student’s interests, including ecology, plant physiology, sediment biogeochemistry, microscopy, image analysis, or restoration science. 

ECOWILD Research themes:
Multiple stressor effects on individual species and their populations;Ecosystem function and service delivery 

What Skills will I develop? 
This project gives a student hands-on experience across the full research pipeline: field sampling, laboratory assays, experimental design, quantitative analysis and ecological interpretation, while generating directly usable data for an ongoing PhD project. 
 
They will gain experience in: 
• Formulating hypotheses grounded in multiple-stressor theory
• Selecting stressor combinations (e.g., high nutrients — low salinity; high contaminants —  high organic matter) 
• Setting up germination trials in controlled conditions 
• Recording germination timing, success, and seedling traits 
• Analysing stressor interactions using quantitative methods 

Activities Involved:
The student will design and run a controlled germination experiment using Zostera marina seeds collected earlier in the season, developing hypotheses, selecting stressor treatments based on environmental data from estuarine and coastal meadows, and monitoring germination timing, success and seedling traits. Quantitative analysis will form a core component, including modelling stressor interactions, visualising and interpreting datasets, and producing cleaned data outputs. Alongside this, the student can choose one or two other activities tailored to their interests, such as seed bank assessment, seed trait analysis, sediment and porewater profiling, or phenology surveys, providing opportunities to gain experience across field ecology, biogeochemistry, microscopy and image analysis. 

The student will be embedded in an active research group, participating in lab meetings, project discussions and supervisory sessions that support experimental design, workflow reflection and data interpretation. Through these regular supervision meetings and lab group discussions the student will gain confidence in choosing suitable analytical approaches and understanding ecological meaning behind statistical outputs. By preparing figures, graphs, and narrative summaries for a mini report or poster, the student will also develop strong skills in communicating quantitative findings clearly to scientific audiences.  They will join field campaigns, receive hands on training in laboratory and analytical methods, and engage with the wider ECOWILD team for networking and skill building. 

For more information, please contact Dr Ross Alexander – r.alexander@hw.ac.uk 
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our application form  
 

Project summary:
Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly exposed to multiple environmental stressors, including chemical contaminants and climate-driven heatwave events. These stressors can disrupt endocrine processes and induce physiological stress, potentially affecting population stability. This project aims to investigate how these stressors affect physiological and molecular responses in the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis. The internship will focus on analysing oxidative stress and nuclear receptor responses by quantifying gene expression of rxr, CAT, SOD, and GPx. These biomarkers provide insight into detoxification pathways, antioxidant defence systems, and endocrine-related mechanisms under multi-stressor exposure. Using tissue samples collected from controlled laboratory exposures, the student will conduct RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and quantitative PCR (qPCR) to assess gene expression patterns across treatments. The project will contribute to improving mechanistic understanding of how combined environmental pressures influence freshwater organisms and support more ecologically relevant environmental risk assessment. 

ECOWILD Research Themes:
Multiple stressor effects on individual species and their populations.

What Skills Will I Develop? 
The student will develop hands-on molecular laboratory skills in environmental toxicology. Training will include RNA handling, quality assessment, cDNA synthesis, and quantitative PCR (qPCR) for measuring gene expression (RXR, CAT, SOD, GPx). The student will learn good laboratory practice, contamination control, and sample processing techniques. They will also gain experience in experimental planning at the molecular analysis stage, including plate design, primer handling, and reference gene validation concepts. Beyond bench skills, the student will develop data handling and interpretation skills by working with gene expression datasets, understanding normalisation approaches, and linking molecular responses to ecological endpoints measured during the exposure phase. Participation in lab meetings will enhance scientific communication and critical thinking skills, particularly in discussing biomarker responses under multi-stressor scenarios. 


Activities Involved:
The internship is laboratory-based and focused on molecular analysis. The student will work with previously collected snail gonad tissues stored for RNA analysis. Activities include RNA extraction, quantification and quality checks, cDNA synthesis, and quantitative PCR to assess expression of oxidative stress and receptor-related genes. The student will assist with qPCR plate preparation, sample organisation, and maintaining detailed laboratory records. They will also support preliminary data processing and organisation of gene expression results. To provide broader scientific context, the student will participate in lab meetings where results are discussed and interpreted within the framework of contaminant mixture and multi-stressor ecology. Training in laboratory safety, molecular techniques, and data management will be provided. 

For more information, please contact Dr Frances Orton – f.orton@hw.ac.uk 
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our application form 

Project summary:
Amphibians are declining globally, with 40% of species threatened with extinction, which is higher than for any other vertebrate taxa. Environmental stressors such as pollution, heatwave events, habitat change and invasive predators can interfere with amphibian development, particularly in processes as sensitive as sex differentiation and reproduction. Therefore, there is a need to better understand the role of multiple anthropogenic stressors in driving these declines. This project will explore how such stressors affect gene expression in the gonads of common frog (Rana temporaria) tadpoles collected from a range of UK ponds. 
 
Using gonadal tissue from previously collected tadpole samples, the student will perform RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays to assess the expression of genes involved in sex determination and reproductive development. By comparing gene expression profiles across samples from different environmental contexts, this project aims to identify molecular responses to stressors that may contribute to sex differentiation and reproductive disruption in common frog populations. 

ECOWILD Research Themes: 
Multiple stressor effects on individual species and their populations. 

What Skills Will I Develop? 
• Lab Work: General lab skills, RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and development of multiplex qPCR targeting key sex differentiation and reproduction related genes in tadpole gonads. 
• Statistical: Analyses of gene expression data to identify patterns associated with environmental stress exposure. 
• Contextual Understanding: The student will engage with ecological and molecular literature on endocrine disruption and amphibian conservation and participate in team discussions to interpret findings in a broader ecological context. 
• Training and Development: Opportunities to learn and apply molecular techniques, attend lab meetings, and develop skills in data interpretation and scientific communication. 

Activities Involved:
This project combines molecular lab work, quantitative data analysis, and active participation in a collaborative research environment. To develop ecological context, the student will read relevant literature on endocrine disruption and amphibian conservation and contribute to group discussions interpreting molecular responses to environmental stressors. They will participate in weekly lab meetings, benefit from continuous supervision, and engage with the wider research team. Throughout the project, the student will receive training in molecular techniques, statistical analysis, reproducible workflows, and scientific communication, culminating in the presentation of their findings. Through these activities, they will gain both technical laboratory expertise and a clear understanding of how quantitative molecular data inform broader ecological questions. 

For more information, please contact Dr Frances Orton – f.orton@hw.ac.uk 
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our application form  

Project summary:
Agricultural drainage ditches are widespread but often overlooked components of catchment hydrology. These small channels can strongly influence how water, sediment, and nutrients move through landscapes exposed to multiple environmental stressors, including intensive agriculture and extreme rainfall. Despite this importance, ditch networks are rarely mapped or monitored in detail, leaving gaps in our understanding of how they respond to these pressures through catchments. 
 
The internship will focus on mapping and characterising a local ditch network using an integrated set of field and analytical methods. The student will carry out GPS surveys to ground-truth ditch locations. Detailed channel surveys will measure cross-sectional area, shape, and slope, alongside walkover assessments of vegetation type and cover. Flow dynamics will be investigated using an electromagnetic velocity sensor and salt tracing experiments to estimate discharge, dispersion, and residence times. Water quality will be assessed through in-situ measurements of nitrates, phosphates, and suspended sediment concentrations, enabling identification of pollution hotspots. A drone survey will complement ground data, providing high-resolution mapping of the ditch network and surrounding landscape. Together, these approaches will generate a detailed picture of how small drainage systems function and vary across space. 

ECOWILD Research Themes: 
Applying multiple stressor theory to monitoring and management, Ecosystem function and service delivery 

What Skills Will I Develop? 
The student will develop practical skills in field-based environmental surveying and monitoring, including GPS mapping, channel cross-section and slope measurements, and vegetation assessments. They will gain experience in hydrological techniques, using electromagnetic velocity sensors and conducting salt tracing experiments to estimate discharge. The project will also build skills in water quality monitoring, including in-situ measurement of nutrients and suspended sediments. 
 
In addition, the student will gain experience in drone surveying and spatial data collection, alongside data analysis and interpretation, integrating field observations to identify patterns and variability across the ditch network using GIS data analysis tools. These skills are directly relevant to careers in environmental consultancy, hydrology, water quality monitoring, and catchment management, where practical field and analytical expertise are highly valued. 

Activities Involved:
The internship will involve a combination of fieldwork, data collection, and analytical activities to map and characterise a local ditch network. Field activities will include GPS surveying to map channel locations, alongside measurements of channel cross-sections, slope, and vegetation characteristics through structured walkover surveys. The student will undertake hydrological monitoring, including flow velocity measurements and water quality A drone survey will also be conducted to provide high-resolution spatial data to complement field observations. Collected data will be visualised and analysed using GIS and statistical software. 
 
All activities will be supported by appropriate risk assessments and training in field and equipment use. The student will also participate in the Nature-based Solutions research group meetings and discussions, gaining insight into the wider context of catchment management and academic research. Opportunities for networking and informal training will be provided through engagement with other members of the research group, specifically Andy Tucker, an ECOWILD PhD student. External engagement with the Tweed Forum will provide the industry and policy perspective. 

For more information, please contact Dr Ian Pattison – i.pattison@hw.ac.uk 
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our application form  

Project Overview:
This project aims to evaluate the distribution of two priority invertebrate freshwater species, the native freshwater pearl mussel and the invasive signal crayfish, in relation to biotic and abiotic stressors, including invasive species presence, land use, and pollution. The student will work with an archive of environmental DNA samples which have been collected throughout Scottish watersheds and previously analysed for the presence of vertebrate species using genetic metabarcoding. Using two species-specific digital PCR assays, the student will screen a subset of these samples to detect the presence of the target species and apply statistical modelling to identify key environmental factors influencing their distribution. Comprehensive metadata for the samples are already available. 

ECOWILD Research Themes:
Multiple stressor effects on individual species and their populations

What Skills Will I Develop? 
The student will gain both theoretical and practical experience in eDNA-based approaches, including DNA extraction, digital PCR, and statistical modelling, specifically analysing species presence/absence in relation to multiple environmental stressors. They will also develop data presentation skills, with an emphasis on effectively communicating scientific findings .

Activities Involved:
The activities will focus on learning various workflows in the molecular laboratory. Directly relating to the project are DNA extraction, DNA quantification and PCR techniques but there will be opportunities to take part and observe a wide range of other approaches including the preparation of libraries for DNA sequencing using  Illumina and Nanopore technologies. Field work is not specifically part of the workplan of the project, but there are numerous closely related eDNA projects going on during the summer with ample opportunity to take part in eDNA collection and water filtration methods. The student will also be taught who to analysis the their data using statistical modelling. The student will be part of a vibrant interactive research community at the Institute of Biodiversity and Freshwater Conservation and take part in the weekly group meetings where they will have the opportunity to present their project and get exposure to a wide range of ongoing projects at IBFC.   


For more information, please contact Dr Bernd Hänfling – bernd.haenfling.ic@uhi.ac.uk 
To apply for this opportunity, please complete our application form