Student Project Ideas

I have a large number of questions which I feel need exploring, but do not have the time to do so. Many of these questions would fit in well to an undergraduate or masters dissertation project.

Possibiliteis for projects are endless and would need to be discussed in advance, but here are a few ideas:

→What impact does agricultural intensification have on a focal group?

    Which focal group - ground beetles, moths, farmland birds, bats?

    Arable/grassland?

→Does organic farming promote greater biodiversity than conventional farming?

    Which focal group to concentrate on?

    Grassland/arable?

→How important is set-aside as a wildlife habitat?

    Focal group?

    Compare with what?

→How important are hedgerows as corridors for wildlife?

→How effective are Dock Beetles, Gastrophysa viridula at controlling docks in pasture?

    Does providing shelters for the beetles in the Spring increase their effectiveness?

→What is the best way to control tussocks on a coastal heath with minimum impact to invertebrates?

→What impact do anthelmintics (wormers) have on dung insect populations and pasture fouling?

    This would fit in well with my Doctorate study, and therefore I could provide reading lists and suggest methods.

    What animals to look at - horses, sheep, cattle?

    Look at nitrogen incorporation into the soil and grass

    Which insects to focus on?

    Manipulation experiments?