PhD Studentship: Integrating Migration Dynamics into Biodiversity Forecasts

Primary Supervisor: Dr Marius Somveille 

Seasonal migration is a distinctive and ecologically important features of many animals. Yet migration also poses a profound challenge for conservation. The tools most commonly used to predict biodiversity responses to global change fail to capture the dynamic nature of these seasonal movements, leaving a major gap in our ability to forecast and manage migratory species effectively. 

Species Distribution Models (SDMs) are central to biodiversity forecasting. They use statistical associations between species’ observed occurrences and environmental variables to estimate where suitable habitats exist under current and future climate conditions. While powerful, SDMs are inherently static: they describe where suitable conditions occur but not how individuals move between them. For migratory species, this limitation is fundamental. 

This PhD project aims to fill that gap by integrating spatial population genomics with ecological niche modelling to predict how migratory connectivity responds to global change.  

You will integrate seasonal migration into an existing framework developed in the lab of co-supervisor Manica, which integrates SDM outputs with demographic processes (i.e., dispersal, colonisation, growth) and genetic evolution. Leveraging large movement and genomic datasets for birds, you will use this framework to (i) understand how global change has shaped migratory connectivity and (ii) forecast how migration is likely to change under future climate and land-use scenarios. 

The resulting forecasts will reveal where and when migratory connectivity may break down, providing direct guidance for conservation planning. The tools developed throughout the PhD could later be applied to other migratory taxa (e.g. mammals, fish). 

Training 

You will be part of a supportive and dynamic research environment at UEA and work closely with collaborators in Cambridge. You will receive hands-on training in spatial analysis, ecological modelling and genomics, while developing conceptual understanding and critical thinking in movement ecology and conservation. You will also build strong transferable and interdisciplinary research skills. 

Entry Requirements: The minimum entry requirement is 2:1 in Biological Sciences or Computer Science.

Mode of Study: Full-time

Start Date: 1 October 2027

Additional Funding Information

This PhD project is in a competition for a Faculty of Science funded studentship. Funding is available to UK applicants and comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend for 3 years. The current UEA / institutional PhD stipend rate is £21,805 and will be subject to any agreed inflationary uplift for 2027/28.