Sarah Fish, postgraduate researcher, CDT SuMMeR: Cohort 3

Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Management of UK Marine Resources (CDT SuMMeR)

Postgraduate researcher: Sarah Fish

Project: CDTS312: Trade-offs or win-wins? Perception and reality in saltmarsh conservation for biodiversity and sustainable environmental management

Hosting Institute: University of Plymouth
Associate Partners: Natural England and UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Contact:
Sarah Fish

Background

I previously completed an undergraduate degree in Zoology at the University of Manchester. This led me to develop an interest in marine biology and subsequently pursue a masters degree in Marine Environmental Protection at Bangor University. This postgraduate degree had a strong focus on marine ecology, conservation and environmental management.

Research interests

I have a wide range of research interests, but these can broadly be summarised as coastal wetland ecology, ecosystem service provision and sustainable marine management.

PhD research

My PhD project is investigating stakeholder perceptions and the ecological reality of nutrient pollution in saltmarshes. The project is designed to be transdisciplinary and will use research methods across ecological, biochemical, social science and science engagement disciplines. A primary objective of my project is to investigate how nutrient pollution affects the ecological functioning of saltmarshes in different environmental contexts. Additionally, I will be exploring stakeholder opinions of water quality management in England and their perceptions of saltmarshes as a tool to improve the water quality of coastal ecosystems. This information will be used to discover ways to promote stakeholder engagement with nutrient pollution mitigation schemes and explore how water quality management can best preserve the most valued ecological functions performed by saltmarshes.

Why I applied for the CDT SuMMeR

To successfully tackle the unprecedented and complex environmental challenges that we currently face, I believe we need scientific research that integrates knowledge from a range of disciplines. I was attracted to the interdisciplinary projects offered by the CDT SuMMeR program because they provide an opportunity to gain experience with many scientific approaches within one project, which suits my varied research interests. The strong collaboration between students, hosting institutes and non-academic partners will provide me with a strong professional network as I move beyond my PhD.