Inspirational topics for student projects
We supervise students within a broad range of themes within the scientific fields of macroecology and biodiversity. At the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate (CMEC), we work with particular emphasis on mountain regions, biodiversity hotspots, and the role of climate in relation to the distribution of species in a global context, both terrestrial and marine.
Depending on your field of interest, you can approach the field in various ways. Below, we have listed some themes and topics within the research area of CMEC. If you want more inspiration, have a look at the faculty list for descriptions of our researcher's work and projects:
Got your own idea?
If you have an idea of your own you would like to discuss, please feel free to reach out our faculty staff.
Conservation biology in Denmark
Do you want to work with nature management, biodiversity and monitoring in Denmark? Then a project in the field of conservation is the right choice. We offer a unique possibility for doing field work within some of the most pristine natural areas in Denmark, owned by Aage V. Jensen Naturfond. Read more:
- Catalogue: Project ideas for conservation biology in Denmark (PDF)
- Inspiration: Recent student projects in Denmark
Topics
Conservation biology, citizen science, ornithology, mycology, forest ecology, nature management, protection, biodiversity, monitoring, fieldwork
Contact
Associate Professor Jacob Heilmann-Clausen
International nature conservation
Are you interested in UN's Biodiversity Convention? The work of the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Problems related to wildlife trade? Conservation of biodiversity in a changing climate? Challenges with poaching in African national parks? Then a project in international nature conservation might be the right choice for you.
General topics
Wildlife trade, CITES, Sustainable use of species, Invasive alien species, China-Africa conservation connections, Conservation in Africa, Protected areas, UN's Convention of Biological Diversity, REDD+, protected area development, community-based conservation and monitoring in Tanzania.
More detailed topics
The following projects would be in collaboration with UNEP-WCMC with a period of time spent in Cambridge.
Human development and biodiversity conservation
There is an inherent tension between human development and the conservation of nature, especially in the developing countries. Major sources of pressure on nature include; a) agricultural development, b) global trade networks, c) large-scale infrastructure development, and d) international wildlife trade.
Projects can be designed to complement ongoing work in Kenya and Tanzania related to China / Africa development projects and the impacts of community-based approaches to forest and wildlife conservation.
International policy and nature conservation
Are you interested to work on a project that has direct relevance to the development of conservation policy? The work programme of the Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the negotiations for the
Contact
Professor Neil Burgess, Chief Scientist and the UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) in Cambridge, and Professor of Conservation Biology at CMEC.
Species interactions
Species interactions, such as competition and facilitation, may influence species distributions and species coexistence. Therefore, understanding how species interactions are shaped and persist
Topics
Mutualistic interactions, socio-economic issues, species coexistence, and ecological communities.
Contact
Professor Carsten Rahbek