At DTU Aqua, you can do bachelor projects, special courses and master thesis projects within a wide range of themes related to aquatic science and technology, including coastal ecology.
What do we offer
Within the research area Coastal Ecology, we offer student projects addressing key aspects of the structure and functioning of coastal ecosystems with focus on sustainable utilization of the productive coastal areas, impact of human activity and how to improve coastal water quality and restore coastal habitats.
Specifically, we offer projects within areas related to lower trophic species aquaculture (shellfish, seaweed), sustainable mussel fishery and impact of dredging for benthic biodiversity, marine measure mitigating effects of eutrophication, like mussel farming.
We also offer projects examining the importance of coastal habitats such as stone reefs, eelgrass meadows and biogenic reefs for fish, marine biodiversity and connectivity, and offer projects that analyze the potentials and techniques for restoring coastal habitats.
Projects can also address the impact of anthropogenic pressures such as eutrophication, dredging and trawling, spreading of invasive species and climate change for coastal ecosystem status, structure and functioning.
The projects will often include field- or lab work but can also be based on models or carried out in the bivalve, macroalgae and crustacean hatcheries.
Examples of master thesis projects
Examples of master projects conducted in coastal ecology include:
-
Field study addressing the importance of biogenic reefs for the abundance and diversity of fish. The project include deployment of cameras for non-destructive monitoring of fish in habitats with and without mussels followed by video- and statistical analysis.
- Improving larvae production and settlement in the shellfish hatchery. This project include controlled experiments with different food and substrate treatments with the aim to optimize European flat oyster hatchery protocol for both aquaculture and restoration.
- Model based study elucidating the interactions between eutrophication, climate change and the distribution and quality of eelgrass habitats. The project is carried out in collaboration with DHI and involve development and application of a hydrodynamic-ecological coastal model.
How to get started
If you have a project idea yourself, you are welcome to contact a supervisor directly in order to formulate a topic. All student projects must be based on a project contract with a supervisor.
Find contact info if you are interested in doing a project within Coastal Ecology