Environmental Research

Env Research logo

A wide range of environmental research is undertaken by leading academics in a number of departments of the university. Through collaborations with groups, experts and businesses locally and further afield Aberystwyth University has undertaken and continues to carry out environmental research. The Research at Aberystwyth covers all research at the university and below, organised by department, are the main environmental research groups working in the field.

Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) Research

  • There are 3 main research groups:
    • Animal and Microbial Sciences
  • Within these themes are 15 interrelating research groups

 

Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences (IGES) Research

  • There are also research clusters with IGES which cut across the above research groups, more information can be found at IGES

 

Aberystwyth and Bangor Universities Research and Enterprise Partnership

 

Current Research

This section highlights some areas of current environmental research that Aberystwyth University undertakes; hopefully it will be of interest and link you to individual sites where you can find out more:

Bioblitz

A Bioblitz is planned for Saturday 11th May 2013 which will survey all species present at Penglais Campus and involves university staff, students, experts in the field and the general public.  To sign up or to find out more, please see Prifysgol Aberystywyth University Campus Bioblitz  or email bioblitz@aber.ac.uk.

Osprey Project

Viewers of BBC SpringWatch and AutumnWatch will probably be aware of the recent developments at the Dyfi Estuary regarding osprey, however, what may not be known is Aberystwyth University’s support of the Osprey Project.

In 2007, with the help of volunteers from Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust an osprey nest was set up at the Cors Dyfi/Morfa Dyfi reserve and in 2011 the first chicks hatched. 

There are currently two IBERS students studying the osprey for their research projects looking into how environmental conditions influence osprey prey choice and also looking into juvenile osprey migration routes. More about the University’s involvement can be found here at Aberystwyth University.

Bird Nestbox Survey

There are over 200 nest boxes sited around Penglais campus with a large proportion of those in university woodlands.  In addition to providing a site for birds to nest and rear chicks bird boxes also offer shelter and a place for birds to roost overnight particularly during the winter.

A survey of nest boxes is carried out annually and forms part of a project investigating how birds adapt their song level to the level of background noise.

Wild Berries and the Ozone

Scientists from IBERS have investigated the effects of ultra violet light (UV) and atmospheric CO2 on wild berries over a 20 year period in the Swedish sub- arctic and have found that enhanced UV and elevated CO2 can benefit wild berries. The benefits to berries may however be short term and changing environmental factors may impact the functioning of Northern ecosystems. Please see the link above for more information.

Welsh Grass for Packaging

Aberystwyth University along with Bangor University are working on a new project to use components from Welsh rye grass and convert them to low carbon products including food packaging. A business partner of this project is Waitrose and facilities from BEACON will also be used.