Vacant job

Project Description

The assignment is to investigate the underlying causes of the repeated crashes of underwater vegetation and the subsequent decrease in the number of resting birds in Torslandaviken in the City of Gothenburg.

Background

Torslandaviken is designated as a Natura 2000 area under the EU Birds Directive. The area is of great importance for resting and overwintering birds, especially for bittern, gadwall, mute swan, tufted duck, common goldeneye, and common pochard. Furthermore, the City of Gothenburg is currently working on establishing a nature reserve in Torslandaviken. The results of the thesis may become an important basis for the establishment of the reserve and for the formulation of the management plan.

In the mid-2000s, the number of resting and overwintering birds in Torslandaviken decreased. This was assessed to be linked to a reduction in underwater vegetation, which resulted in a deteriorated food base for the resting birds.

To gain better knowledge of the area, the County Administrative Board developed a monitoring program. The purpose was to follow the development in the area during the period 2013–2019 and thereby provide a better basis for assessing the area's status and any measures that might need to be taken to maintain its value for the designated bird species. When the monitoring program ended, the area's underwater vegetation had recovered. In the evaluation conducted in 2022, the conservation status was assessed as positive for four of the designated bird species and negative for two (mute swan and bittern). However, in recent years, the underwater vegetation has once again decreased drastically, with the consequence that the designated bird species have also declined. The causes of these changes, including the repeated crashes of underwater vegetation and the number of resting birds, are currently unknown. Does it depend on the influence of fish in the area (especially bottom-feeding whitefish), is it related to salinity variations and water regime, are the birds driving the change, or is it a combination of several factors? Perhaps what we see in Torslandaviken is simply what one might expect in an isolated water body with limited area and depth, or are there measures that should be taken to avoid repeated crashes?

Prerequisites for the Assignment

This assignment is aimed at you who are studying at the master's level and wish to write a thesis with a focus on limnology, biology, or similar fields.

The City of Gothenburg (Urban Planning Administration) can offer an external supervisor, but the assignment requires a main supervisor from a University/University College.

The student(s) are expected to work remotely, but physical meetings with the Urban Planning Administration and field visits may be relevant if needed.

The design of the assignment will be developed together by the student, the main supervisor, and the City of Gothenburg.

For the selection process, you need to attach a CV, a list of completed studies, and a short cover letter.

About Us

The Urban Planning Administration is responsible for driving and coordinating physical planning in Gothenburg.

We create a sustainable city through our responsibility for strategic planning, detailed planning, land surveying, building permit handling, supervision, and provision of geographical data.

The Urban Planning Administration is part of Gothenburg City's urban development administrations. Together, we work to create conditions for functioning infrastructure, high-quality housing and premises, an inviting public environment, and advocate for the city to become sustainable from all perspectives.