Ciara is an enthusiastic and driven freshwater ecologist in her first year of a three-year PhD at the University of Canterbury. Following her passion for the natural world, she completed her 2021 Honours project on life history plasticity in a common New Zealand freshwater macroinvertebrate – and is now undertaking her doctoral studies on freshwater fish instream habitat restoration. Through this research, Ciara aims to determine the type and amount of instream habitat that benefits native New Zealand freshwater fish, applying these findings to current and future restoration practices. Ciara is particularly interested in using a life history trait approach, alongside modelling, to compare the role of instream wood habitat for native New Zealand fish and invasive salmonids. Her research is a strong example of interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts from ecology, geomorphology, and engineering.
Working Thesis Title:
Woody habitat utilisation and instream wood requirements of native New Zealand freshwater fish: Implications for river management practices.
Supervisors:
Senior Supervisor – Prof. James Brasington
Co-Supervisor – Dr Issie Barrett
Co-Supervisor – Dr Shelley MacDonell
Research Interests:
Freshwater ecology, restoration, interdisciplinary approaches, ecosystem resilience, freshwater fish, anthropogenic change.
Academic History:
Aho Hinatore, PhD Accelerator Scholarship, University of Canterbury
BSc(hons) in Biological Sciences: First Class, University of Canterbury
BSc in Biological Sciences and Geography, University of Canterbury
Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment. (2024). Guidance for large wood installations in New Zealand rivers (Envirolink Medium Advice Grant project).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciara-espiner-a47a761b1/
Location:
UC Beatrice Tinsley, Level 4
