Applicants will be accepted by the Academic Committee if:

1. They write a detailed dissertation that is of an acceptable standard to the Academic Committee.
2. If staff linked to research groups that support this programme are willing to supervise the research project.
3. There is already a funded research project in the field of the thesis in the research group linked to the award.

Upon completing their doctoral thesis in one of the aforementioned lines of investigation, students will have demonstrated systematic comprehension of marine ecology, as well as a command of research skills and methodology in marine ecology. These doctors will have shown that they can conceive, design, implement and adapt a research project with full academic integrity. By means of their research activity, they will have contributed to scientific knowledge and pushed its boundaries and will have published their findings in national and international peer-reviewed journals. They will be able to analyse, assess and synthesise critically new and complex ideas, and will be able to communicate their scientific findings to other ecologists, the whole of the academic and professional community. Finally, these doctors will be able to promote technological, social and cultural advances in the knowledge-based society in academic and professional contexts.

The course’s specific scientific and professional objectives are, amongst others:

• Receive training in the environmental characteristics and parameters of the Mediterranean Sea.
• Distinguish and recognise main features of marine plankton, nekton and benthos.
• Be equipped with criteria for the assessment of environmental indicators to be able to suggest management and conservation strategies for species and habitats in decline.
• Be aware of the theoretical and practical aspects of scientific methodologies and in situ working techniques in aquatic environments.
• To promote non-invasive and non-destructive research methodologies (visual censuses, radio tracking, telemetry, ROVs, etc.).
• Identify the most representative habitats and eco-systems of the Balearic seabed.
• Recognise marine biodiversity, especially fragile and vulnerable species in decline.
• Assess functional aspects of marine eco-systems and the link between divisions (plankton, nekton and benthos).
• Be equipped for coastal management: artificial reefs, outlets, uses of the coastline.
• Be aware of the tools and factor to manage fisheries: marine reserves, aquiculture, seasonal bans, fishing typologies.
• Assess anthropic impact on the marine environment: marinas, beach regeneration, pollution, over-fishing.
• Be aware of statistical tools for data handling in the marine environment.
• Design and manage scientific projects in marine ecology.
• Assess the effects of pollutants on marine life: bioaccumulation and bio-indicators.
• Effects of marine reserves: the reserve effect, exportation of biomass, spillover.
• Be aware of unique eco-systems on a global scale: coral reefs, polar seas, etc.
• Study exchanges between the oceans and the atmosphere and recognise the role of marine eco-systems in global change.
• Study the dynamics of ocean nutrients and their importance in primary production: be aware of the connections between hydrodynamics and nutrient cycles.
• Study ocean dynamics from the point of view of interaction with the atmosphere and physicochemical variables which determine thermohaline circulation and the formation of water masses.
• Be aware of different models of trophic networks, and discuss the importance of organic matter and chemolithotrophs as productive factors, from the most up-to-date research.
• Study interactions between marine communities and recognise modifications introduced by human action.
• Study the relationships between land and marine eco-systems by means of transition zones located on land masses.
• Study small land-locked seas and the physicochemical and biological characteristics derived from their morphology and hydrodynamics.
• Acquire skills in handling general bibliography, and bibliography specific to the various field that comprise marine ecology.
• Be aware of the role of micro-organisms in marine eco-systems, and describe their interaction with and influence on humans and their activities.
• Acquire methodologies for the study of environmental microbiology.

• Ecology of marine communities: plankton, benthos and nekton division
• Integrated coastal management: artificial reefs, marine reserves
• Invading species: impacts on benthonic communities
• Trophic ecology, marine trophic networks
• Aquatic and applied ecology
• Study of aquatic, epicontinental and marine eco-systems
• Ecology of phytoplankton
• Ecology of macrophytes
• Molecular microbial genetics
• Marine microbiology

UIB academic staff who can supervise PhD theses in this course belong to the areas of zoology, ecology and microbiology.

• Professor Isabel Moreno Castillo, Professor of Marine Biology, area of Zoology
• Dr Gabriel Moya Niels, Lecturer (Professor titular), area of Ecology
• Dr Salud Deudero Company, Doctoral Teaching Fellow, area of Zoology
• Dr Guillem Ramon , Lecturer (Professor titular), area of Ecology
• Dr Antoni Martínez Taberner, Lecturer (Professor titular), area of Ecology
• Dr Jordi Lalucat, University Professor, area of Microbiology
• Dr Elena García Valdés, Lecturer (Professora titular), area of Microbiology
• Dr Rafael Bosch Zaragoza, Lecturer (Professor titular), area of Microbiology
• Dr Balbina Nogales, ‘Ramon i Cajal’ researcher, area of Microbiology
• Dr Antoni Bennàsar, Doctoral Teaching Fellow, area of Microbiology