Christian Ching

PhD Candidate (2021-)

Project Title: Developing new methods to assess riparian ecosystem health

Co-supervision:

• Dr. Jeff Streicher (Natural History Museum)
• Dr. Jenna Lawson (Imperial College)
• Dr. Kelvin Peh (University of Southampton)
• Dr. Kashif Shaad (Conservation International)
• Dr. Nick Souter (Conservation International)

Funding: Conservation International

Research Focus: Christian’s PhD research addresses the critical need for robust, standardised methods to assess the health of riparian ecosystems. His work integrates multiple disciplinary approaches including ecology, hydrology, and conservation biology to develop comprehensive assessment frameworks that can be applied across different geographical and ecological contexts.

Key Research Areas:

• Riparian ecosystem assessment
• Ecosystem health indicators
• Freshwater conservation
• Biodiversity monitoring methodologies
• Interdisciplinary conservation approaches
• Environmental management tools

Research Significance: Riparian zones are among the most biodiverse and ecologically important habitats, yet they face significant threats from human activities and climate change. Christian’s research aims to provide practical tools for conservation practitioners and environmental managers to assess and monitor these critical ecosystems effectively.

Collaborative Approach: This PhD represents a unique collaboration between academic institutions and conservation organizations, ensuring that the research outcomes will have direct practical applications in real-world conservation contexts. The involvement of Conservation International provides access to field sites and implementation opportunities globally.