Freshwater ecosystems across Aotearoa New Zealand are experiencing increasing pressure from multiple interacting stressors, including nutrient enrichment, land-use change, climate warming, invasive species, and hydrological modification. These pressures are altering ecosystem structure and function, yet many ecological changes remain difficult to detect using conventional monitoring approaches. Understanding how freshwater ecosystems have changed, which stressors are most influential, and how ecosystem function responds is essential for effective restoration and management.

This PhD project will use cutting-edge microbial metagenomics to investigate how freshwater ecosystem function varies across New Zealand lakes. The project will utilise a nationally unique dataset comprising metagenomic sequences from more than 150 lakes across Aotearoa New Zealand. The successful candidate will integrate these genomic data with environmental and limnological datasets to better understand how multiple stressors influence freshwater ecosystem function.