A Lancaster University marine biologist is to establish an ‘Island-Ocean Research Hub’, after being awarded a Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellowship.

The Faraday Discovery Fellowships are prestigious long-term awards that will support the most talented mid-career research leaders to undertake high-quality original research.

Distinguished Professor Nick Graham, of Lancaster Environment Centre, will further our understanding of the interconnections between island and marine ecosystems through the Fellowship, which provides £7 million of research funding across 10 years.

Islands and coastal ecosystems are at the forefront of the biodiversity crisis, and Professor Graham’s work has provided pioneering evidence of the vital role of nutrient flows between the ecosystems brought by seabirds.

Studies by Professor Graham and his research team has shown that seabird-derived nutrients play an important role in the health of coral reef ecosystems, impacting food webs, increasing fish growth and helping to make reefs more resilient to climate disturbance.

However, this evidence base is still in its infancy and many of these crucial nutrient flows have been lost around the globe.

The Island-Ocean Research Hub, which will include collaborators from Lancaster, Oxford, Bergen, Montpellier and Seychelles, expands on years of work by Professor Graham and his research teams on seabird nutrients and coral reefs to explore the potential of island-ocean rewilding for islands and surrounding marine habitats, such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds, and the people who depend on them, across a diversity of environments.

The Hub will investigate and uncover new findings across a range of field sites from the tropics to the Arctic including temperate and Mediterranean ecosystems, developing a theoretical understanding of island-ocean connections, and informing island rewilding efforts.

Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, said:“This impressive new cohort of Royal Society Faraday Discovery Fellows is exploring some of the most exciting questions in science.

“Backing exceptional researchers at our world-leading institutions is essential to advancing science and these 10-year fellowships provide the time and support needed to pursue bold, curiosity-driven research, build world leading groups and establish global research partnerships. Together, they will help secure the UK's position at the forefront of scientific discovery and inspire the next generation of research talent.”

Professor Graham said: “Ensuring the future resilience of island and coastal marine ecosystems is a grand challenge of our time.

“These ecosystems are some of the most biodiverse on the planet, but also some of the most threatened. They also bring huge benefits to human populations through providing a rich source of nutritious food, protecting coastlines and storing carbon.

“This Fellowship will enable us to build underpinning science to better understand how ecologically and socially important ecosystems are affected by island restoration efforts, and how these connections impact people.”

The Faraday Discovery Fellowships are supported through a £250m fund from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST).

Earlier this year Professor Graham was elected to become a Fellow of the Royal Society.