IBFC Welcomes New PhD Researcher Aiden Berg

The Institute for Biodiversity and Freshwater Conservation (IBFC) at UHI Inverness is delighted to welcome Aiden Berg, who joins the Institute in October as a new PhD researcher.

Aiden’s doctoral research, titled “River’s Edge: Using eDNA to Unravel Multi-Stressor Impacts and Guide Riparian Wetland Restoration”, will explore how environmental DNA (eDNA) can be used to investigate the combined impacts of multiple environmental pressures on freshwater and riparian ecosystems. The research aims to generate valuable insights to support the restoration and conservation of riparian wetlands.

Aiden joins IBFC with a strong academic background in ecology, environmental science and zoology. They previously completed an MRes in Ecology and Environmental Science at the University of Glasgow, following a BSc (Hons) in Zoology at the University of Aberdeen.

Through their previous studies, Aiden has developed expertise in metabarcoding optimisation, biodiversity and habitat assessment, ecosystem change monitoring, and non-invasive approaches to wildlife research. They also bring valuable field ecology experience, including monitoring species and habitats, assessing environmental impacts, and identifying opportunities for biodiversity enhancement and conservation management.

Their research interests include biodiversity, ecology, non-invasive monitoring methods, evolutionary biology and ecogenomics.

Speaking about why they chose IBFC, Aiden said:

“I was particularly drawn to IBFC because of the collaborations and interesting research I had read about, which closely aligned with the kind of work I wanted to pursue. The opportunity to combine practical ecology with environmental DNA (eDNA) research was especially exciting to me. I was also attracted by the Institute’s emphasis on sharing research with practitioners and stakeholders, helping to make a practical difference to methodologies and advance our understanding of freshwater ecosystems.”

Aiden’s PhD project forms part of the wider EcoWild research programme and will contribute to developing scientific approaches to understanding freshwater biodiversity and informing effective ecosystem restoration.

We are delighted to welcome Aiden to the IBFC research community and look forward to following the progress and outcomes of their doctoral research over the coming years.