I am an undergraduate student, and I just want to get an idea about my prospects for doing a PHD.

I'm at the end of my 2nd year, and am pretty hopeful of being on for a 1st in Zoology. I'm a bit worried about whether my BSc will set me up for doing a PHD. Most of the areas covered in my BSc seem to attract very minimal funding at PHD level and beyond (Ecology, Behaviour, Whole organism physiology etc.) There seems to be a lot more available on the periphery of my degree: Endocrinology, Neuroscience, Genetics, Cell Biology etc.

Do supervisors usually want to see evidence of work in the same specific field as the PHD, or do they tend just to look for general abilities (research abilities etc)?

Also, I am studying at a former-polytechnic. Obvioulsy my degree would be considered inferior to the equivalent at a red-brick, but to what extent is this true? Is there a massive difference?

Cheers for any advice, Ed