Qualification Type: | PhD |
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Location: | Devon, Plymouth |
Funding for: | UK Students, EU Students, International Students |
Funding amount: | The studentship is supported for 3.5 years and includes full ‘Home’ tuition fees plus a stipend |
Hours: | Full Time |
Placed On: | 4th March 2024 |
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Closes: | 26th April 2024 |
DoS: Prof. William Blake (Email: william.blake@plymouth.ac.uk)
2nd Supervisor: Dr Jennifer Rowntree (Email: jennifer.rowntree@plymouth.ac.uk)
3rd Supervisor: Dr Lauren Ansell (Email: lauren.adams@plymouth.ac.uk)
4th Supervisor: Dr Gonzalo Irisirri /Dr Martin Blackwell (Rothamsted Research)
Applications are invited for a 3.5 years PhD studentship within the Environmental Intelligence doctoral training programme at the University of Plymouth, starting 01 October 2024.
Project Description
Scientific background:
This project aims to integrate new advances in portable gamma spectrometry technology with emerging and urgent environmental land management needs regarding measurement of soil organic carbon (SOC) (Black et al., 2023). Enhancing SOC stocks is an important step toward meeting climate change adaptation and mitigation needs as well as enhancing soil productivity.
Processes behind building SOC and soil response are complex and quantifying changes in SOC patterns from field to farm scale is an essential step for developing knowledge of optimum management interventions. Convention sampling at scale, however, is expensive and time consuming. Innovation in gamma sensors (Van der Veek, 2021) offers opportunity to deliver rapid, on farm assessment of soil organic carbon (Taylor et al., 2023) but there is dearth of evidence to validate the efficacy of the sensor in range of conditions (different soil types, variability in soil moisture etc).
This project will close this gap by:
Research methodology:
Working in demonstration farms in South Devon and the Rothamsted Farm Platform (Orr et al., 2016), the student will:
Training:
The student will be trained in advanced catchment survey and sampling approaches, deployment of sensors and data management to include development of multivariate conversion models, state-of-the-art analytical and diagnostic methodologies under ISO9001 (gamma spectrometry and soil health/composition), use of the Roth-C model to develop a sound understanding of complexity SOC processes, setting up and running controlled experiments.
Person specification:
The successful candidate will have a degree in environmental sciences, geography or related discipline with experience in soil science, land and water processes, environmental diagnostic tools, and /or Geographical Information Systems (GIS). They will be keen and willing to undertake substantial amounts of field and laboratory work. They will have an adaptable and flexible approach to problem solving and be willing to learn new skills.
If you wish to discuss this project informally, please contact Professor Blake, willam.blake@plymouth.ac.uk
For information on Eligibility, Funding and to Apply, please click on the links below:
To apply, please click the 'Apply' button, above.
The closing date for applications on 26 April 2024.
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