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Soil & Food Security

Soil & Food Security theme looks in detail at soil processes within the root zone supporting food and fibre provision. We examine wider benefits/dis-benefits of intensive agriculture, agri-environment schemes and agro-forestry on climate regulation, water quality, pollination and biodiversity.

ACADEMIC STAFF

RESEARCH STAFF

RESEARCH STUDENTS

Current PhD Projects

  • The impact and attenuation of flavonoids in the rhizosphere (Ali Sabeeh Abdulameer)
  • Enhancing the benefits to biodiversity and ecosystem service delivery from uncropped areas in farms (Maria Ashby)
  • Seed physiology of rangeland species and implications for genetic resources conservation (Naser Almarri)
  • Yield stability and climate change: the role of pollinators (Jake Bishop)
  • The coherence and ecological sufficiency of European protected area networks (joint with University of Kent) (Dimitrios Bormpoudakis)
  • The microbiology of lean and obese soil (Frances Cheesman)
  • Adequacy and effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network in Cyprus (Charalambos (Pambos) Christodoulou)
  • Deep rooting in a doubled haploid wheat population with introgression from wild emmer (Christina Clarke)
  • The efficacy of using bio-chars as additives in the composting process (James Cotterill)
  • Responding to environmental change: soil system resilience (Oliver Crowley)
  • Matrix permeability; the key to effective habitat restoration in lowland agricultural landscapes (Grace Davies)
  • Novel crop rotations to enhance multiple ecosystem services underpinning production of winter wheat and oilseed rape (Erika Degani)
  • The fate of carbon from soil amendments in horticultural systems (Sarah Duddigan)
  • High biomass rotation: Evaluating it's impact on soil health, weed burden and crop quality Richard Gantlett
  • The effectiveness of agri-environmental management for biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside (Chloe Hardman)
  • Harnessing multiple benefits from novel crop rotations: increased yield, pest regulation, soil fertility and environmental quality (Sam Leigh)
  • Developing a sustainable method for the determination of bioaccessibility of organic contaminants from polluted sites (Stephen Lowe)
  • Enhancement of natural pest control in orchards (Rachel MacDonald)
  • Enhancing pollination and pest regulation services by supplementing floral resources (joint with University of Worcester) (Megan McKerchar)
  • Soil Characterization using Visible Near Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (VNIR DRS) (Amudat Olatunde)
  • How important is soil microbial diversity for pesticide biodegradation function and robust biodegradation kinetics? (Jessica Princivalle)
  • Do competitive plant x plant interactions impact rhizosphere microbial community structure and function? (Harriet Robson)
  • Spatial Distribution and Function of Soil Fauna in Organic Agroforestry (Nasren Rekany)
  • Fate and transport of fertiliser nitrogen under spring barley cultivation on contrasting soils (Leanne Roche)
  • Developing novel Systematic Conservation Planning tools (joint with Open University of Cyprus) (Louise Sutherland)
  • Assessment of human exposure to a range of pollutants through computer modelling (Koki Takaki)
  • Ecosystem services in sustainable agriculture: maximising productivity and environmental benefits (Paul Tyson)
  • Can agroforestry reconcile conflicting demands for productivity, biodiversity conservation and delivery of ecosystem services? (Alexa Varah)
  • Managing Ecosystem Services to Promote Economic Benefits and Food Security (Sean Webber)
  • Understanding and managing the flow of pollination services between protected areas and agroecosystems (Jennifer Wickens)
  • Understanding and managing the flow of pest regulation services between protected areas and agroecosystems (Victoria Wickens)
  • Difference in soil knowledge among farmers and effects on soil management, case study in Kitui, Kenya (Yoshie Yageta)
  • Valuing biological pest control services (Mark Zhang)

Current Research Projects