Carbon Capture for Soil Ecosystem Service Enhancement

Over the last century, agriculture has caused soil erosion and the loss of soil organic carbon on an enormous scale. These losses have damaged the delivery key soil ecosystem services; including, soil carbon storage per se, soil biodiversity, soil resilience to climate change, soil fertility and increased flood risk.

Working with the CASE Partner (Greenworld), the research will use field trials to quantify the influence of paper crumble (PC; a co-product of paper recycling) on soil carbon, soil quality and the delivery of manifold soil services. Measurements, to evaluate key physical, chemical and biological attributes will be made at these trials over the course of the PhD.

Using this data, the research will apply environmental economic tools and GIS to translate measurements (relating to soil carbon gains and their influence upon soil services) to create regional and national visualisation of holistic SES benefit associated with PC application to dissimilar soils.