Soil bioscience for sustainable food security
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Lancaster Environment Centre
Abstract
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People |
ORCID iD |
| Nicholas Ostle (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Jiang L
(2020)
Decoupled Spatial Distribution of PAHs Degraders Determined by Taxonomic 16S rRNA and Degrading Genes Across Chinese Forest Soils
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences
Li J
(2020)
Nitrogen and phosphorus additions accelerate decomposition of slow carbon pool and lower total soil organic carbon pool in alpine meadows
in Land Degradation & Development
Sun Y
(2020)
Land-use changes alter soil bacterial composition and diversity in tropical forest soil in China.
in The Science of the total environment
Wang F
(2018)
Ecosystem nitrogen retention is regulated by plant community trait interactions with nutrient status in an alpine meadow
in Journal of Ecology
| Description | The BBSRC and UK Government commitment to Food Security is underpinned by fundamental and applied bioscience research in Soil Science and Agri-system approaches to food, fibre and energy production. In grassland and pasture systems this goes hand-in hand with the targeted Crop and Livestock production science. It is evident that the structure, fertility and biology of soil is essential to its sustainable function as a platform for agricultural production, but there is growing pressure for soils to provide us with a range of other crucial 'ecosystem services' including carbon capture and storage, green house gas mitigation and hydrological regulation. Ensuring food production whilst maintaining these important ecosystem services and safeguarding biodiversity is a significant scientific challenge. The aim of this BBSRC Partnering Award was to 'pump-prime' the creation of collaborative links between Lancaster Environment Centre's agricultural plant-soil/environment scientists and researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) at the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry with expertise and interests in the sustainable management of soils. The intention of the project was to develop collaborative links with expert CAS scientists to access unique research facilities, agri-systems and training opportunities that will deliver soil bioscience for sustainable food security whilst maintaining ecosystem services across agricultural systems including arable, forests and grasslands. This 'Soil bioscience for sustainable food security' project directly contributes to BBSRC strategy for increased international collaboration involves the movement of early stage UK scientists (PhD students and post-docs) to work on globally relevant problems using unique facilities, databases to gain new understanding and scientific skills. Specific achievements: 1. A targeted scoping workshop with UK and CAS researchers (at the Guanzhou Institute of Geochemistry).To develop ideas for collaborative soil bioscience research 2. A series of exchanges of PhD students UK. Plus co-supervision of 3 Postgraduate students on a range of soil research PhD projects. 3. Funding won from CAS to support Chinese PhD studentships on soil bioscience. Others funded from EU SEW-REAP sources. 4. Improved understanding and skills through exchanges leading to a successful GCRF proposal on 'Restoring Degraded Grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau'. 5. Value added to concurrent BBSRC funded research on soil sustainability in the UK and wider including Soil Security Program 'U-Grass' project. 6. The partnering project has also grown to include the South China Agricultural University (Guanzhou) where new laboratories and joint initiatives are developing for long-term and novel collaboration on soil and related food security issues. |
| Exploitation Route | The key objectives have been met with important longer-term links and exchanges now planned between LU-GIG and SCAU. This partnership has now began discussing joint UG and PG degree scheme opportunities as well as new research chances in China. It is expected that this collaborative framework can be used to initiate improved and more sustainable management practices for agriculture in this region. New contacts and networks have been made and links with extension workers and training experts for the transmission of understanding to practitioners. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Education,Environment,Other |
| Description | CAS Visiting Professor |
| Amount | ¥145,000 (CNY) |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | China |
| Start | 03/2013 |
| End | 04/2016 |
| Description | CEH Algorithm PhD funding |
| Amount | £90,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2013 |
| End | 04/2017 |
| Description | Newton Fund - China Soil Critical Zone Obervatory Scoping |
| Amount | £120,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2015 |
| End | 06/2020 |
| Description | Initiation of a PhD project between Lancaster ann CAS collaborators |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Department | Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | There is joint supervision of a PhD student. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint supervision of a PhD student and access to fieldsites, laboratory infrastructure/instruments and expertise. |
| Impact | Early stages and still active. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Description | Mountain carbon PhD |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Department | Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This is a CAS funded PhD student that I co-supervise. The project involves sampling across a range of elevation gradients across China to examine the climate sensitivity of soil carbon stocks. Sharing of infrastructure and expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to research infrastructure and expertise. |
| Impact | Research is ongoing. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | PhD student visit to Lancaster University |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Research support in LU laboratories to allow the Chinese student to develop new skills and analytical approaches. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The student is funded by the CAS and is co-supervised by N. Ostle and L.Luo at the Guangzhou Institute for Geochemistry. |
| Impact | Ongoing |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Global Grassland Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An expert review panel in preparation for GCRF. Discussing research priorities and opportunities regarding the restoration of global grassland ecosystems. Participants from UK, Germany, France, India, China, Switzerland, Africa, South America. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Soil Bioscience Forum (China) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A 'Soil Bioscience Forum' for senior scientists and researchers from the UK and China to discuss issues and prioritise research actions around improving soil sustainability for food security. The event was hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (organised by N. Ostle - Lancaster University) at the Guangzhou Institute for Geosciences. There were 30+ attendees over 3 days. This meeting was co-funded by BBSRC, EU and CAS. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | UK Plant-Science meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An International meeting highlighting discoveries and advances in plant-science for food security. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |