Soil carbon in managed grasslands- biodiversity effects on persistence versus short-term gains?

Establishing short-term diverse grasslands in arable and pasture ecosystems is established as a potential mechanism for developing and maintaining sustainably UK soil health. While some of the benefits of this enhanced biodiversity are immediately apparent, including increased pollinator services, many long-term impacts on soil function and resilience are unclear. This research project will explore UK grasslands, managed under a range of Environmental Stewardship options with an eye towards understanding their impacts on soil health and function, invertebrate and microbial biodiversity, and climate.

Outcomes from this research will inform future land management practices and help establish the most effective means by which these practices can be utilized to accomplish future management and conservation goals.

The student who participates in this research will have the opportunity to engage in cutting edge research across several disciplines, including genomics, bioinformatics and biogeochemistry.

This is an NPIF studentship in partnership with Natural England, who run the main rewilding site on which the project work will be based. The student will have the opportunity to develop hypotheses and experiments that build upon previous work, and to develop public engagement skills based on the Trust's work.