Dr M Watts
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Background
Subsistence farmers in Africa are often dependent on food grown within a limited area. Therefore, their health is often associated with geochemical factors that influence the soil-to-crop transfer of essential micronutrients (MN) for health (e.g. zinc). Food production and quality is compromised by soil erosion and downstream transport of sediments to waterbodies where sediment and associated nutrients/pollutants impact water security. Resources to manage soils sustainably can be limited, resulting in weathering and erosion of soil into waterways/catchments, such as Lake Victoria. Little is known about the loss of MN from weathering of soils and whether these are more prone to poor soil management (organic retention). Loss of fine soil particles may result in transfer of micronutrients or naturally occurring/anthropogenic potentially harmful elements (PHEs) into water courses/catchments with implications for ecological health. The Winam Gulf catchment of Lake Victoria is an exemplar of these processes as a regionally important source of food both from land and water.
Research Aims & Objectives
– Quantify the nutrient/micronutrient and erodibility status of soil across the Winam Gulf catchment under a range of land use histories and terrain.
– Link sediment in transit within the system to specific spatial and land use defined source areas and processes (surface versus subsurface/gully erosion) using environmental forensic/tracer tools.
– Integrate geospatial evidence with a GIS-based risk modelling framework permitting scenario testing of future changes in land use on MN and PHE flux.
To achieve these aims, the student will receive training in field, lab and data/statistical techniques in two phases:
1. Using on-going data capture, evaluate the potential apportionment of sediment chemistry to sources and locations from baseline soil geochemistry and sediment data collected by UK-Kenyan partners, with additional analyses on archived samples for source apportionment.
2. The student will undertake sampling in Kenya representative of differing land-use (varying timescales of land clearance) subject to different scales of soil erosion, accounting for soil geochemistry over two field seasons to better understand the chemistry and physical parameters influencing leaching of MNs/PHEs.
The candidate should have an earth/environmental science or chemistry degree and willing to travel for fieldwork in Kenya.
The successful candidate will be registered for a PhD in the University of Plymouth’s School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.
This project has been shortlisted for funding by the ARIES NERC Doctoral Training Partnership. Undertaking a PhD with ARIES will involve attendance at training events.
All ARIES Universities have Athena Swan Bronze status as a minimum.
Applicants from quantitative disciplines who may have limited environmental science experience may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take appropriate advanced-level courses.
Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on 26/27 February 2019.
For further information please see www.aries-dtp.ac.uk or contact us at [Email Address Removed].
ARIES studentships are funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which applies the eligibility criteria laid down by its parent body, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). These are outlined in their Terms and Conditions of Training Grants document, and given in more detail in their training Grant Guide, both of which can be found on the UKRI website.
Funding Notes
In general, UK and EU nationals who will have been resident in the UK for three years or more at the time when their PhD begins will be eligible for a full ARIES studentship. UK and EU nationals who have been resident outside the UK but within the EU during the qualifying period will usually be eligible for a ‘fees only’ studentship, which pays research costs and tuition fees but gives no help with living expenses.
In case of uncertainty, the planned university of registration should be contacted for eligibility advice; or the ARIES administrators: [Email Address Removed].
Continue with Facebook
