Environmental Footprinting of Upland Lamb Production

The UK has been set challenging targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation, and agriculture needs to contribute to these reduction targets. Other environmental losses from agriculture, particularly livestock systems, contribute to eutrophication and acidification of ecosystems, e.g. via ammonia emissions and deposition, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus losses to watercourses. Sheep production systems result in GHG emissions via nitrous oxide (N2O) from excreta deposited during grazing, especially the urine patch, fertiliser N inputs and ruminant methane (CH4) generated by the sheep and lambs themselves. Currently, the UK uses country specific emission factors for both N2O and ruminant CH4, but these are essentially based on recent experimental evidence of N2O emissions from bovine urine applied to lowland soils, and ruminant CH4 emissions from sheep fed lowland and upland vegetation in cut and carry experiments. There are several reasons why upland sheep systems could result in different GHG emissions compared to lowland systems, and for carbon footprints for upland lamb production to be lower than lowland lamb production; these are because of differences in soil type, environmental conditions and pasture species on offer for grazing livestock. This project will investigate the GHG emissions from the key sources in upland lamb production, namely the urine patch N2O emissions and ruminant CH4 emissions, using state-of-the-art mobile automated soil N2O and ruminant CH4 (Greenfeed) measurement systems on Bangor University’s farm. Laboratory scale incubations will be used to explore factors affecting these emissions, e.g. upland soil type and diet. Life cycle assessment approaches will be used to determine carbon footprints and other environmental burdens from upland and lowland lamb production systems.

Application Procedure:
Applicants should submit an electronic copy of CV including the names and contact details of two academic referees and a cover letter detailing their qualifications and experience by email simultaneously to: Prof. Dave Chadwick ([Email Address Removed]) and Dr David Styles ([Email Address Removed])

Applications are invited from graduates holding a first or upper second-class degree or M.Sc. in a relevant discipline (Environmental Science, Agricultural Science or another related discipline). The successful candidate should be highly self-motivated with an ability to work both independently and as part of a team.