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Isobel Lloyd

Isobel Lloyd

  • Email: gyil@leeds.ac.uk
  • Thesis title: Measuring and modelling greenhouse gas fluxes between agricultural soils and the atmosphere
  • Supervisor: Professor Pippa Chapman, Dr Richard Grayson, Dr Marcelo Galdos, Dr Ross Morrison (CEH)

Profile

I have a background in environmental and soil science, completing a BSc in Geography in 2018 and an MSc in Soil Science in 2019. My final year research projects for both of my degrees focused on how soil physical and chemical properties are impacted by certain management practices; earthworm density and the use of organic amendments in agriculture respectively. Following the completion of my MSc, I worked as a sustainability consultant, alongside volunteering with my local outdoor recreation team on their habitat conservation practices.

Research interests

Soils play a major role in the global carbon cycle, as both a store of carbon and a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere. Intensive agricultural practices have depleted, and continue to deplete stores of organic carbon in the soil, alongside nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). To achieve the UK Government’s targets of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, farming practices need to increase their efficiency by reducing soil disturbance and maintaining yields.

I am passionate about finding solutions to global climate change problems, particularly relating to agricultural practices, and how we can reduce our collective impact on the environment whilst ensuring food security and ensuring ecosystems can thrive.

My PhD research will be focused on quantifying the fluxes of GHGs (CO2, N2O, CH4) from agricultural soils at the University Farm under a range of management techniques, alongside existing flux data from the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology. This will contribute to enhancing the understanding of the relationships between different agricultural management practices and the dynamics of the GHG fluxes from these soils, and the findings will potentially be used to advise agricultural organisations and policies on how to sustainably reduce GHG emissions from the agricultural sector.

Funding: NERC Panorama funded

Qualifications

  • MSc Soil Science, University of Aberdeen (2019)
  • BSc Geography (Hons), Lancaster University (2018)