Integrated agroecological management is seen as a potential solution to degrading agroecosystems. However, its impacts on water quality are still poorly understood, despite agroecology’s focus on whole-system approaches that reduce reliance on external inputs and could potentially reduce water pollution.
The aim of this project is to examine whether and how systemic change in agronomic practices and spatial targeting of measures could scale up to allow the protection of water quality under future climate and socio-economic scenarios. Specifically, the PhD will:
- Investigate the potential of agro-ecological agricultural practices to mitigate diffuse pollution from nutrients, sediments and other contaminants to deliver multiple ecosystem services (clean water availability, carbon stewardship, biodiversity conservation)
- Investigate the potential of systemic change in agronomic practice to deliver resilient water quality and water resources under future hydrological extremes
- Quantify the scale and targeting of interventions required for mitigation and adaptation to these impacts across a climatic gradient
This PhD will provide excellent multi-disciplinary training in catchment science (hydrology, water quality, soil science, agronomy) and system-based modelling, with an opportunity for limited field data collection and engagement with stakeholders in the farming sector.
The PhD will be able to take part in short visits and secondments to the world-leading Agricultural Research Program in Ireland, Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and CARBERY food producer in Ireland for additional training and knowledge exchange.
The project will be supervised by Dr Miriam Glendell and Dr Cathy Hawes from the James Hutton Institute and Prof. Phil Jordan at the University of Ulster, UK. The student will have access to additional support from Dr Nicholas Schurch from Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Dr Leah-Jackson Blake at NIVA in Norway and Dr Per-Erik Mellander from Teagasc in Ireland. You will be based in the Environmental and Biochemical Sciences Department (https://www.hutton.ac.uk/department/environmental-and-biochemical-sciences/) located in Aberdeen, Scotland.
