Biochar-amended soil for resilient agriculture, soil health and climate change mitigation- An Integrated Assessment

Background: Biomass releases greenhouse gas emissions through natural decay or when burnt. Processes such as pyrolysis, a thermochemical conversion of biomass, converts carbon dioxide captured in biomass into a stable, carbon-rich product called biochar, which can act as a soil carbon sink for hundreds of years with a potential to remove up to 6.6 Gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually. Biochar is recognised by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change as a carbon dioxide removal technology and offers a wide range of co-benefits in applications such as wastewater treatment, crop productivity increase and soil health. To adapt to increasing and accelerating changes in climatic conditions creating climate extreme events such as droughts and floods, we need more resilient crops and better soil health. While biochar production has increased significantly in the last few years, there is a significant gap in understanding the how’s and why’s of long-term and shot-term effects of biochar addition to soils, especially from an integrated assessment of abiotic and biotic interactions.

Novelty and timeliness of the project: The proposed PhD project offers a unique opportunity for aspiring researchers to contribute significantly to mitigating climate change—a pressing global challenge. Biochar is recognised by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change as a carbon dioxide removal technology and offers a wide range of co-benefits in applications such as wastewater treatment, crop productivity increase and soil health. To adapt to increasing and accelerating changes in climatic conditions creating climate extreme events such as droughts and floods, we need more resilient crops and better soil health. The project focuses on exploring ecological, micromechanical, and physico-chemical interactions in biochar-amended soils—a cutting-edge approach to understanding and enhancing soil resilience in the face of climate change. The project’s holistic perspective, addressing both abiotic and biotic interactions, responds to the current gap in understanding the comprehensive impacts of biochar on soils.

Your environment: The project fosters an interdisciplinary research environment, which is highly attractive to candidates seeking diverse and holistic scientific experiences. The student will collaborate at the intersection of engineering, chemistry, microbiology, and soil science, gaining a broad skill set that is invaluable for future research and career prospects. As part of this project, the student will collaborate with experienced supervisors and gain access to world-class research facilities on biochar and soil science at Newcastle University. This provides a unique opportunity to work alongside experts in the field, fostering mentorship and collaboration that can accelerate research progress and skill development.

Newcastle University is committed to being a fully inclusive Global University which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from everybody, regardless of race, sex, ethnicity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital status/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, as well as being open to flexible working practices.