Download Project Title: Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Implications of Integrated

Project Title: Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Implications of Integrated Energy Security and Climate
Change Mitigation Options for Scotland
Funding Status: Competition Funded Project (European/UK students only)
Application Deadline: 2nd January 2015
Supervisory Team: Dr. Matthew Saunders (The James Hutton Institute)
Prof. Jo Smith (University of Aberdeen)
Dr. Mike Perks (Forest Research)
Dr. Jagadeesh Yeluripati (The James Hutton Institute).
Project Description: The Scottish Government (SG) is committed to a significant reduction in
national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 42%, increasing to 80%, relative to 1990 baseline
emissions, by 2020 and 2050 respectively. In order to achieve this world-leading reduction in
emissions, a suite of complementary mitigation options will be required across all sectors, including
land use, which currently accounts for approximately 20% of the national GHG emissions. Better
informed land management strategies are therefore required to mitigate climate change by
maintaining and enhancing land-based carbon (C) stocks, reducing emissions of other radiatively
important GHGs including methane and nitrous oxide and offsetting GHG emissions produced
through conventional, fossil-fuel based energy sources. This project will focus on the carbon and
GHG dynamics of peatland ecosystems and will include an assessment of the impacts of forest to
bog restoration in addition to the role of integrated renewable energy options in offsetting national
greenhouse gas emissions. The student will undertake an extensive programme of field based and
controlled environment experimental research to measure C stocks and GHG emissions from a seminatural peatland and an afforested peatland that is due to be felled and restored subsequent to the
construction of an onshore wind farm. This work will be co-supervised by The James Hutton
Institute, Forest Research and The University of Aberdeen and will make a significant contribution to
better informing the development of rural land management policy, especially in relation to climate
change mitigation, energy security and the wider contribution of these land classes to environmental
and societal benefits.
The specific objectives of this project are:
1). To quantify the climate mitigation potential of peatland ecosystems in Scotland and to assess the
role of inter-annual and long-term climatic variability on the time-dependent impacts of peatland
restoration on both total ecosystem C stocks and GHG emission dynamics.
2). To derive, using a life-cycle assessment approach, a more accurate assessment of integrated land
management options on national GHG emissions.
3). To use a model based approach to better understand the process based variables driving the
GHG dynamics of semi-natural and restored peatlands systems, and to assess how these ecosystems
will respond to future climatic scenarios in Scotland.
Funding Notes: The studentship is funded under the James Hutton Institute Joint PhD programme, in
collaboration with the University of Aberdeen and Forest Research. Candidates are urged to apply as
soon as possible so as to stand the best chance of success. A more detailed plan of the studentship is
available to suitable candidates upon application. Funding is available for European applications, but
Worldwide applicants who possess suitable self-funding are also invited to apply.
Application Enquiries: Candidates wishing to make either an informal enquiry about the studentship
or to apply directly should email Dr. Matthew Saunders ([email protected]) for
further details/instructions.