"PhD Studentship: Soil carbon dynamics following Amazon forest wildfires. NERC GW4+ DTP PhD studentship for September 2026 Entry"

About the Partnership

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP). The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus five Research Organisation partners: British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/

For eligible successful applicants, the studentships comprises:

• An stipend for 3.5 years (currently £20,780 p.a. for 2026/27) in line with UK Research and Innovation rates
• Payment of university tuition fees
• The budget for project costs is £9,000 which can be used for computer, lab, and fieldwork costs necessary for you to conduct your research.
• There is also a conference budget of £2,000 and individual Training Budget of £1,000 for specialist training

Project Aims and Methods

Tropical forest soils are crucial to the global carbon cycle, yet increasing wildfire, land-use change, and climate warming may cause large carbon emissions. This PhD will investigate (1) how soil respiration responds to post-wildfire conditions across Amazonia, and how soil properties mediate this response; (2) how pyrogenic carbon (PyC, charcoal) additions affect soil respiration dynamics in southern Amazonian soils; and (3) how the JULES land surface model can be improved using novel field and experimental data.

The doctoral researcher will shape the project, lead field experiments in southern Amazonia and advance modelling in collaboration with the UK Met Office. As part of the NERC-funded Amazon Pyrogenic Carbon Project, they will join project workshops, access extensive datasets (soil respiration, stable and radiocarbon isotopes, pyrogenic carbon, microclimate) and develop a new soil microcosm experiment.

Training will include tropical field methods, environmental sensors, experimental design and geospatial analysis in R, alongside advanced modelling with JULES. Co-supervisors in Brazil will provide field and logistical expertise, while the Met Office will offer world-class training in modelling and climate impact assessment. This UK-Brazil partnership ensures cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research to improve understanding of climate change and wildfire impacts on the world’s largest tropical forest.

CASE Partner

Met Office has developed the JULES model that will be used by the PhD student to explore the role of charcoal in soil carbon dynamics. Through various discussions, Met Office staff have contributed to defining the scientific questions underlying this PhD project, which is linked to a NERC-funded Standard grant that includes the University of Exeter and the Met Office as a partner.

Useful recruitment links:

For information relating to the research project please contact the lead Supervisor via: kj.vangroenigen@exeter.ac.uk