Isobel Lloyd

Biography

I am a PGR based in the School of Geography at the University of Leeds working with Professor Pippa Chapman, investigating greenhouse gas fluxes from agricultural soils in the UK. I previously completed my Masters in Soil Science at the University of Aberdeen. I enjoy reading, cycling, running and knitting, and am also a County Supervisor for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Qualifications

2018 – 2019: MSc Soil Science from University of Aberdeen

2015 – 2018: BSc Geography from Lancaster University

Research Interests

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.

Project Title

Measuring and modelling greenhouse gas fluxes from agricultural soils

Supervisors

Professor Pippa Chapman (University of Leeds), Dr Richard Grayson (University of Leeds), Dr Marcelo Galdos (University of Leeds), Dr Ross Morrison (UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology)

Funding

Panorama NERC DTP, 2020

Project outline

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. My PhD research will be focused on quantifying the fluxes of GHGs (CO2, N2O, CH4) from agricultural soils at the University of Leeds 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.