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The Resources Topic Group is led by Iain Donnison, with support from Rebecca Rowe.
The work of the topic group will consider how we can grow biomass on lower grade land, make crops more resilient to extreme weather events and deliver ecosystem services.
More specifically, the research will answer:
- How can energy crop establishment costs be reduced, yields be reliably increased and waste streams be mapped and valorised?
- How can biomass be matched to end user requirements?
- How can positive environmental benefits of energy crop cultivation and waste management be maximised and negative impacts minimised?
This information will directly inform assessment of energy crop case studies by quantifying yields, regional suitability and ecosystem impacts.
The scope of the research includes the environmental impact of energy crop cultivation and waste management on soil carbon, greenhouse gas emissions and soil health, habitats for wildlife, flood mitigation and water quality to assess impacts on farming systems and landscape.
The Resources Topic Group will deliver the following outputs:
- Marginal Land Report
- Journal paper: Soil and climate heterogeneity
- Journal paper: Modelling of ecosystem impacts
- Maps: Opportunity mapping
