Modelling tropical vegetation to transform carbon budgets (PhD funded) Ref: 5798

Supervisors

Professor Lina Mercado, Department of Geography, University of Exeter

Professor Stephen Sitch, Department of Geography, University of Exeter

Dr Mike O’Sullivan, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Exeter

Dr Arthur Argles, Met Office

Around one quarter of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions are taken up by land ecosystems, mitigating climate change (Friedlingstein et al., ESSD 2025). The largest land sink is located in tropical ecosystems with their high productivity and biomass (Ahlstrom et al., Science 2015). Yet these ecosystems are also heavily impacted by deforestation, degradation through fire, climate change and extremes (Aragao et al., Nat comms 2018). The representation of tropical vegetation and its response to disturbance in climate change models hinders our ability to predict future climate.

This funded PhD will focus improving the representation of tropical forest and savanna vegetation and carbon cycling in process-based Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVM), incorporating novel datasets on vegetation function and recovery from disturbance (Heinrich et al., Nature 2023). The outcome of the project will help to reduce uncertainty in the global carbon budget.

The project entails developing and running the Joint UK Land Environment Simulator (JULES) DGVM. The student will benefit from access to empirical and remote-sensing data from complementary projects.

The project is part of a larger project that aims to reduce uncertainty in the global carbon budget. Student is required to attend annual project meetings including attendance to a workshop on Dry tropics vegetation dynamics to be held in South Africa in April 2026.

The project is suited to candidates with a related research background with strong numerical, analytical and coding skills with undergraduate and masters degree in Mathematics, Earth System Sciences, Natural Sciences and related subject areas.

The conditions for eligibility of home fees status are complex and you will need to seek advice if you have moved to or from the UK (or Republic of Ireland) within the past 3 years or have applied for settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme.  

Entry requirements

Applicants for this studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate subject areas with strong numerical, analytical and coding skills including Mathematics, Earth System Sciences, Natural Sciences and related subject areas.

If English is not your first language you will need to meet the English language requirements and provide proof of proficiency. Click here for more information.

How to apply

Apply now

To apply, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button above. In the application process you will be asked to upload several documents

•            CV

•            Letter of application (outlining your academic interests, prior research experience, reasons for wishing to undertake the project and fit to the project in terms of previous research and skills).

•            Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying)

•            Two references from referees familiar with your academic work. If you are shortlisted for interview, you are required to contact the referees asking them to email the reference directly to PGRApplicants@exeter.ac.uk quoting the studentship reference number.

•            If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English.

The closing date for applications is midnight on 16^th of January 2026.  Interviews will be held virtually during the period 6^th -13^th of February, 2026

All application documents must be submitted in English. Certified translated copies of academic qualifications must also be provided.

Please quote reference 5798 on your application and in any correspondence about this studentship.

Summary