The project aims to identify approaches to reduce the carbon (C) footprint of cereal (barley) production as a model crop species in-line with net-zero targets. Agriculture is a significant contributor to UK and global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and Scotland has committed to reach net-zero C-emissions by 2045. While crop research trials have identified potential approaches to reduce barley C-footprint for distilling, these have not been critically examined. The studentship will therefore analyse value chain data to identify and account environmental impact indicators that assess the sustainability of barley production methods, and downstream value-chain segments, using life-cycle analysis (LCA). The approach will identify synergistic 'wins' in overall emissions reductions, minimising negative trade-offs in other impact-categories. An initial literature review and expert stakeholder consultation will identify innovations to reduce the C-footprint of barley production. In parallel, a bespoke 'grain-to-glass' LCA model will be developed to characterise barley production and processing at Glenmorangie in terms of C-footprint and other environmental impacts. LCA-scenarios will be considered to identify best-case approaches for net-zero barley production and distilling. The approach will draw-upon: Hutton's extensive datasets of integrated cropping practices; Abertay's expertise in applied-science of processing for distilling; and includes industry placements with Glenmorangie. The project presents an excellent opportunity for training in multi-disciplinary skills and techniques including stakeholder elicitation, LCA modelling, data management, and statistical analysis. The project will suit candidates with a data science background who are keen to apply their skills to solve agri-environmental and value-chain challenges using quantitative tools for sustainable development. Partnering with Glenmorangie also offers invaluable experience in translating research for practical application - since LCA-based tools which have emerged as critical to inform sustainable development and research priorities of the business, and the industry more broadly.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Intimate and prolonged associations between different organisms - symbioses - are widespread and important in the natural environment. Symbiotic associations can range from being parasitic, where one organism benefits at the expense of the other, to being mutualistic, where both organisms benefit from the association. Such symbiotic associations underpin the functioning of ecosystems: mutualism can allow pairs of organisms to survive where otherwise neither would and parasitism can limit the growth of host populations. These symbioses are particularly important in microbial communities but little is known about how these associations shape the evolution and diversity of microbial symbionts. Here we want to understand how the evolution of symbiotic organisms is different under conditions that range from parasitic to mutualistic. Our approach is to study the evolution of a bacterial-plasmid symbiosis where the nature of the association ranges from parasitic to mutualistic depending on the environment: in the presence of mercury the association is mutualistic because the plasmid has a gene for mercury resistance; and in the absence of mercury the association is parasitic because carrying the plasmid slows the growth of the bacteria. In nature carrying the plasmid allows bacteria to survive in otherwise toxic mercury contaminated soils. We will exploit the short generation times, and large population sizes of bacteria to observe evolution in action. We will discover and contrast the genetic changes that occur in the genomes of both the bacteria and the plasmid as they co-evolve on a continuum of environments that change the symbiosis from parasitic to mutualistic. - Our study is novel because we will, for the first time, study evolution across a parasitic-mutualistic symbiosis continuum using a single symbiotic association. - Our study is relevant to the natural environment because such bacterial-plasmid associations are widespread, but poorly understood, in microbial communities and are likely to play an important role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function, particularly in response to heavy metal contamination of soils. - Our study is powerful because we will use an experimental approach to study evolution in action. - Our study is timely because we will exploit the latest technologies in DNA sequencing to directly observe evolution of genetic sequences in bacterial and plasmid genomes.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

The project is a cooperation of Abertay University and the SWRI with funding from IBioIC BBSRC. The aim of the project is to use unusual (non-saccharomyces) yeast for the whisky fermentation. We will monitor the fermentation performance different yeast strains and the flavour profile of the new make spirits. It will include a sensory part at Abertay University and the SWRI.