PhD Studentship: Good Vibrations: Evidencing the Links Between Soil Acoustics and Soil Health

Overview

The University of East Anglia offers a full-time, fixed-term PhD studentship investigating the connections between soil acoustics and soil health. Soil invertebrates contribute significantly to food web dynamics, carbon cycling, and plant health, making soil biodiversity essential for optimal soil function. Traditional monitoring methods remain expensive and intrusive, whereas acoustic monitoring presents a non-invasive alternative that has shown early promise in reflecting invertebrate diversity and abundance. Because soil acoustics is an emerging field with knowledge gaps concerning sound propagation and critical soil functions, this project aims to provide stronger evidence linking acoustic properties to overall soil health.

The selected candidate will sample and quantify soil acoustic properties across various sites featuring different land uses, crop types, and soil characteristics. The research focuses on parameterizing the relationship between soil biodiversity and acoustic traits, determining how soil structure, texture, moisture, carbon stocks, and compaction influence this relationship, and establishing connections between acoustics, land management practices, and above-ground biomass. The successful researcher will also receive extensive training in field and laboratory data collection, ecological principles, statistical modelling, critical thinking, scientific writing, and science communication, alongside encouragement to pursue independent research lines.

Who can apply

Candidates must hold a degree in Ecology, Environmental Sciences, or a related subject. Experience conducting biodiversity surveys and acoustic monitoring, along with familiarity with geographic information systems and computer packages such as R, serves as an advantage. ARIES welcomes applications from all community sections regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and transgender status, weighting academic qualifications and non-academic experience equally.

What you get

Eligible candidates who meet UKRI criteria receive a fully-funded studentship covering university fees, a maintenance stipend of 21,805 British pounds per annum for the 2026/27 period, and a research training and support grant. A limited number of international student awards are available where the registering university waives the fee difference between home and international rates. ARIES funding does not cover relocation costs, UK living expenses, visa fees, or the health surcharge.

Requirements

Applicants must submit an application for the relevant project and complete a separate ARIES Equality and Diversity Form for each project application submitted.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is December 16, 2026.