Understanding soil processes driving organic carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions in terrestrial ecosystems is fundamental to enhance soil functions that contribute to mitigating climate change. This knowledge is particularly important for hydromorphic soils that characterise both natural and anthropogenic wetland ecosystems. Apart from representing some of the most biologically productive ecosystems on earth and sustaining global food security (e.G. Rice paddies), wetland soils represent major contributors to global methane emissions though, at the same time, hold an important potential to sequester atmospheric C. The balance between C source and sink functions of these ecosystems is however not always clear due to several knowledge gaps in the soil processes that regulate belowground C cycling as a function of different edaphic and environmental variables. Moreover, soil processes driving the trade-off between methane emissions and C sequestration are still not fully understood, especially due to the complex interactions and feedbacks between plants, soils and microorganisms. The PhD project will focus on C cycling in rice paddies, as model wetland ecosystems for their global relevance with respect to food production and environmental implications, as well as for the extensive background knowledge of soil and plant processes occurring in the paddy rhizosphere. In particular, the research is expected to contribute scientific knowledge essential to improve our conceptual model of soil C cycling and budgets in these agroecosystems, by providing novel insights into belowground C allocation by rice plants and the contribution of root-derived C (including rhizodeposition and root detritusphere C turnover) to labile and stable organic matter pools as a function of different variables such as soil redox conditions, nutrient availability and soil properties. The implications of belowground C inputs on driving methane production and C sequestration in these redox-dynamic environments, will be elucidated even through the use of stable isotope tracing approaches in soil-plant systems. Apart from providing advances in our understanding of wetland functioning in general, research outcomes will also integrate our understanding of the effects of agricultural practices on the environmental sustainability of rice cropping systems. The project contains a certain degree of flexibility and could take on both methodological and applied focuses depending on the interests of the candidate. The candidate will learn how to formulate hypotheses, design experiments and apply statistical techniques to address specific research questions, and will have the opportunity to publish his/her results in peer-review journals and present them at national and international conferences. Moreover, an internship of up to 6 months as a visiting researcher in an international research centre will complement the training.

Candidates should be well-motivated, curious and committed to pursuing research in soil science. The ideal candidate should have a solid background in soil chemistry, physics and biology, and a broad interest in soil processes and functions related to the sustainability of agroecosystems. Experience with field sampling and chemical laboratory analysis (in particular soil chemical analysis and stable isotope mass spectrometry) will be considered an asset. The candidate must have the ability to work independently with flexibility as part of a team, and a willingness to learn new skills related to soil biogeochemistry. The candidate is expected to demonstrate capacity to manage and critically analyse new and complex concepts, develop own research questions, pursue lines of though, and hold a working proficiency (both oral and written) in English. The University of Torino seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

The DISAFA is a leading academic institution that undertakes strategic research at the forefront in agricultural, forest and food systems. The campus includes cutting-edge research labs and greenhouses equipped with advanced instruments for the analysis of complex and structured matrices for specific topics (e.G. Soil science, plant physiology and genetics, plant pathology, agronomy and forest science). A network of experimental platforms and field research sites complement the campus facilities. The department’s research environment attracts leading international scientists and collaborations with international research institutes. Researchers are also committed to engage with end-users, policy makers and key stakeholders at local and national levels. The campus is located near the city of Torino to which it is well connected (15 minutes underground metro ride), and includes libraries, sports facilities, ample green areas and meeting points. The candidate will work with Prof. Daniel Said-Pullicino (https://www.Disafa.Unito.It/persone/daniel.Saidpullicino) as part of the Soil Biogeochemistry and Fertility research group which focuses on biotic and abiotic processes that regulate soil functions including climate change mitigation, plant nutrition, food safety, and water and air quality, over a range of scales. The research group also includes scientists with expertise in (i) soil organic matter cycling and interactions with nutrient cycling; (ii) soil-plant-microbe interactions driving soil organic matter composition, stabilization and turnover; (iii) biogeochemical cycling of nutrients and contaminants in soil and water environments; (iv) element interactions in the soil-plant interface and plant regulatory responses; (v) microbial ecology and functional role of microorganisms in biogeochemical cycles. For more information, visit:Https://en.Disafa.Unito.It/do/home.Pl/View?doc=/research/research_lines/groups/soil_resource/soil_biogeochemistry_and_fertility.Html