Soil Health, Biodiversity and Function in Agrivoltaic Sheep Farming Systems

About the project

About the Project The transition to renewable energy is driving rapid expansion of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations across Ireland and globally. While solar energy contributes significantly to decarbonisation goals, large-scale deployments can compete with agricultural land use. Agrivoltaics, the co-location of agriculture and solar energy generation, offers a promising solution by combining food production and renewable electricity generation on the same land. The PasturePV project, funded jointly by Research Ireland and industry partners, investigates how utility-scale solar farms can be integrated with sheep production systems to create resilient and sustainable land-use solutions that benefit farmers, communities and the environment. We invite applications for a fully funded PhD position examining the impacts of sheep grazing and solar PV infrastructure on soil health, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The successful candidate will be based at the University of Limerick , with collaborations and secondment opportunities at University College Cork and fieldwork at commercial-scale research sites. Research Project A large-scale farmlet experiment has been established to compare sheep grazing systems with and without solar PV panels. The project will investigate how agrivoltaic systems influence soil properties, nutrient cycling, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. Key research objectives include: Determining whether PV panels and sheep grazing affect nutrient dynamics and heavy metal concentrations in soils, vegetation and groundwater. Assessing the effects of PV infrastructure on soil physical and chemical properties beneath and between solar panel rows. Evaluating impacts on soil biological communities, including bacteria, fungi, protists, nematodes and earthworms. Investigating changes in microbial functional potential related to carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur cycling. Characterising soil biodiversity using molecular techniques including 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA and ITS sequencing approaches. Quantifying soil carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in agrivoltaic grazing systems. The project sits at the interface of soil science, microbiology, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy research and will generate evidence to support future agrivoltaic development. Training and Research Environment The student will join a highly collaborative and internationally recognised research team led by: Prof. Achim Schmalenberger (University of Limerick) Prof. Ken Byrne (University of Limerick) Dr. Israel Ikoyi (University College Cork) The candidate will receive training in: Soil chemistry and nutrient analysis Soil biodiversity assessment Soil microbiology and molecular ecology DNA extraction, PCR and sequencing-based methods Greenhouse gas monitoring Experimental design and statistical analysis Scientific communication and publication Candidate Profile Applicants should possess: A minimum 2.1 Honours Bachelor Degree (Level 8) in Soil Science, Environmental Science, Agricultural Science, Microbiology, Biological Sciences or a related discipline. A Master's degree (Level 9) in a relevant area is desirable but not essential. Excellent written and spoken English skills. A full clean driving licence and the ability to drive in Ireland, as extensive fieldwork will form part of the research programme. Desirable experience includes: Soil pH and nutrient analyses. Soil biology, including work with soil fauna such as nematodes or earthworms. Soil microbiology techniques. Microbial cultivation and isolation. DNA extraction, PCR and related molecular methods. Submit a single PDF document containing: A Curriculum Vitae, including academic qualifications, relevant experience and contact details for two referees. A cover letter outlining your suitability for the position, research interests and career aspirations. Applications should be emailed to: achim.schmalenberger@ul.ie Subject line: PasturePV Soil PhD Key Dates Application Deadline: 19 October 2026, 17:00 (Irish Time) Interview Notification: By 26 October 2026 Interviews: Conducted online via Microsoft Teams Expected Start Date: January 2027

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