Dr Maud van Soest

Maud is a soil scientist specialising in biogeochemical interactions and particle transport within a landscape. Common themes in her research to date are the effect of atmospheric deposits on soil characteristics, understanding how soils develop within a landscape perspective, and soil hydrology.

She has a strong interest in the Arctic; where she studied for her PhD how glacial dust is affecting soils and vegetation in an area close to the Greenland ice sheet. Maud enjoys working in an interdisciplinary context providing a useful link between the human and environmental aspects of environmental science. One of her latest projects is questioning the role of scientists in accessing vulnerable ecosystems like the Arctic.

At UKCEH, a lot of Maud’s work is based at the Plynlimon Research Catchments in mid-Wales. This is one of the UK Enhanced Rock Weathering GGR Demonstrator sites. She maintains the water instruments and sheep cameras that are deployed on the site, and is responsible for the data extraction and analysis.