PhD in Soils and Biogeochemistry in Davis United States | University of California Davis

The Graduate Group in Soils and Biogeochemistry, based in the Land, Air and Water Resources department, provides M.S. and Ph.D. programs emphasizing research. This interdisciplinary group examines physical, chemical, and biological interactions within soils across various landscapes and ecosystems. Its mission is to decipher the intricate systems governing mass and energy transfer that influence agricultural productivity and ecosystem sustainability. Investigations also assess how natural processes and human activities—particularly climate shifts, land modification, and contamination—affect soils at multiple scales, from local plots to global systems.

Research areas encompass: greenhouse gas emission dynamics, surface interactions of pesticides and trace elements, mineral breakdown processes, movement of natural and introduced chemicals, microbial community ecology, carbon storage in soils, nutrient absorption and optimization, elemental cycling in cultivated and natural environments, organic farming practices, biodiversity assessment, erosion control methods, ecosystem resilience, soil's role in environmental services, and landscape-scale soil formation. These investigations combine chemical, physical, and biological approaches fundamental to soil science and biogeochemistry, frequently involving partnerships with agricultural producers, conservation organizations, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. UC Davis's Soils and Biogeochemistry program enables distinctive research opportunities across California's varied environments, nationwide, and through international initiatives, focusing on agricultural, forest, grassland, coastal, wetland, and urban ecosystems.