Andrew Neal is a Soil Microbiologist researching how farmers can optimise the health of their soil.
His research places organic carbon at the heart of soil: “Despite carbon’s critical role, the mechanisms underlying carbon dynamics and the link to soil water and nutrient availability are poorly understood,” says Neal. “Society still struggles with the concept of what soil is and how it can be managed effectively because it is such a complex combination of biological, chemical and physical processes”.
Combining modern techniques such as shotgun metagenomics and X-ray computed tomography, and borrowing heavily from the extended phenotype concept developed by Dawkins, the emerging processual view of biology and critical systems theory, he is working with colleagues to develop a radically different way of thinking about soil.
Neal is a regular public speaker and his work has been featured on BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science, at New Scientist Live events and podcasts (Agrii Tramlines Podcast, Croptec Podcast) as well as speaking at the Parliamentary ERFA committee and featuring in BBSRC's video feature - What happens when you switch farmland from livestock to crops?
He maintains an international portfolio of research, collaborating with colleagues in Australia, Brazil, China, India and Uruguay.
Find Andy on Twitter here - https://twitter.com/microbass1 (@microbass1)
Instagram - @chatting_fit
@finlay_maclaren
www.finmaclaren.co.uk
YouTube - @chattingfit