Dr. rer. nat., FHEA
Advanced Research Fellow
- About
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- Email Address
- sylvia.vetter@abdn.ac.uk
- Office Address
- School/Department
- School of Biological Sciences
Biography
Since 2012 Environmental Modelling Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, UK
(Research Assistant 2012-2016, Research Fellow 2016-2021, Advanced Research Fellow since 2022)
2016 Dissertation (equal to PhD), Chair of Meteorology, Technische Universität Dresden, Germany
Thesis title: “Carbon dioxide and water fluxes over semi-arid grassland in Inner Mongolia (China)”, Acquired Title: Dr. rer. nat.
2011 Scholarship holder ESF (European Science Foundation), University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
2008 – 2012 Chair of Meteorology, TU Dresden, Germany
2004 - 2005 Graduate Studies, Uppsala University, Sweden (ERASMUS)
2000 – 2007 Study of Hydrology, TU Dresden, Germany
Thesis: “Research of carbon and water budgets of pastured grassland in Bavaria based on EC data“, Degree: Dipl.-Hydrol. (equal to a master’s degree)
External Memberships
Editor in Chief - International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability
Editorial Board - Sustainability
Member of CFA Science Advisory Council - https://coolfarm.org/
Panel Member for the British Council - Natural Environment; ISPF Research Empowerment Programme; ISPF Research Capacity Strengthening programme - https://www.britishcouncil.org/
Expert reviewer for Royal Academy of Engineering (Green Future Fellowships)
Expert reviewer for NSERC-SSHRC (Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative)
Expert reviewer for NERC (Pushing the Frontiers)
Expert reviewer for JPI climate
Expert reviewer for The Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia
Expert reviewer for XPRICE - Carbon Removal
- Research
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Research Overview
My research interests evolve around climate change and understanding the impacts of human activities on the environment, specifically emitted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, grasslands and land use change, impacts on soil (soil organic carbon, soil health) and possible mitigation options (including biochar).
My work includes modelling GHG emissions from agriculture and explore mitigation options by using and developing easy to use tools like the Cool Farm Tool (developed for the use of farmers, https://coolfarmtool.org/) and the CCAFS-MOT (developed for policy advisors, https://ccafs.cgiar.org/research/projects/mitigation-options-tool-agriculture-ccafs-mot) and processed based modelling with ECOSSE and DailyDayCent.
I am also interested in eddy covariance (EC) measurements of different environments. I looking after a measurement campaign, analysing and preparing the data (including meteorological parameters) and analysing and modelling water fluxes (ET and soil water).
Research Areas
Accepting PhDs
I am currently accepting PhDs in Biological and Environmental Sciences.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.
Biological and Environmental Sciences
Accepting PhDsCurrent Research
LUNZ Footprint - 2050 Greenhouse Gas Accounting Living Lab - https://lunzhub.com/projects-2/
Greenhouse Gases Removal Demonstrator (GGR-D) projects (BBSRC funded) - Greenhouse gas removal with UK agriculture via enhanced rock weathering (GGR-D ERW) - https://co2re.org/ggr-projects/
Power of the Pea (funded by Birds Eye) - Research on how pea crops impact soil health
Past Research
2021 - 2022 AFRICAP (GCRF funded) - Agriculture and Food-Systems resilience: increasing capacity and advising policy - https://africap.info/
2019 -2021 Soils-R-GGREAT (NERC) - Soils Research to deliver Greenhouse Gas REmovals and Abatement Technologies; The project explores soils and biochar to provide a comprehensive global assessment of soil based greenhouse gas removals (GGRs) - https://www.ggrprogramme.org.uk/
2021 Pathways to net zero (WWF funded) - Developing WWF’s preferred pathway to aligning UK agriculture and land use with net zero - https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-02/WWF_Pathways_net_zero_Report_final.pdf
2021 New Crops and Model Comparison for Cool Farm Tool (CoolFarmAliance) - https://coolfarmtool.org/
2016-2019 BALI (NERC) - A Multidisciplinary Consortium Exploring the Biogeochemical Impacts of Tropical Forest Degradation, Agricultural Conversion and Biodiversity Loss (http://bali.nerc-hmtf.info/)
2015-2016 Mitigation potential in Indian agriculture (CIMMYT) – based on Indian agriculture the GHG emissions and SOC changes were calculated spatially and possible mitigation potential estimates
2015-2016 GHG emissions of Indian diets (WELCOME Trust) – based on Indian agriculture the GHG emissions were calculated for typical Indian diets, environmental impacts were analysed and the consequences of a changing diet explored
2014-2015 CCAFS-MOT (CCAFS) - Development of a greenhouse gas mitigation option tool for agricultural management (https://ccafs.cgiar.org/research/projects/mitigation-options-tool-agriculture-ccafs-mot)
2013-2014 Climate change mitigation in African countries (FAO) – the mitigation potential of agricultural activities were calculated spatially for Malawi, Viet Nam and Zambia
2013 GHGs for agriculture in UK (SEER - Social, Economic and Environmental Research project) - Simulations of GHG with the Cool Farm Tool for agriculture in UK
2012 Cotton in India (WWF) – estimating GHG emissions and climate change mitigation opportunities in cotton cultivation in India with the Cool Farm Tool
2008 – 2012 Eddy covariance (EC) measurements of differently grazed grasslands in Inner Mongolia (China) in the projects MAGIM and IWAS
MAGIM - funded by the German Science Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG) as part of the Research Unit 536 Matter fluxes in grasslands of Inner Mongolia as influenced by stocking rate (MAGIM)
IWAS – funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) as part of the project International Water Research Alliance Saxony (IWAS)
Datasets
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ECOSSE: Model to Estimate Carbon in Organic Soils - Sequestration and Emissions
The purpose of this software is to simulate the effects of climate and land-use on soil carbon and nitrogen. It includes physical, biogeochemical and chemical processes in mineral and organic soils.- DOI
- 10.20392/bcbfaa8a-74aa-4422-8fef-c37ed18b21ad
- Publisher
- University of Aberdeen
- Date Made Available
- 20 December 2025
- Related Research Outputs
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- Estimating changes in Scottish soil carbon stocks using ECOSSE. I. Model description and uncertainties
- Simulation of CO2 and Attribution Analysis at Six European Peatland Sites Using the ECOSSE Model
- Evaluation of the ECOSSE model for simulating soil carbon under short rotation forestry energy crops in Britain
- Simulation of greenhouse gases following land-use change to bioenergy crops using the ECOSSE model
- Evaluation of the ECOSSE model for simulating soil organic carbon under Miscanthus and short rotation coppice-willow crops in Britain
- High-resolution spatial modelling of greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change to energy crops in the United Kingdom
- Contributors
- Dondini, M. (Creator), Smith, J. (Rights Holder), Martin, M. (Data Manager), Richards, M. (Creator), Kuhnert, M. (Creator), Abdalla, M. (Creator), Vetter, S. (Other), McCalmont, J. (Other)
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Modelled global soil carbon change based on different management and climate scenarios from 2030 to 2100
The data set shows the modelled change of soil organic carbon under different managements in agriculture for different climate scenarios globally. Dataset includes the change to a business as usual scenario for different soil managements for each decade from 2030 to 2100. The work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/P019455/1)- DOI
- 10.5285/fbb03aba-ad1c-438a-a3b3-2a99bc1baaf8
- Publisher
- NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
- Links
- Date Made Available
- 02 January 2024
- Contributors
- Aitkenhead, M. (Creator), Dondini, M. (Creator), Eory, V. (Creator), Goglio, P. (Creator), Harris, J. (Creator), Hillier, J. (Creator), House, J. (Creator), Lefebrve, D. (Creator), MacLeod, M. (Creator), Manning, D. (Creator), Medina-Carmona, C. (Creator), Mohamed-Yunus, S. (Creator), Moran, D. (Creator), Myrgiotis, V. (Creator), Payen, F. (Creator), Rees, B. (Creator), Sohi, S. (Creator), Sykes, A. (Creator), Williams, M. (Creator), Williams, A. (Creator), Wollenberg, L. (Creator), Smith, P. (Creator), Vetter, S. (Contributor)
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Shortlist of soil-based greenhouse gas removal practices selected following consideration of biophysical, economic and social impacts
The provided data presents a list of greenhouse gas removal practices for soil organic carbon sequestration, which are suitable under biophysical, economic and social consideration. The list is the result of the first step in analysing the potential of agricultural soils to sequester carbon globally and is part of the NERC funded project Soils-R-GGREAT (NE/P019455/1). The work is based on literature research and expert panel and judgements. The work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/P019455/1)- DOI
- 10.5285/e0acc105-e13e-4c1f-b275-f7518b823aad
- Publisher
- NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
- Links
- Date Made Available
- 05 October 2022
- Contributors
- Sykes, A. (Creator), Vetter, S. (Creator), Aitkenhead, M. (Creator), Dondini, M. (Creator), Eory, V. (Creator), Goglio, P. (Creator), Harris, J. (Creator), Hillier, J. (Creator), House, J. (Creator), Lefebrve, D. (Creator), MacLeod, M. (Creator), Manning, D. (Creator), Medina-Carmona, C. (Creator), Mohamed-Yunus, S. (Creator), Moran, D. (Creator), Myrgiotis, V. (Creator), Payen, F. (Creator), Rees, B. (Creator), Sohi, S. (Creator), Williams, M. (Creator), Williams, A. (Creator), Wollenberg, L. (Creator), Smith, P. (Creator)
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- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
Contributions to the following courses:
BI1511: Ecology and Environmental Science
EK3307/EK5307: Catchment Management
BI4301/BI5301: Environmental Pollution
Course co-ordinator:
EK5510 Ecology, Conservation and Society (course is currently paused)
Supervision:
Supervisor of PhD student
Supervisor of Master projects
Supervisor of Honours projects
Supervisor of Honours Essay Course
Non-course Teaching Responsibilities
Guest lecture at Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Germany:
Contribution to the master course Bioenergy coordinated by Prof John Clifton-Brown; 2 lectures and a computer practice about greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, the carbon calculator Cool Farm Tool and mitigation potential through bioenergy
