Details
Tropical deforestation causes local and regional climate warming (Butt et al., 2023) and reduces regional precipitation by 10-20% or more (Smith et al., 2023). Deforestation in the Congo Basin is accelerating rapidly, but the impacts on regional climate are highly uncertain. This PhD will make the first detailed assessment of the impacts of deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo on regional climate.
The role of Congo forests in regulating regional climate is severely understudied compared to other tropical forest regions (Spracklen et al., 2018; Barimalala et al., 2023). Little is known about the climate impacts of deforestation. Even less is known about the impacts of forest degradation which is pervasive across the Congo. The potential for climate tipping points, which have been identified in other tropical forest regions such as the Amazon, is not known. Critically, we do not know the impacts of deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo on rainfall that supports the crops of 300 million people living across the region.
This PhD will assess forest – rainfall feedbacks in the Congo Basin through answering the following questions:
- What is the impact of land cover change in the Congo, including deforestation and forest degradation, on regional climate?
- What are the land surface and land – atmosphere mechanisms that control regional climate changes induced by land cover change?
- What are the impacts of regional climate change caused by land use change on agriculture through altered crop yields?
- What is the potential for climate tipping points in the Congo Forest?
This PhD will combine satellite data and climate models to assess the impacts of recent deforestation on regional climate in the Congo Basin. The PhD will use a state-of-the-art regional climate model with water vapour tracking (WRF-WVT). This model allows water vapour to be followed from source to rain, providing unique information on the contribution of forest-derived moisture to regional rainfall. Climate data, including new data collected by the CBSI will be used to evaluate model predictions. New datasets of forest degradation, provided by CBSI and other researchers, will be used to make the first assessment of climate impacts of forest degradation. The project will use new simulations from the UK Earth System Model (UKESM) to assess the potential impacts of climate tipping points.
This PhD provides the opportunity to develop and apply skills in satellite remote sensing, data analysis, and climate modelling. You will be encouraged to develop and strengthen collaborations with other students and researchers working with the CBSI. You will be supported to publish your work in leading academic journals and communicate your results as widely as possible.
Info
Degree type:
Duration:
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Supervisors
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Funding
Funder:
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Funding eligibility criteria:
Must be a national of and ordinarily resident in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon or Republic of the Congo, including at the time of application (28 February 2025). Proof of eligibility will be required.
Monthly stipend:
Students receive standard CBSI stipend, currently:
USD 1,000 per month PhD in central Africa
USD 700 per month MSc in central Africa.
GBP 1,603 per month in UK (the UK standard maintenance stipend).
Funding for University fees included:
Other funding included:
Relevant costs to purchase equipment, field costs, English language training, and travel for training and attending scientific conferences are included in the funding. For applications to UK universities funding includes intensive training to help you prepare for English language tests that you will need to pass in order to meet University entry requirements.
- A PhD dissertation, in English.
- Assessment of the impacts of Congo deforestation and forest degradation on regional rainfall.
- Assessment of the impacts of deforestation-induced regional climate change on crop yields and agriculture.
- First assessment of the potential for climate tipping points in the Congo Forest.
Applicants should:
- Have a quantitative background in environmental science, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, physical geography, or natural sciences.
- Ideally have experience with modelling and data analysis, especially of large datasets such as satellite data.
- Be keen to learn a wide range of skills from across different disciplines and apply them in new ways to help tackle an urgent societal challenge.
- Have aptitude in English, with the ability to pass an English language test with the level required to enter the University of Leeds after no more than two months of intensive language training, funded as part of the scholarship, in April and May 2025.
Barimalala, R., Kolstad, E. W., Parker, D. J., & Williams, D. A. (2023). Effects of the Congo Basin Rainforest on Rainfall Patterns. Report no. 12-2023, NORCE Climate and Environment
Butt, E.W. et al., Amazon deforestation causes strong regional warming, PNAS, 120 (45) e2309123120 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2309123120
Smith, C., Baker, J.C.A. & Spracklen, D.V. Tropical deforestation causes large reductions in observed precipitation. Nature 615, 270–275 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05690-1
Spracklen, D. V., Baker, J. C. A., Garcia-Carreras, L. & Marsham, J. H. The effects of tropical vegetation on rainfall. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 43, 193–218 (2018).
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Research outcomes
- A PhD dissertation, in English.
- Assessment of the impacts of Congo deforestation and forest degradation on regional rainfall.
- Assessment of the impacts of deforestation-induced regional climate change on crop yields and agriculture.
- First assessment of the potential for climate tipping points in the Congo Forest.
Pre-requisite skills
Applicants should:
- Have a quantitative background in environmental science, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, physical geography, or natural sciences.
- Ideally have experience with modelling and data analysis, especially of large datasets such as satellite data.
- Be keen to learn a wide range of skills from across different disciplines and apply them in new ways to help tackle an urgent societal challenge.
- Have aptitude in English, with the ability to pass an English language test with the level required to enter the University of Leeds after no more than two months of intensive language training, funded as part of the scholarship, in April and May 2025.
References
Barimalala, R., Kolstad, E. W., Parker, D. J., & Williams, D. A. (2023). Effects of the Congo Basin Rainforest on Rainfall Patterns. Report no. 12-2023, NORCE Climate and Environment
Butt, E.W. et al., Amazon deforestation causes strong regional warming, PNAS, 120 (45) e2309123120 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2309123120
Smith, C., Baker, J.C.A. & Spracklen, D.V. Tropical deforestation causes large reductions in observed precipitation. Nature 615, 270–275 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05690-1
Spracklen, D. V., Baker, J. C. A., Garcia-Carreras, L. & Marsham, J. H. The effects of tropical vegetation on rainfall. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 43, 193–218 (2018).
Apply
How to apply:
Please read our Application Guide. You must submit your application and supporting documents via our online portal by 28 February 2025. We will not be able to assess your application without all required supporting documents.
In the online portal, you will need to:
- Choose a name to identify your application. Name the application: PhD U. of Leeds (Assessing the regional climate impacts of deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo Basin)
- Select the scholarship that you are applying for. Select the scholarship entitled: PhD U. of Leeds (Assessing the regional climate impacts of deforestation and forest degradation in the Congo Basin)
Application deadline:
February 28, 2025
Expected project start date:
October, 2025
Language of application:
You will need to submit your scholarship application form, statements and CV in English.
You can upload your supporting documents and references in English or in French.
How we assess your application:
Please read our application guide.
Degree Awarding Institution
The application procedure here, as part of CBSI, is to win funding and a supervisory team for the project. Successful applicants will then need to apply to their degree awarding institution to secure a place. Scholarships can only be awarded to successful applicants who have met all conditions required for entry to their degree awarding institution and then officially accepted a place at that institution. Below are details of the criteria needed to apply for a place at the degree awarding institution.
Admissions criteria of the degree awarding institution:
- 2.1 honours degree, or equivalent, in geography or a related subject. A lower undergraduate degree can be supplemented by a relevant Masters degree.
- English language qualifications:
- IELTS: 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all components (both IELTS Academic and IELTS for UK Visas and Immigration (Academic)), passed within two years of the start date of your course.
- A range of other English language qualifications are accepted.
How to apply to the degree awarding institution:
Information on how to apply to the University of Leeds.
You should apply immediately after you hear the outcome of the CBSI Scholarship application process.
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Contact
For enquiries about…
This project:
Contact Dominick Spracklen by email to D.V.Spracklen@leeds.ac.uk
Your scholarship application:
Contact: info@congobasinscience.net
Applications to the degree awarding institution:
Contact: rp_applications@adm.leeds.ac.uk
