Zoe Bateman
Areas of interest
- Peatland degradation, restoration and ecology
- Water management
- Nature-based carbon storage
- Fluid modelling through porous media
Research centres and groups
- Water@Reading
- Soil Biogeochemistry Group
Research projects
Developing an integrated toolkit for the assessment of peatland degradation
Peatlands are globally recognized for their critical ecosystem services, including biodiversity, millions of tonnes of carbon sequestration, and water regulation. Despite their importance, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened by climate change, tourism, and land-use changes, accelerating their degradation. My research focuses on the assessment of peatland degradation in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales.
My project addresses critical questions around the extent and rate of peatland loss, the factors driving degradation, and the effectiveness of current remediation measures. Using analytical laboratory techniques - nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and agent-based modelling, my research aims to develop strategies and identify best-practices to protect and restore these fragile environments, enhancing their ecosystem services. In collaboration with Natural Resources Wales, this supports broader conservation efforts aligned with the Wales National Peatland Action Plan. This project is funded by NERC SCENARIO DTP with CASE support from Natural Resources Wales.
Supervisors:
Professor Chris Collins (University of Reading)
Professor Nick Branch (University of Reading)
Peter S. Jones (Natural Resources Wales)
Chris Vane (British Geological Survey)
Background
I hold a BSc (Hons) in Geology from the University of Edinburgh and an MSc in Reservoir Evaluation and Management from Heriot-Watt University. My BSc thesis investigated dynamic controls on paleoclimate change through the analysis of marine microfossil assemblages and oxygen isotope data from sediment cores of Pleistocene and Holocene age. My MSc thesis evaluated whether high-resolution static pore connectivity could be used to predict hydraulic permeability and fluid flow paths under different flow regimes, as a proxy for numerical finite difference method simulation. I was awarded all three departmental prizes for my MSc thesis, fieldwork, and academic achievement.
Prior to commencing my PhD, I have twenty years of industry and research experience, including groundwater basin modelling, numerical modelling of complex multiphase fluids in geological reservoirs, statistical uncertainty modelling of large spatio-temporal datasets, and experimental design. My career has also included designing and executing lab experiments, mathematical characterisation of fluid-phase thermodynamics and a diverse range of geological, paleontological and archaeological fieldwork.
I am a Fellow of the Geological Society.