The net-zero transition is an increasingly contentious and polarising issue in food and agricultural spheres. As livestock systems contribute approximately 12 percent of all anthropogenic GHG emissions, and about 40 percent of total emissions from agri-food systems, livestock farmers are at the frontlines of this transition.

The just transition framework can provide foresight into the social, climate and environmental justice ramifications of sustainability transition policies, processes and outcomes and are increasingly relevant to achieving food systems transformation. In practice, the just transition framework can support the creation of policies which balance human and environmental wellbeing.     

This research will apply a just transition lens to examine both public and private initiatives to achieve net zero in Welsh agriculture and land use, with a case study on livestock farming in Mid-Wales.

The rising incidences of Lyme disease, exacerbated by climate change and altered land use, pose significant public health challenges both globally and in the UK. As environmental factors shift, so do the dynamics of tick populations and their interactions with wildlife and humans. Through a combination of field studies and laboratory analyses, Samantha aims to elucidate the ecological factors modulating Lyme disease transmission, and the interactions between ticks and mammalian and avian hosts. These results could inform new risk models and means of reducing Lyme’s disease transmission.

Investigations will be conducted in three key areas:

1. Tick Behavioral Responses to Host-Derived Chemicals: Understanding how Ixodes ricinus locates suitable hosts is critical for developing interventions to reduce tick populations and biting risk. This part of the research will employ laboratory behavioural bioassays to assess how ticks respond to semiochemicals from different host species, aiming to identify potential environmental cues that influence tick questing behavior.
2. Comparative Reservoir Competence of Birds and Mammals: This research use a combination of molecular techniques and field recording data to explore the relative importance of birds compared to mammals in the transmission dynamics of Borrelia spp.
3.  Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Borrelia Genospecies: Different strains of Borrelia exhibit varying host preferences and ecological niches. Understanding these dynamics will enhance our predictive capacity regarding the emergence of Lyme disease and inform effective management strategies. This study will investigate how the distribution of these genospecies changes in response to host availability during population management interventions. Through these investigations, this research aims to contribute valuable insights into tick-borne disease ecology, ultimately aiding in the development of effective prevention strategies that balance human health and biodiversity.