dr. G. Rabelo Quadra (Gabrielle)

I am a biologist and ecologist from Brazil, currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Ecology Department of RIBES. My work focuses on peatland restoration—an essential effort since peatlands, once vital carbon sinks, have become significant sources of carbon dioxide emissions due to drainage for agriculture and mining. Rewetting these ecosystems is crucial for mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss. However, restoring peatlands also raises social concerns, especially for farmers who depend on drained land. To address this, I am researching ways to optimise paludiculture—a sustainable method of crop production on wet soils that can offer alternatives for farmers. My work also involves managing the trade-offs of rewetting, such as nutrient mobilisation and methane emissions, where my background in pollution and ecotoxicology proves helpful in finding solutions to mitigate these challenges.

• Biogeochemical cycling and greenhouse gas emissions

• Ecology Department