Crystal Ahiable

Background

About Crystal Ahiable

I am a highly motivated geographer with keen interest in forest ecology and terrestrial ecosystem conservation. It is my passion to develop models that best describe these ecosystems and their interactions with the environment, and to influence the development of sustainability policies to monitor and protect them. I have a strong background in Geography, which has exposed me to the numerous scientific tools available to model the dynamics within terrestrial ecosystems particularly in forested peatlands. My PhD research is on one of the least understood types of peatlands in the UK called wet woodlands, where I will be conducting a first ever above and below ground carbon stock estimation for the wet woodlands at the Wheatfen Nature Reserve. I am adopting the Global Ecosystem Monitoring Network protocols for taking above and below ground measurements. I am also using the minirhizotron technique to measure root productivity and its significance to rate of carbon accumulation as well as flux chambers for understanding greenhouse gas fluxes within the ecosystem. I describe myself in three words; resilient, determined and focused and I seek to channel my drive in these areas to conduct ground-breaking research to improve the understanding of the carbon balance in forested peatlands.