The James Hutton Institute is an interdisciplinary scientific research institute in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

established in 2011, through the merger of Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) and the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute. The institute, named after Scottish

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althoug ...

James Hutton, one of the leading figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, combines existing Scottish expertise in

agricultural research Agricultural science (or agriscience for short) is a broad multidisciplinary field of biology that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. Profession ...

soils Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ter ...

and

land use Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and managed woods. Land use by humans has a long ...

, and works in fields including food and

energy security Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to (relatively) cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven d ...

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

, and

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

. With more than 600 employees, the institute is among the largest research centres in the UK. It is a registered charity under Scottish law. The institute has its main offices in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

and Dundee with farms and field research stations at Glensaugh and Balruddery. The Dundee site also hosts the Plant Sciences department of the

University of Dundee , mottoeng = "My soul doth magnify the Lord" , established = 1967 – gained independent university status by Royal Charter1897 – Constituent college of the University of St Andrews1881 – University College , ...

. The James Hutton Institute also formally contains Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) which has staff based in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

, Dundee,

and

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Subdivisions of Scotland, council area and the historic Shires of Scotlan ...

. BioSS undertakes research, consultancy and training in mathematics and statistics as applied to agriculture, the environment, food and health. Strategic oversight of the development of BioSS is provided by a Strategic Planning Group composed of senior representatives from BioSS' principal stakeholders. BioSS and the James Hutton Institute are two of a family of six organisations termed the Main Research Providers for the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analytical Services Division (RESAS). In 2012, the institute announced that it was formally joining the Natural Capital Initiative, a leading UK partnership that brings together policymakers, scientists, business, industry to find the most effective ways safeguard important ecosystems and

natural capital Natural capital is the world's stock of natural resources, which includes geology, soils, air, water and all living organisms. Some natural capital assets provide people with free goods and services, often called ecosystem services. All of t ...

. Projects led by the institute to establish an International Barley Hub and an Advanced Plant Growth Centre in Dundee have been supported through the Tay Cities Deal with a £62m investment.

References

{{authority control Agricultural organisations based in Scotland Research institutes in Scotland Environmental research institutes Agricultural research institutes in the United Kingdom 2011 establishments in Scotland Organisations based in Aberdeen Organisations based in Dundee 2011 in science Public bodies of the Scottish Government Government agencies established in 2011 Science and technology in Aberdeen Science and technology in Dundee Charities based in Scotland