CV

Education

• Ph.D. in Physical Geography, University of Tartu, 2020–2025
  • Thesis: Ecosystem scale modelling of carbon and nitrogen cycles in peatlands
  • Advisors: Dr Jaan Päärn, Prof Ülo Mander, & Dr T Luke Smallman
• Master of Science in Geoinformatics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, 2015–2017
• Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, University of Calicut, 2012–2015

Research Experience

• Postdoctoral Researcher, Natural Resources Institute Finland, March 2026 – present

• Specialist in Ecosystem Scale Modelling, University of Tartu, Estonia, September 2025 – February 2026

• Junior Research Fellow, University of Tartu, November 2022 – August 2025
  • Modelling carbon and nitrogen coupling in forests
  • Currently initiating and leading the collaboration efforts on the modelling front
• Visiting PhD Student, The University of Edinburgh, Global Change Ecology Lab, Oct 2022 – March 2023
  • Advisors: Prof Mathew Williams & Dr T Luke Smallman
  • Peatland carbon cycle dynamics by employing model-data integration
• Research Project Fellow, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, April 2018 – March 2020
  • Applications of hyperspectral remote sensing in crop health monitoring
• Research Assistant, Kerala Forest Research Institute, December 2017 – March 2018
  • Flood inundation mapping using Sentinel 1 C band data
  • Drought assessment using the MODIS data products

Skills

• Programming Languages: R, FORTRAN
• Tools: LaTeX
• Methods/Techniques: Model-Data integration (Data assimilation), Eddy covariance, Remote sensing, Machine learning

Grants & Fellowships

• Erasmus+ PhD trainee grant, European Commission, January 2023 – March 2023
  • Scholarship to cover the secondment to the Global Change Ecology Lab, The University of Edinburgh
• Dora+ long-term PhD mobility fellowship, The Estonian Education & Youth Board through the European Regional Development Fund, October 2022 – December 2022
  • Awarded for funding the PhD mobility to the University of Edinburgh
• Performance stipend, University of Tartu, 2020–2024
• Doctoral allowance, University of Tartu, 2020–2024

Publications

Atmospheric aridity and soil moisture fluctuations regulate GPP in a temperate peat bog

Thayamkottu S, Masta M, Skeeter J, Pärn J, Knox SH, Smallman TL, & Mander Ü. (2025). "Atmospheric aridity and soil moisture fluctuations regulate GPP in a temperate peat bog." EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. EGU25-15754.

Dual controls of vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture on photosynthesis in a restored temperate bog

Thayamkottu S, Masta M, Skeeter J, Pärn J, Knox SH, Smallman TL, & Mander U. (2025). "Dual controls of vapour pressure deficit and soil moisture on photosynthesis in a restored temperate bog." Science of the Total Environment. 963, 178366.

Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands

Pärn J, Thayamkottu S, Opik M, Bahram M, Tedersoo L, Espenberg M, Davison JA, Kasak K, Maddison M, Niinemets U, Ostonen I, Soosaar K, Zobel M, & Mander U. (2025). "Soil moisture and microbiome explain greenhouse gas exchange in global peatlands." Scientific Reports. 15(1), 10153.

Importance of N2O in greenhouse gas budgets of tropical peatlands

Pärn J, Espenberg M, Soosaar K, Kasak K, Thayamkottu S, Schindler T, Ranniku R, Sohar K, Malaverri FL, Melling L, & Mander U. (2025). "Importance of N2O in greenhouse gas budgets of tropical peatlands." Frontiers in Environmental Science. 13.

Meltwater of freeze-thaw cycles drives N2O-governing microbial communities in a drained peatland forest soil

Kazmi FA, Espenberg M, Pärn J, Masta M, Ranniku R, Thayamkottu S, & Mander U. (2025). "Meltwater of freeze-thaw cycles drives N2O-governing microbial communities in a drained peatland forest soil." Biology and Fertility of Soils. 61(3), 667-680.

Greening of a boreal rich fen driven by CO2 fertilisation

Thayamkottu S, Smallman TL, Pärn J, Mander U, Kane ES, Euskirchen ES. (2024). "Greening of a boreal rich fen driven by CO2 fertilisation." Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 110261.

Carbon sink strength and allocation dynamics of a rich fen peatland in the warming Arctic

Thayamkottu S, Smallman T, Williams M, Pärn J, & Mander Ü. (2024). "Carbon sink strength and allocation dynamics of a rich fen peatland in the warming Arctic (No. EGU24-12300)." Copernicus Meetings.

15N tracers and microbial analyses reveal in situ N2O sources in contrasting water regimes of a drained peatland forest

Masta M, Espenberg M, Kuusemets L, Pärn J, Thayamkottu S, Sepp S, Kirsimäe K, Sgouridis F, Kasak K, Soosaar K, & Mander U. (2024). "15N tracers and microbial analyses reveal in situ N2O sources in contrasting water regimes of a drained peatland forest." Pedosphere. 34(4), 749-758.

Greenhouse gas balance of open peatlands is globally governed by soil water content and archaeal abundance: EGU21-8969

Thayamkottu S, Pärn J, Bahram M, Espenberg M, Tedersoo L, Niinemets Ü, & Mander Ü. (2021, March). "Greenhouse gas balance of open peatlands is globally governed by soil water content and archaeal abundance: EGU21-8969." In EGU General Assembly 2021: EGU21.

Tropical forest cover dynamics and carbon emissions-contribution of remote sensing and data mining techniques

Thayamkottu S, & Joseph S. (2018). "Tropical forest cover dynamics and carbon emissions-contribution of remote sensing and data mining techniques." Tropical Ecology. 59(4), 555-563.