Landscape and Ecology
Landscapes & Ecology (Theme Lead: Andrew Weatherall)
Researchers in this theme will explore the interplay between physical and biological systems within the context of a changing climate. Processes that form, shape and modify landscapes and ecosystems will be studied to provide the scientific basis for real world decision making at catchment, regional, national and international scales.
Climate Smart Forestry in Mountain Regions
Climate Smart Forestry in Mountain Regions (CLIMO) is a EU Co-operation in Science and Technology (COST) Action running from November 2016 to April 2021.
Management Committee members come from 28 participant European countries, plus observers from 6 near neighbour countries and 5 international countries. Specific organisations that are affiliated include the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Forest Institute (EFI).
Dr Andrew Weatherall MICFor is the leader of Working Group 1: The Definition of, and Approaches to, Climate Smart Forestry.
The first peer-reviewed publication from this COST Action has now been accepted for publication:
What is Climate-Smart Forestry? A definition from a multinational collaborative process focused on mountain regions of Europe. Further papers and a Springer Special Edition are at the manuscript stage. Andrew Weatherall is lead author of one paper and one book chapter, and co-author of others.
floc structure and dynamics
- 3-Dimensional floc structure and dynamics (2016-2020)
- This project uses innovative 3D imaging to understand structure and function of suspended cohesive sediments (flocs). Flocs are important to aquatic ecosystems, transferring material from the catchment to coast, contributing to global biogeochemical cycling, and enhancing carbon storage in oceans.
- Funder: Natural Environment Research Council
- Partners: Queen Mary University of London; University of Cumbria; Hydraulics Research Wallingford
- Please contact: simon.carr@cumbria.ac.uk
RESIST-UK
Response of Ecologically-mediated Shallow Intertidal Shores and their Transitions to extreme hydrodynamic forcing in UK settings (RESIST-UK) (2018-2021)
- Saltmarshes are key components of coastal protection in a context of rising sea levels, but why are some saltmarshes experiencing so much more storm-wave erosion than others? This project explores how 3D structure and function of biological and physical components of saltmarsh environments conditions their resistance to erosion.
- Funder: Natural Environment Research Council
- Partners: University of Cambridge; Queen Mary University of London; University of Cumbria; British Geological Survey; Trinity College Dublin
- Please contact: simon.carr@cumbria.ac.uk
Bugs, Veggies and Worms
Bugs, Veggies and Worms: Combining worms and vegetation to enhance dewatering in legacy oil sands tailings (2020-2022)
- Oil sands extraction in Canada has created a legacy of vast, highly polluted tailing ponds. This project is trying to evaluate the effectiveness of bioremediation agents in accelerating the recovery of sediment structure and function to accelerate ecological and landscape recovery.
- Funder: Institute for Oil Sands Innovation (Environment Canada)
- Partners: Technical University of Alberta (Canada); Deltares (Netherlands); Queen Mary University of London; University of Cumbria;
- Please contact: simon.carr@cumbria.ac.uk
The Application of Sisal as a geotextile for landslip manage
The aim of this project to evaluate the potential of sisal for soil stabilisation on steep slopes in uplands. A three year project, sisal is being compared to the more traditional geotextiles of jute and coir.
- Partners: Friends of the Lake District, United Utilities & the East Africa Sisal Company Ltd
- Funders: Friends of the Lake District & united Utilities
- Contact: lois.mansfield@cumbria.ac.uk
