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2017

Impact of ozone on nitrogen dynamics of grassland vegetation

Impact of ozone on nitrogen dynamics of grassland vegetation

Ozone pollution has negative effects on many species of semi-natural vegetation, and grasslands have been shown to be particularly sensitive. Nitrogen deposition is also a threat to vegetation and can decrease plant biodiversity. In addition to changes in plant physiology, recent experiments have indicated that ozone alters nitrogen absorption and resorption of nitrogen from leaves […]

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How long does it take for recovery of soil processes from excess nitrogen deposition?

How long does it take for recovery of soil processes from excess nitrogen deposition

The past 60 years have seen dramatic changes in the amount of atmospheric pollutants being deposited on semi-natural habitats. Between 1960 and 1990, industrialisation and the intensification of agricultural pollution led to large increases in the deposition of nitrogen (as well as sulphur) leading to acidification and eutrophication. This had a negative impact on plant […]

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Growing your cake and eating it: a model-based investigation of trade-offs in biodiversity and potential ecosystem service supply across Britain

Growing your cake and eating it a model-based investigation of trade-offs in biodiversity and potential ecosystem service supply across Britain

Britain, in common with many other parts of the globe, faces the challenge of managing its land for multiple ends in the face of a rising population and likely climate warming. Thus new science is needed to help search for socially, economically and ecologically optimal solutions to the way land is managed. Models are a […]

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Geospatial modelling the spread of antimicrobial resistance in the environment

Geospatial modelling the spread of antimicrobial resistance in the environment

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global challenge. It is estimated that globally 700,000 human deaths per year are due to AMR, predicted to rise to 10 million by 2050. While much research is in medical/agricultural contexts, the spread of AMR in the environment is often neglected. Antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistant genes (ARGs) and organisms […]

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Functional changes in coral reef marine protected areas

Functional changes in coral reef marine protected areas

Ecology has traditionally assessed communities based on species identity, but increasingly the traits of those species are being assessed instead, to measure functional diversity. By focussing on traits, such as body size, diet, and growth form, this approach aims to capture some of the characteristics that define the functional roles of species. Functional diversity approaches […]

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Evolutionary dynamics in changing environments: oceanic islands as natural experiments

Evolutionary dynamics in changing environments oceanic islands as natural experiments

Oceanic islands provide replicated ‘natural experiments’ that can be harnessed to disentangle general evolutionary patterns from unique evolutionary outcomes. In particular, high-altitude oceanic islands provide good opportunities for such research because they contain large climatic variation in small areas (little within-island dispersal limitation), and because they contain many endemic species, most having evolved in situ […]

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Demographic consequences of variation in individual foraging strategies of northern fulmars

Demographic consequences of variation in individual foraging strategies of northern fulmars

Recent advancements in telemetry technology has dramatically enhanced our understanding of movement ecology, and generated novel opportunities for exploring how animals are responding to a rapidly changing world. Most animals depend on movement to locate and acquire food for growth, maintenance and offspring provisioning. Therefore, success of individual foraging strategies underpins the demographic processes of […]

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Coupled hydrogeophysical and geomechanical modelling of slope stability for improved early warning of landslides

Coupled hydrogeophysical and geomechanical modelling of slope stability for improved early warning of landslides

There is a growing interest in linking hydrogeological and geomechanical models to improve understanding of landslide failure processes, but progress has been limited by an inability to provide high spatial and temporal resolution input data on the physical properties of the subsurface (e.g. strength, composition) and changes associated with hydraulic processes (e.g. pore pressure, moisture […]

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