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Agriculture, Health and Environment Department

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Dr Indika Pahalagedara	Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD Biography: Dr. Indika Thushari joined the Natural Resources Institute in November 2022 as a postdoctoral researcher on a project funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) entitled Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Commodity Production; Identifying Opportunities for Sustainable Productivity Growth Across the Agri-Food Chain. She obtained her first degree, BSc (Hons) in Applied Biology with a specialization in Biodiversity and Conservation, from Rajarata University in Sri Lanka in 2009. In 2015, she earned her MSc in Environmental Science from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. After completing her Ph.D. (Environmental Technology) at Thammasat University, Thailand, in 2018, she extended her research career as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Environmental Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand (September 2018-2019). Her Ph.D. thesis was awarded as the best dissertation 2018 in Science and Technology at Thammasat University, Thailand. She then worked as a full-time lecturer and program leader in the Department of Environmental Technology at Sri Lanka Technological Campus (SLTC), Sri Lanka (2020-2022). In addition to teaching, she also gained experience in curriculum development and revision while at SLTC, Sri Lanka. She has a strong research interest in sustainability assessment, environmental footprints, and zero waste and circular economy. Selected Publications: Thushari, I., & Babel, S., 2022. Comparative study of the environmental impacts of used cooking oil valorization options in Thailand. Journal of Environmental Management, 310, p.114810. Thushari, I., Vicheanteab, J., & Janjaroen, D., (2020). Material flow analysis and life cycle assessment of solid waste management in urban green areas, Thailand. Sustainable Environment Research, 30(1), 1-17 Thushari, I., & Babel, S., (2020). Biodiesel Production from Waste Palm Cooking Oil Using Solid Acid Catalyst Derived from Coconut Meal Residue. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 11(9), 4941-4956. Thushari, I., Babel, S., & Samart, C. (2019). Biodiesel production in an autoclave reactor using waste palm oil and coconut coir husk derived catalyst. Renewable Energy, 134, 125-134 Sudrajat, H., Babel, S., Thushari, I., & Laohhasurayotin, K. (2019). Stability of La dopants in NaTaO3 photocatalysts. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 775, 1277-1285. Sudrajat, H., Thushari, I., & Babel, S. (2019). Chemical state and coordination structure of La cations doped in KTaO3 photocatalysts. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 127, 94-100 Thushari, I., & Babel, S. (2018). Sustainable utilization of waste palm oil and sulfonated carbon catalyst derived from coconut meal residue for biodiesel production. Bioresource Technology, 248(Part A), 199-203 Thushari, I., & Babel, S. (2018). Preparation of solid acid catalysts from waste biomass and their application for microwave-assisted biodiesel production from waste palm oil. Waste Management & Research, 36(8), 719-728 Thushari, P., & Babel, S. (2018). Biodiesel production from waste palm oil using palm empty fruit bunch-derived novel carbon acid catalyst. Journal of Energy Resources Technology, 140(3) Thushari, I., & Babel, S. (2019). Activity of Carbon-Based Solid Acid Catalyst Derived from Palm Empty Fruit Bunch for Esterification of Palmitic Acid. Environment and Natural Resources Journal, 17(1), 54-62 Ranwala S.M.W., & Thushari P. G. I (2012). Current status and management options for invasive plants at the Mihintale Wildlife Sanctuary. National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka 40 (1), 67-76 Research / Scholarly Interests: Life Cycle Environmental Impact Assessment Zero Waste and Circular Economy Sustainable Waste Management and Valorization Climate Change Biofuel Research Projects: Current research project Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Commodity Production; Identifying Opportunities for Sustainable Productivity Growth Across the Agri-Food Chain- Funded by Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) This project updates previous research commissioned by Defra to produce a series of life cycle assessments (LCAs) for a range of selected commodities, covering respectively i) domestic (UK) production systems, ii) alternative production systems, iii) substitutable imports, and iv) the incorporation of viable technologies to mitigate a particular environmental impact. Therefore, this project provides an opportunity to apply the latest expertise from LCA to inform a diverse policy landscape, including trade and environmental policy. Previous research projects 1. Overview of Agro-Waste Management in Sri Lanka: A Guide Toward Resource Circular Economy – Funded by Sri Lanka Technological Campus Responsive Research Seed Grant 2022 The current situation of agricultural waste in Sri Lanka is unclear as few studies have been conducted. Although a wide range of agricultural wastes are generated in Sri Lanka, there is limited understanding of agricultural waste management in terms of actual availability and potential sources of agricultural waste generation. Therefore, this project aims to understand the waste generation, characteristics, disposal and management strategies, problems and opportunities in different sectors of agriculture and agriculture related industries. 2. Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Solid Waste Management in Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park -Funded by Ratchadapisek Somphot Fund 2019, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand (Post- doc) Urban green spaces are becoming increasingly important in any developed or developing city due to increasing urbanization and to maintain a healthy population and economy, such as in Bangkok, Thailand. The maintenance and activities of the users of these urban green spaces generate a significant amount of solid waste, which is a major contributor to the increasing generation of municipal solid waste. Chulalongkorn University's Centenary Park provides space for a variety of users to engage in a wide range of activities. Because it is a recently constructed park, increasing attention has been paid to sustainable maintenance requirements. For that, the mass flow and environmental performance of the park's waste management system were assessed using tools such as material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle analysis (LCA). 3. Biodiesel Production from Waste Palm Oil using Waste Biomass derived Solid Acid Catalysts (PhD thesis) Dr. Indika's doctoral thesis was on the production of biodiesel from biomass waste. The production of biodiesel from waste palm oil (WPO) can provide alternative energy while reducing the problems associated with the disposal of WPO. In addition, the use of solid acid catalysts (SACs) from waste biomass for biodiesel production makes the whole process more economical and sustainable. In this study, the desired carbon-based SACs are synthesized from empty palm fruit bunch (PEFB), coconut meal residue (CMR), and coconut coir shell (CCH) waste biomass synthesized using two simple protocols: direct, one-step, concentrated H₂SO₄ carbonization (DS) and sulfonation of incompletely carbonized biomass (BCS). The results show that PEFB, CMR, and CCH can be used as waste biomass for SAC synthesis and sustainable biodiesel production. Responsibilities: Postdoctoral Research fellow in the project ‘Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Commodity Production; Identifying Opportunities for Sustainable Productivity Growth Across the Agri-Food Chain’. Awards: Post- Doctoral Research Fellowship, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand (2018-2019) A title of the best Ph.D. dissertation 2018 in Science and Technology, Thammasat University, Thailand TU Research Scholar, Contract No 1/2559, Thammasat University, Thailand (2016) Reviewer for some academic journals and conferences. External Profiles: ORCID Indika Thushari (0000-0002-5923-3437) (orcid.org) Google Scholar Indika Thushari - ‪Google Scholar Research Fellow
Dr Noushin Emami	Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD Biography: Dr. S. Noushin Emami is a molecular infection biologist expert in the field of host-pathogen interactions, with particular interest in understanding the dynamics of malaria transmission. At the beginning of her scientific career she garnered significant knowledge in the fields of mathematics, physics, medicine, medical entomology, tropical medicine and public health. She also assimilated significant expertise in statistical modelling, programming and bioinformatics analyses. During her PhD residency at Glasgow University (UK) ,she received training in malaria vector ecology, behaviour, and host-parasite interaction. As a post-doctoral fellow, first at Imperial college London and then at Stockholm University, she had the opportunity to design projects independently to investigate malaria parasite-derived molecules that activate the immune response of the Anopheles vector. She have uncovered the molecular basis by which Plasmodium parasite improves its chance of transmission from its intermediate vertebrate host to its definitive invertebrate host (mosquito). Her work identified volatile molecules that are released from human erythrocytes via the parasite metabolic precursor HMBPP (Emami et al Science , 2017). This renders malaria-infected people more attractive to mosquitoes than uninfected people. Importantly, HMBPP exposes a profound weakness in the plasmodia that may be exploited, by the identification of key attractants that can be used to enhance trapping efficacy and interrupt malaria transmission. The blend (molecular mixture) of these volatiles have been patented under her name as main applicant. Her results have been published in peer-reviewed journals including Science. Besides research, she likes to teach, so she volunteered to teach statistics to PhD students during her postdoc period. In 2018, she became the group leader and Principal Investigator (PI) of her projects in the Department of Molecular Biosciences, Stockholm University. At present, her main academic ambition is to understand the chemical language that exists between pathogens and their hosts with the ultimate goal to design the next generation of diagnostic methods and vector control tools. Knowledge and Invention of such methods/tools will allow us to eavesdrop and manipulate insects/hosts in ways that would defeat pathogen transmission. Keywords: Vector-parasite-host interactions, Infectious disease, Anopheles spp., Apicomplexan parasites, Transmission, Behaviour, Chemical ecology, Evolutionary analysis, Bioinformatics and Statistical models. Selected Publications: The publication marked with an asterisk are completely independent of my PhD supervisor, including my latest publication in Science and PLOS pathogens. Emami S.N., Hajkazemian M., Mozūraitis R., (2020). Can Plasmodium’s tricks for enhancing its transmission be turned against the parasite? New hopes for vector control, *Pathogens and global health, DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2019.1703398(). Introducing the new niche in Infection biology, and make a connection between basic and applied science. Mozūraitis R., Aleknavičius D., Vepštaitė-Monstavičė I., Stanevičienė R., Emami S. N., Apšegaitė V., Radžiutė S., Blažytė-Čereškienė L., Servienė E. and Būda V.,(2020). Hippophae rhamnoides berry related Pichia kudriavzevii yeast volatiles modify behaviour of Rhagoletis batava *Journal of Advanced Research, , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2019.08.001 (). Identifying behaviour of the insect encounter with pathogen. Azeem M., Iqbal Z., Emami S.N., Nordlander G., Nordenham H., Nazir A., Mozūraitis R. El-Seedi H. R., Borg-Karlson A. K., (2020). Chemical composition and evaluation of native plant-based essential oils against Aedes aegypti. Industrial Crops and Products,. DOI: 10.1111/aab.12586 (). Identifying behaviour, and chemical ecology in an insect- plant interactions. Liua C.,Emami S. N., Pettersson J., Ranford-Cartwright L., Faye I., Parmryd I., (2018). Vγ9Vδ2 T cells proliferate in response to phosphoantigens released from erythrocytes infected with asexual and gametocyte stage Plasmodium falciparum, Cellular Immunology, PMID: 30177348 (). Developing a method for collecting a pure mature gametocyte, and showing the stimulatory ability of gametocyte supernantant on vertebrate immune cells. Liu N., Uppuluri P., Broggi A., Besold A., Ryman K., Kambara H., Solis N., Lorenz V., Qi W., Zaldivar MA., Emami S.N., Boa B., An D., Bonilla F., Sola-Visner M., Filler S., Luo HR., Engstrom Y., Ljungdahl PO., Culotta VC., Zanoni I., Lopez-Ribot JL., Koehler JR., (2018). Intersection of phosphate transport, oxidative stress and TOR signalling in Candida albicans virulence, *PLOS Pathogens, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/317933 (). Investigating, and showing the virulence signalling cascade in insect as result of interaction with a pathogen ,identifying novel intersection signalling pathways between pathogen and host. Vafa Homann M., Emami S.N., Yaman V., Stenström C., Sonden K., Ramström H., Karlsson M., Asghar M., Färnert A., (2017), Detection of malaria parasites after treatment in travelers: A 12-months longitudinal study and statistical modelling analysis. *EBioMedicine, DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.10.003: PMID: 29050948(). Investigating, and mathematical modelling of in vivo infection in collected human patient samples from Africa for understanding the infection disease patterns and clinical consequences. Emami S.N., Lindberg B.G., Hua S., Mozuraitis R., Lehmann P., Birgersson G., Hill S., Borg- Karlson A.K., Ignell R., Faye F., (2017), A key malaria metabolite modulates vector blood seeking, feeding, and susceptibility to infection. *Science, 335: 1076-1080: PMID:28183997(). Discovery of malaria parasite HMBPP, that induces changes in the human host that act as a rescue beacon by signalling to the mosquito vector to improve the odds of successful transmission. Emami, N., Ranford-Cartwright, L. C. & Ferguson, H. M., (2017), The transmission potential of malaria-infected mosquitoes (An.gambiae-Keele, An.arabiensis-Ifakara) is altered by the vertebrate blood type they consume during parasite development. *Nature Scientific reports,7, 40520: PMID:28094293. We demonstrated that the proportion of vectors developing transmission-stage sporozoites is significantly influenced by the type of host blood on which they feed during sporogony. Shakeri Manesh S., Sangsuwan T., Pour Khavari, A., Fotouhi A., Emami S.N. & Haghdoost S., (2017), MTH1, an 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine triphosphatase, and MYH, a DNA glycosylase, cooperate to inhibit mutations induced by chronic exposure to oxidative stress of ionizing Mutagenesis, 1-8. DOI:10.1093/mutage/gex003: PMID: 28340109(). Investigating, and showing the influence of radiation on host cell, and identifying the stress signalling pathways Mohamed Adia M., Emami S.N., Byamukama R., Faye I., Borg-Karlson A.K., (2016), Antiplasmodial activity and phytochemical analysis of extracts from selected Ugandan medicinal plants., Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 20;186:14-9: PMID:27019273(). Chemical ecology and its usage in new drug discovery for combating pathogens, such as malaria parasite. Emami N., Ranford-Cartwright L., Ferguson H.M., (2013), The impact of low erythrocyte density in human blood on the fitness and energetic reserves of the African malaria vector An. gambiae s.s. Malaria Journal, 12: 1-11: PMID: 23374331. Anaemia does not significantly reduce the fitness or transmission potential of malaria vectors, and mosquitoes may be able exploit resources for reproduction more efficiently. Vatandoost H., Emami S.N., Oshaghi M.A., Abai M.R., Akbarzadeh K., Piazzak N., & Townson H. (2011), Bionomics of Anopheles culicifacies in a malarious area, Sistan and Bluchestan province, southeast Iran. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 17 (5): 439-445: PMID: 21796958() Oshaghi MA, Ravasan NM, Javadian E, Rassi Y, Sadraei J, Enayati AA, Vatandoost H, Zare Z, Emami S.N., (2009), Application of predictive degree day model for field development of sandfly vectors of visceral leishmaniasis in northwest of , J Vector Borne Diseases, 01;46(4):247-55: PMID: 19959849() Research / Scholarly Interests: Insect vectors are frequently viewed as not more than “flying syringes” that transmit pathogens between hosts. However, host physiological status and behaviour as a result of pathogen manipulation has direct impact on transmission dynamics of the disease and has not yet been fully acknowledged. The main hypothesis of our newly established research group is to focus on avenues for basic and applied scientific exploration concerning which represents an ancient chemical language between pathogens and their insect hosts. Understanding of such languages will allow us to eavesdrop and manipulate insects/hosts in ways that defeat the pathogens. Dr. Emami’s research interest encompasses a spectrum of areas from infection biology of vector-parasite-host interactions through to fundamental research in chemical ecology & evolution. Her strengths are in using integrated approaches that range from molecular and cellular scales through to individuals, populations, species, and ecosystems. Her current research is organised into five broad themes. Infection biology of vector-parasite-host interactions Infectious disease & host behavioural flexibility Chemical Ecology & Environmental Change Invention of strategies for blocking successful transmission Omics/Statistics/Evolutionary Analysis & models Teaching Programmes: Since 2017 15h/week course: Infection Biology course for undergraduates, Stockholm University, Sweden Since 2014 20 h/week PhD course: Statistics, modelling and programming in R for biology PhD students, Stockholm University, Sweden 2013-2014 Consulting PhD students in Oman who have statistical modelling problems by email and Skype. Research Projects: Mechanisms by which malaria parasites manipulate mosquito behaviour to enhance transmission Swedish council research (start-up) grants (2018-2021):* Malaria infection renders humans more attractive to Anopheles gambiae malaria mosquitoes, increasing the risk of Plasmodium falciparum transmission. I have shown that this is linked to a parasite-produced isoprenoid precursor, (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMBPP), which indirectly affects mosquito attraction by causing erythrocytes to release more salient volatile molecules. Moreover, HMBPP directly affects the persistence of mosquito feeding, by acting as a phagostimulant. The overall purpose and aim of this research proposal is to further analyse the effect of MEP pathway metabolites on manipulating the human and vector hosts. The findings of this project may lead to novel ways to decrease mosquito biting, particularly on infective humans, and hence reduce malaria transmission. Overall, the benefit would be a reduced malaria morbidity and mortality in affected communities Targeting host seeking malaria mosquitoes, using a trick evolved by their parasites Swedish council net-working grant (2018-2020) The overall purpose and aim of this research proposal is the development of a novel “lure” to be used for mass trapping of mosquitoes in regions affected by malaria. The findings of the proposed research will increase our understanding of malaria parasite transmission and the development of a novel control tool to reduce parasite transmission success in affected communities. The role of microvesicles in mediating P. falciparum transmission to mosquitoes Jeanssons Stiftelser 2019- grant HMBPP is released into blood by P. falciparum and has a potential to regulate parasite sporogonic success in a mosquito. However, it remains unexplored how HMBPP is exported from P. falciparum-infected red blood cells into the bloodstream. We hypothesize that HMBPP is released via microvesicles, nanosized extracellular vesicles which are actively secreted out of parasite-infected red blood cells and denoted P. falciparum-infected red blood cell-derived microvesicles (PfRMVs) At present, the high-lighted acquired results are under revision in high impact peer-reviewed journals Research Students: Melika Hajkazemian (PhD student), Stockholm University, Sweden. Thesis title: Mechanisms by which malaria parasites manipulate mosquito behaviour to enhance transmission Joanna Szymczak (Postdoc), Stockholm University, Sweden. Madina Mohamed (PhD student), Stockholm University, Sweden. Thesis title: Extracts from the selected plants (herbal remedies in Prometra-Uganda and Rukararwe- Bumetha) are active against the malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum. Susanna Hua (Master student), Stockholm University, Sweden. Awards: Commissions Of Trust 2016 - Present - Board member at Centre of Malaria Research (CMR), KI, Stockholm, SWEDEN 2017- Present - Member of Mentor4Research program, Swedish national program for academic researchers and business mentors, Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, (IVA), Stockholm, Sweden PhD Examination Board Member 2019 - Naomi L.P. Keehnen, Immunity and butterfly; a functional genomic study of natural variation in immunity, Dissertation Committee at Zoology department of Stockholm Univesity, Stockholm, Sweden. 2016 - Karolin Axelsson, Chemical signals in interactions between Hylobius abietis and associated bacteria, Dissertation Committee at KTH Royal Institute of Technology School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Stockholm, Sweden. 2016 - Lynda Kirie Eneh, Oviposition cues as a tool for developing new malaria control strategy, Dissertation Committee at KTH Royal Institute of Technology School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Stockholm, Sweden. 2014 - Marycelina Mubi, Impact of laboratory diagnosis for improving the management of uncomplicated malaria at peripheral health care setting in coast region, Tanzania, Dissertation Committee at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Memberships of Scientific Societies 2009 - Present British Society of parasitology 2013 - Present Swedish Malaria Network 2016 - Present Board member at Centre of Malaria Research (CMR), KI, Stockholm, SWEDEN 2017- Present Award for participating in Mentor4Research program, Swedish national program for academic researchers and business mentors, Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, (IVA), Stockholm, SWEDEN Entrepreneurial Achievements Intellectual property: The discovery of the HMBPP, as a potent phago-stimulant and inducer of the attractive blend is awarded a patent: GB patent application no. 1701743.5): submitted by the main applicant, S. Noushin Emami, (Potter Clarkson LLP- Stockholm University), registration date: 2 Feb 2017 Intellectual property: Method for Automatic Irrigation of Domestic Plants: Swedish patent application no. 17514126): submitted by the main applicant, S. Noushin Emami, (Zacco ABs- Stockholm University), registration date: 15 Nov 2017 The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application: The discovery of the HMBPP, as a potent phago-stimulant and inducer of the attractive blend is awarded a PCT: GB patent application no. 1701743.5): submitted by the main applicant, S. Noushin Emami, (Potter Clarkson LLP- Stockholm University), registration date: 2 Feb 2018 Intellectual property: The discovery of the swarming pheremone, as a potent inducer of the attractive blend is awarded a patent: Swedish patent application no. EP2019/059642): submitted by the main applicant, S. Noushin Emami, (Zacco ABs- Stockholm University), registration date: 12 Feb 2018 External Profiles: ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7239-4457 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-noushin-emami-6256b936/ Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3199 Visiting Fellow
Dr Peter J A Burt	Qualifications: BSc (Hons), PhD, MRSB, MInstLM, FHEA, FRMetS, GCAPL Biography: Dr Burt is a Biometeorologist, with 40 years’ experience in areas of windborne dispersal of organisms and particulate material through the atmosphere, the influence of topography on airflow, organism responses to climate change, and palaeoclimates and palaeoenvironments. He joined the Natural Resources Institute as a Special Research Fellow in January 1989 and was appointed Principal Scientist in 1991. He was previously Deputy Head of the Environmental Sustainability Group (August 2001 to December 2002) and Acting Head of the Group (January – March 2003). Dr Burt is Programme Leader for the BSc Environmental Science and MSc Natural Resources (By Research) programmes. He lectures on aspects of introductory meteorology to first-year undergraduates, as well as aspects of applied meteorology/climatology, ecology and climate change in various undergraduate and postgraduate courses (see below). He is the former Programme Leader of the MScs in Agriculture for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Environmental Management. His research in aspects of meteorology/climatology, airborne dispersal and palaeoenvironments is further supported through the supervision of MSc and PhD students. He has been involved in investigations of the dispersal of airborne material within the Medway, Kent, area and has acted as an Expert Witness on airborne particulate dispersal at local planning enquiries. Selected Publications: Seymour, V., Willis, B., Wilkin, P., Burt, P., Ikin, E. and Stevenson, P.C. (2022). Incorporating citizen science to advance the Natural Capital approach. Ecosystem Service, 54, 101419-101432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2022.101419 Gentilucci, M., Materazzi, M., Pambianchi, G., Burt, P. and Guerriero, G. (2020) Temperature variations in Central Italy (Marche region) and effects on wine grape production. Theoretical and Applied Climatology. Published online 13 January 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-020-03089-4 Ezikanyi, D.N., Sakwari, G. and Burt, P. (2019) Weather variability in a decade and its current impact on airborne pollen and spores in Nsukka, Nigeria. Advances in Environmental Biology, 13(1), 29-38 https://doi.org/10.22587/aeb.2019.13.1.5https://doi.org/10.22587/aeb.2019.13.1.5 Gentilucci, M., Barbieri, M. and Burt, P. (2019). Climate and Territorial Suitability for the Vineyards Developed Using GIS Techniques. In: Chenchouni, H., Errami, E., Rocha, F., Sabato, L. (eds) Exploring the Nexus of Geoecology, Geography, Geoarcheology and Geotourism: Advances and Applications for Sustainable Development in Environmental Sciences and Agroforestry Research. CAJG 2018. Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01683-8_3 Research / Scholarly Interests: Dr Burt's research activities can be divided into four main categories: biometeorology and bioclimatology, with emphasis on insect aerobiology and palaeoenvironments; pollen and spore aerobiology; investigations of the atmospheric dispersal of pollutants, and general meteorology/climatology. Biometeorology, with emphasis on insect aerobiology Initial, novel, investigations demonstrated that small temporal (few minutes) and spatial (metres to tens of metres) thermal convective structures in the atmosphere are important in the concentration and dispersal of small insects, especially those such as aphids and thrips which feed on cereal crops. Conventional monitoring equipment does not normally operate at these resolutions, hence the impact of such structures in creating non-randomness in the arrival of airborne insects, and in epidemiological studies, may have been underestimated. This was verified for other species in field investigations overseas. Many insect pests fly at night. Studies of the role played by nocturnal wind systems in dispersing and concentrating such insects drew together material on this subject for the first time, as an aid to insect forecasters and pest controllers identifying likely areas of pest insect outbreaks. On larger spatial and temporal scales, Desert Locusts have the capacity to migrate across the Atlantic Ocean, a feature of their behaviour which takes them outside their normal ecological ranges and which is not predicted through laboratory investigations of flight capacity. Historically, however, such migrations are rare, and future movements are unlikely to become of economic importance, even under proposed climate change scenarios. Such migrations suggest that the arrival of Old World species may have affected the speciation of New World grasshopper species. The results of this work also demonstrated the problems of transferring laboratory results directly in to the field (which have informed other aerobiological and ecological studies). Development of a predictive model relating cloud-top temperature to rainfall in the Sahelian region of Mali, and the use of satellite remote sensing to monitor it, has enabled local plant protection teams to target their pest control activities more efficiently and economically over the vast areas where the pest grasshopper Oedaleus senegalensis is endemic, thereby reducing the impact of crop losses on the livelihoods of subsistence farmers in the area. The discovery of the degradation of the ozone layer over Antarctica, and its subsequent impact on the health and well-being of animals (including man) in the southern areas of South America in the 1980s, led to a major initiative to develop accurate ultra-violet (UV) radiation forecasting tools. Such forecasts have enabled people to be made aware of the times of higher UV radiation levels, thereby reducing human and livestock exposure to physiologically-damaging levels of radiation. Pollen and spore aerobiology Mycosphaerella fijiensis is the fungal spore causing Black Sigatoka disease in banana and plantain. The disease is of major economic importance to subsistence farmers in developing countries, causing significant reductions in fruit quality and yield. The results of five years of research in Central America and Africa on aspects of the airborne dispersal and epidemiology of this pathogen resolved a number of previously unclear aspects of its behaviour. Although spreading worldwide, the results from this investigation showed that the reasons for the disease not becoming well-established and destroying the subsistence-based banana industries of the Caribbean is that periods of exposure to sunlight (as normally experienced by windborne spread of spores from diseased plantations in the Americas) kills the spores before they reach potential host plants, and also that proportionally low numbers of spores enter the atmosphere from infected plants. Consequently, continued adoption of plant quarantine and disease control methods in the Caribbean should prevent the spread of this disease. Current investigations of long-distance dispersal of pollen and spores, and also the impacts of climate change on dispersal patterns, have evolved from this work, and also link to the airborne pollution studies outlined below. General meteorology and climatology Investigations of the atmospheric dispersal of pollutants In recent years Dr Burt has been involved in a series of investigations which have started to address the complexities of topographic airflow and the potential for pollution transport in the southeast of England, at regional and transboundary levels. No previous investigations of the relationship between airflow and topography, and the influence of these on the dispersal of pollution, have been undertaken in this region. Preliminary results have shown the complexity of the airflows in the region, the relationship between local and synoptic scale flows and why existing physical models of pollution dispersal (relating to dispersal within the lowest 1500 m of the troposphere) were not reflecting reality. A greater emphasis should be placed on integrating measured data from monitoring stations, in association with field observations. Climate and climate change impacts on organisms Understanding and predicting future climate change impacts is enhanced through identifying such changes in the past and considering their likely occurrence in the future. The sunken forests of the Thames Estuary and south Cornish coast provide a wealth of data on palaeoenvironments, and preliminary studies are investigating how these evolved and the impact of environmental change (including climate change) upon them. Teaching Programmes: Programme Leader BSc Environmental Science and BSc Physical Geography (July 2015 – present) and BSc Geography (July 2015 – August 2024) Module leader (and teaching into): L4 Earth’s Dynamic Systems L4 Science and the Environment L5 Biogeography and Ecosystems L5 Research and Professional Skills in Geography and Environmental Science L5 Urban and Topographic Meteorology L6 Climate Change L6 Project supervision L6 Soils and Environmental Interactions Inputs to: L4: Environmental Field Skills L5: Sustainable Futures L5: Environmental Management L6 Conservation and the Environment L6 Environmental Impact Assessment L6 Readings in Geography and Environmental Science MSc Agriculture for Sustainable Development and MSc Global Environmental Change Module leader (and teaching into): Conservation Ecology Fundamentals of Meteorology and Climate Change Research Methods for Postgraduates Soils and Environments MSc Natural Resources (by Research): Programme Leader MSc Natural Resources (by Research): Programme Leader Research Projects: Dr Burt has completed major (as Project Leader/Manager and researcher) to assess the role of the wind in the movement of the plant pathogens causing Sigatoka diseases of banana and plantain and the use of satellite imagery to identify likely areas of the eclosion of pest grasshoppers in relation to rainfall in the Sahel (particularly Mali), as well as studies of insect movement and dispersal in association with wind systems in the lower atmosphere. Other investigations have involved the use of satellite remote sensing as an aid to agro-ecological monitoring and in the collection and analysis of atmospheric profile (temperature, water vapour and ozone) data. Research Students: Doherty, Amy (2004). Satellite estimation of precipitation using a combined IR and microwave technique for agricultural applications. Odle, Bob, (2004). The automatic characterisation and source apportionment of airborne particulate matter using microanalysis Sharma, Poonam (2004). Monitoring the dispersal of pollen and spores in relation to agriculture. Mugisha, Samuel (2007). Satellite remotely sensed data: the potential for Uganda’s savannas. Nicolas-Perea, Virginia (2011). The role of topography in the dispersal of airborne particulates in the southeast of England Amoah, Barbara (2018). Climate change in Ghana and its impacts on and from agriculture, at a smallholder level (PJAB as initial supervisor) Shiferaw Dawit Abebe (ongoing). Climate Change: Vulnerability and Resilience of Borena Pastoral Socio-Ecological System in Ethiopia Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/2008.html Responsibilities: Member of University of Greenwich Academic Council: September 2003 – August 2012. Chair and Panel Member of academic approval events: as required. Awards: Editor of the Royal Meteorological Society’s journal Meteorological Applications (2005-2019). Member of the Editorial Board of the Society’s journal Weather (2000-2005). Associate Editor of the European Journal of Plant Pathology. Expert Reviewer for Working Groups I and II for the IPCC 5th and 6th Assessment Reports. Expert reviewer for DFID’s Climate Impact Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement (CIRCLE) programme Visiting Fellowship Scheme (2015 – 2017). Expert reviewer for 3ie consultancy on impacts of El Nño and the Indian Ocean Dipole on countries in the West Pacific/Asia regions. Member of the organising and scientific committees of the 24th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the Remote Sensing Society, held at the University of Greenwich in September 1998, and co-editor of the conference proceedings. Involved in the organisation on the Third European Symposium on Aerobiology, held at University College Worcester in August 2003, as a member of the organising and scientific committees, co-editor of the symposium abstracts and invited Chair of the Climate Change session. External Examiner, University of Newcastle: (2018-2022) External Profiles: ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8071-5959 ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter_Burt4/ Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3231 Principal Scientist, Biometeorology
Dr Truly Santika Rintanen	Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD, FHEA Biography: Truly joined the NRI in June 2020. Before joining NRI, she worked as an adjunct researcher at the University of Queensland and the University of Kent. Her research focuses on the application of geospatial analysis, statistical modelling, and geospatial impact evaluation (quasi-experimental) approach to analyse the sustainability of food, agriculture, and land use, considering social, economic, and environmental dimensions. More specifically, her research centres on the transdisciplinary links between environmental change (land use and climate), ecosystem function, livelihoods and agriculture, and human well-being and health. Her research seeks to examine the human-environmental systems by considering multiple scales (spatial, temporal, and institutional) and the interconnection between distant places through trade (telecoupling) to inform national and international decision-making processes towards just sustainability. She uses a wide range of datasets in her research, including large-scale data derived from remote sensing and government censuses, as well as field survey data. Truly has led numerous interdisciplinary initiatives and publications, including the evaluation of the impact of oil palm agriculture and sustainability certification on livelihoods and poverty, community forestry and land use planning, climate change and health, species and biodiversity conservation, theoretical spatial analysis and macroecology, and most recently, global trade and telecoupling. She obtained a BSc in Mathematics from Bandung Institute of Technology, an MSc in Statistics and Operations Research from RMIT University, and a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Science from Australian National University. Selected Publications: 2024 Morgans, C.L., Jago, S., Andayani, N., … Santika, T. & Struebig, M.J. (2024) Improving well-being and reducing deforestation in Indonesia's protected areas. Conservation Letters 17, e13010. https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13010 Lo, M., Morgans, C.L., Mumbunan, S., Supriatna, J., Santika, T., Davies, Z.G. & Struebig, M.J. (2024) Nickel mining reduced forest cover in Indonesia, but had mixed outcomes for well-being. One Earth. https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/48412 Santika, T., Nelson, V., Flint, M., MacEwen, M., Cerretelli, S. & Brack, D. (2024) Leverage points for tackling unsustainable global value chains: market-based measures versus transformative alternatives. Sustainability Science 19, 285–305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-023-01430-0 Seaman, D.J., Voigt, M., Ancrenaz, M., ..., Santika, T. et al. (2024) Capacity for recovery in Bornean orangutan populations when limiting offtake and retaining forest. Diversity and Distributions, e13852. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13852 Kiribou, R., Dimobe, K., Yameogo, L., Yang, H., Santika, T. & Dejene, S.W. (2024) Two decades of land cover change and anthropogenic pressure around Bontioli Nature Reserve in Burkina Faso. Environmental Challenges 17, 101025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2024.101025 2023 Santika, T., Muhidin, S., Budiharta, S., Haryanto, B., Agus, F., Wilson, K.A., Struebig, M.J. & Po, J.Y. (2023) Deterioration of respiratory health following changes to land cover and climate in Indonesia. One Earth 6, 290-302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.02.012 Katic, P.G., Cerretelli, S., Haggar, J.P., Santika, T. & Walsh, C. (2023) Mainstreaming biodiversity in business decisions: taking stock of tools and gaps. Biological Conservation 277, 109831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109831 Mwangi, J.G., Haggar, J., Mohammed, S., Santika, T. & Umar, K.M. (2023) The ecology, distribution, and anthropogenic threats of multipurpose hemi-parasitic plant Osyris lanceolata. Journal for Nature Conservation 76, 126478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126478 Massingham, E., Ancrenaz, M., Mika, D., Sherman, J., Santika, T., Pradipta, L., Possingham, H.P. & Dean, A.J. (2023) Killing of orangutans in Kalimantan - Community perspectives on incidence and drivers. Conservation Science and Practice 5, e13025. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13025 Fosch, A., Ferraz de Arruda, G., Aleta, A., Descals, A., Gaveau, D., …, Santika, T., Struebig, M.J. & Moreno, Y. (2023) Replanting unproductive palm oil with smallholder plantations can help achieve Sustainable Development Goals in Sumatra, Indonesia. Communications Earth & Environment 4, 378. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-01037-4 Massingham, E., Wilson, K.A., Ancrenaz, M., Santika, T., Friedman, R., Possingham, H.P. & Dean, A.J. (2023) Public opinion on protecting iconic species depends on individual wellbeing: Perceptions about orangutan conservation in Indonesia and Malaysia. Environmental Science and Policy 150, 103588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2023.103588 2022 Santika, T., Sherman, J., Voigt, M., Ancrenaz, M, Wich, S.A., Wilson, K.A. et al. (2022) Effectiveness of 20 years of conservation investments in protecting orangutans. Current Biology 32, 1754-1763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.02.051 Voigt, M., Kühl, H.S., Ancrenaz, M., Gaveau, D., Santika, T., Sherman, J., Wich, S.A., Wolf, F., Struebig, M.J. & Pereira, H.M. (2022) Deforestation projections imply range-wide population decline for critically endangered Bornean orangutan. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation 20, 240-248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2022.06.001 2021 Santika, T., Wilson, K.A., Law, E.A., St John, F.A., Carlson, K.M., Gibbs, H., Morgans, C.L. & Struebig, M.J. (2021) Impact of palm oil sustainability certification on village well-being and poverty in Indonesia. Nature Sustainability 4, 109-119. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00630-1 Voigt, M., Supriatna, J., Deere, N.J., Kastanya, A., Mitchell, S.L., Rosa, I.M., Santika, T. et al. (2021) Emerging threats from deforestation and forest fragmentation in the Wallacea centre of endemism. Environmental Research Letters 16, 094048. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac15cd Sherman, J., Unwin, S., ..., Santika, T., Massingham, E. & Seaman, D.J. (2021) Disease risk and conservation implications of orangutan translocations. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8, 749547. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.749547 Meijaard, E., Santika, T., Wilson, K.A., Budiharta, S. et al. (2021) Toward improved impact evaluation of community forest management in Indonesia. Conservation Science and Practice 3, e189. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.189 Ancrenaz, M., Oram, F., Nardiyono, N., Silmi, M., Jopony, M.E., Voigt, M., Seaman, D.J., Sherman, J., Santika, T. et al. (2021) Importance of small forest fragments in agricultural landscapes for maintaining orangutan metapopulations. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4, 560944. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.560944 2020 Santika, T., Budiharta, S., Law, E.A., Dennis, R.A., Dohong, A., Struebig, M.J., Gunawan, H. & Wilson, K.A. (2020) Interannual climate variation, land type and village livelihood effects on fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Global Environmental Change 64, 102129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102129 Friedman, R.S., Rhodes, J.R., Dean, A.J., Law, E.A., Santika, T., Budiharta, S., Kusworo, A., St. John, F.A.V., Struebig, M.J. & Wilson, K.A. (2020) Analyzing procedural equity in government-led community-based forest management. Ecology and Society 25,16. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-11710-250316 Meijaard, E., Brooks, T.M., Carlson, K.M., Slade, E.M., Garcia-Ulloa, J., Gaveau, D.L., Lee, J.S.H., Santika, T., Juffe-Bignoli, D., Struebig, M.J. & Wich, S.A. (2020) The environmental impacts of palm oil in context. Nature Plants 6, 1418-1426. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-020-00813-w Laurance, W.F., Wich, S.A., ..., Santika, T., Byler, D., Mittermeier, R. & Kormos, R. (2020) Tapanuli orangutan endangered by Sumatran hydropower scheme. Nature Ecology & Evolution 4, 1438-1439. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1263-x Friedman, R.S., Guerrero, A.M., McAllister, R.R., Rhodes, J.R., Santika, T., Budiharta, S., Indrawan, T., Hutabarat, J.A., Kusworo, A. & Yogaswara, H. (2020) Beyond the community in participatory forest management: A governance network perspective. Land Use Policy 97, 104738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104738 Sherman, J., Ancrenaz, M., Voigt, M., Oram, F., Santika, T. & Wich, S.A. (2020) Envisioning a future for Bornean orangutans: Conservation impacts of action plan implementation and recommendations for improved population outcomes. Biodiversitas 21, 465-477. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d210206 2019 Santika, T., Wilson, K.A., Budiharta, S., Law, E.A., Poh, T.M. & Struebig, M.J. (2019) Does oil palm agriculture help alleviate poverty? A multidimensional counterfactual assessment of oil palm development in Indonesia. World Development 120, 105-117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.04.012 Santika, T., Wilson, K.A., ...., Struebig, M., Ancrenaz, M. & Poh, T.M. (2019) Changing landscapes, livelihoods and village welfare in the context of oil palm development. Land Use Policy 87, 104073. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104073 Morgans, C.L., Santika, T., Meijaard, E. et al. (2019) Cost-benefit based prioritisation of orangutan conservation actions in Indonesian Borneo. Biological Conservation 238, 108236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108236 Santika, T., Wilson, K.A., Budiharta, S., Kusworo, A., Law, E.A., Friedman, R., ...., St. John, F.A. & Struebig, M.J. (2019) Heterogeneous impacts of community forestry on forest conservation and poverty alleviation: Evidence from Indonesia. People and Nature 1, 204-219. https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.25 2018 Morgans, C.L., Meijaard, E., Santika, T., Law, E., Budiharta, S., Ancrenaz, M. & Wilson, K.A. (2018) Evaluating the effectiveness of palm oil certification in delivering multiple sustainability objectives. Environmental Research Letters 13, 064032. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aac6f4 Voigt, M., Wich, S.A., Ancrenaz, M., Abram, N., Banes, G.L., Campbell-Smith, G., d’Arcy, L.J., …, Santika, T. et al. (2018) Global demand for natural resources eliminated more than 100,000 Bornean orangutans. Current Biology 28, 761-769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.01.053 2017 Santika, T., Meijaard, E., Budiharta, S., Law, E.A., Kusworo, A., Hutabarat, J.A., Indrawan, T.P., Struebig, M. et al. (2017) Community forest management in Indonesia: Avoided deforestation in the context of anthropogenic and climate complexities. Global Environmental Change 46, 60-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.08.002 Santika, T., Ancrenaz, M., Wilson, K.A., Spehar, S., Abram, N. et al. (2017) First integrative trend analysis for a great ape species in Borneo. Scientific Reports 7, 4839. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-04435-9 Wijedasa, L.S., Jauhiainen, J., …, Santika, T. et al. (2017) Denial of long‐term issues with agriculture on tropical peatlands will have devastating consequences. Global Change Biology 23, 977-982. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13516 Lunney, D., Stalenberg, E., Santika, T. & Rhodes, J.R. (2017) A rebuttal to ‘Mooted extinction of koalas at Eden: improving the information base’. Wildlife Research 44, 453-457. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR17008 2016 and Earlier Santika, T., McAlpine, C.A., Lunney, D., Wilson, K.A. & Rhodes, J.R. (2015) Assessing spatiotemporal priorities for species’ recovery in broad‐scale dynamic landscapes. Journal of Applied Ecology 52, 832-840. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12441 Santika, T., Meijaard, E. & Wilson, K.A. (2015) Designing multifunctional landscapes for forest conservation. Environmental Research Letters 10, 114012. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/11/114012 Santika, T., McAlpine, C.A., Lunney, D., Wilson, K.A. & Rhodes, J.R. (2014) Modelling species distributional shifts across broad spatial extents by linking dynamic occupancy models with public‐based surveys. Diversity and Distributions 20, 786-796. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12189 Lunney, D., Stalenberg, E., Santika, T. & Rhodes, J.R. (2014) Extinction in Eden: identifying the role of climate change in the decline of the koala in south-eastern NSW. Wildlife Research 41, 22-34. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR13054 Santika, T. (2011) Assessing the effect of prevalence on the predictive performance of species distribution models using simulated data. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20, 181-192. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00581.x Santika, T. & Hutchinson, M.F. (2009) The effect of species response form on species distribution model prediction and inference. Ecological Modelling 220, 2365-2379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2009.06.004 Hearne, J.W., Santika, T. & Goodman, P. (2008) Portfolio selection theory and wildlife management. ORiON: Journal of the Operations Research Society of South Africa 24, 103-113. https://doi.org/10.5784/24-2-62 Research / Scholarly Interests: I am interested in a broad range of research themes, including environmental change, sustainability, and socio-environmental equity. I use a variety of analytical approaches (derived from mathematics, statistics, computer science, machine learning), in collaboration with researchers from other disciplines, to analyse a wide range of data, that fit with the purpose, context, and scale of the study. NRI Research Groups and Centres affiliations: Ecosystem Service Research Group Political Ecology, Culture, and Arts Research Group Research Centre on Sustainable Agriculture for One Health Research Centre for Society, Environment, and Development Teaching Programmes: BSc Environmental Science, Biology, and Geography Environmental Impact Assessment (ENVI-0303) Research and Professional Skills in Geography and Environmental Science (GEOG-1024) Practical and Professional Skills (ENVI-1039) · Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (ENVI-1174) Conservation and the Environment (ENVI-1133) Introduction to Ecological Modelling and Programming (ENVI-1192) MSc Global Environmental Change Conservation Ecology (AGRI-1301) Research Projects: Funded Research Projects (Current and recent) Evaluating the interrelated impacts of commodity agriculture, market access, and forest conservation on food security in tropical landscape. Project Lead, UKRI ESRC Secondary Data Analysis Initiative. 2023-2025. £308,729. https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FX00631X%2F1 Nature based solutions for climate resilience of local and indigenous communities in Guatemala. Project Co-Lead. UK DEFRA–GCBC (Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate). 2024-2027. £852,421. Transformative change in telecoupled agrofood systems for biodiversity and equity (TC4BE). Project Co-Lead, EU Horizon. 2022-2026. €2,162,553. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101082057 Synthesis and critical assessment of management tools to mainstream biodiversity in decision-making in the private sector. Project Co-Lead, UKRI NERC. 2022. £50,000. https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FW007436%2F1 Building the evidence base on trade agreements and environmental outcomes. Project Co-Lead. UK Defra. 2022. £50,000. Research Students: PhD and MSc By Research Students (current and recent) Kainat Bibi (NRI) Georgie Hurst (Food System CDT - NRI) Adrian Kaluka (Food System CDT – University of Sussex) Sarah Whenham (NRI, completed in 2024) Razak Kiribou (NRI and RSIF PASET programme) Jane Gachambi Mwangi (NRI and RSIF PASET programme, completed in 2024) Diana Tixi (NRI, completed in 2024) Emily Massingham (University of Queensland, completed in 2023) Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/8167.html Awards: Associate Editor for the British Ecological Society (BES) journal People and Nature https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/25758314 Committee member of IPBES for Task Force for Scenarios and Models and IUCN Oil Crops Task Force External Profiles: ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3125-9467 Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=bR7DXY0AAAAJ Research Gate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Truly_Santika Associate Professor in Environmental Geography
Grace Fannon	Research Technician
Professor Hans Dobson	Biography: Professor Hans Dobson is a pest and vector management specialist. He has worked for NRI for 34 years and prior to that worked for 2 years as an Agricultural Science teacher and school farm manager in northern Zambia for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). He has extensive experience in project management, research, consultancy and training for poverty reduction, including: IPM in vegetables, tree crops, cotton and cereals; food safety and regulatory compliance; control of locusts, tsetse flies, mosquitoes and blackflies; multi-level participatory training strategies; institutional analysis; project and programme design; and project review. He has been seconded in the past to FCDO (formerly DFID) and FAO, and currently to Imperial College London. He has worked in 35 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Good French and a little Danish. Selected Publications: ROUTLEDGE, I., WALKER, M., CHEKE, R.A., BHATT, S., NKOT, P.B, MATTHEWS, G.A., BALEGUEL, D., DOBSON, H.M., WILES, T.L. and BASAÑEZ, M., 2018. Modelling the impact of larviciding on the population dynamics and biting rates of Simulium damnosum (s.l.): implications for vector control as a complementary strategy for onchocerciasis elimination in Africa. Parasites & Vectors, 201811:316. BENNETT, B., COOPER, J., AND DOBSON, H. (2010). We know where the shoe pinches: a case study-based analysis of the social benefits of pesticides. Outlook on Agriculture, Vol 39, No 2, pp 79–87 COOPER, J., AND DOBSON, H. (2007). The benefits of pesticides to mankind and the environment. Crop Protection 26 (2007) 1337–1348 NYAMBO, B., SIEF, A., VARELA, M., LOHR, B., COOPER, J., DOBSON, H. Private extension service provision for smallholder horticultural producers in Kenya: an approach. Development in Practice, Volume 19, Number 1, February 2009. DOBSON, H.M., MATTHEWS, G.A., and WILES, T. L., 2003. Pesticide Safety and Application Equipment – an Instructors’ Manual. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. DOBSON, H. M., MATTHEWS, G. A., OLEMBO, S., BALEGUEL, P., WILES, T. L. 2004. Application challenges for small-scale African farmers: a training initiative in Cameroon. Aspects of Applied Biology 71, 2004. DOBSON, H.M. and LOWE, J.C. Effective Training – a practical guide for agricultural trainers. DOBSON, H.M., MATTHEWS, G.A., and WILES, T. L., 2003. Pesticide Safety and Application Equipment – an Instructors’ Manual. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. DOBSON, H.M., COOPER, J.F., 2003. Passion Fruit Production Protocol – a document prepared in consultation with passion fruit growers and exporters in Kenya. COLEACP. COOPER, J.F., DOBSON, H.M., 2003. Avocado Production Protocol – a document prepared in consultation with avocado growers and exporters in Kenya. COLEACP. MATTHEWS, G.A., DOBSON, H.M., WILES T.L. and WARBURTON H. 2002. The impact of pesticide application equipment and its use in developing countries, with particular reference to residues in food, environmental effects and human safety. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. DOBSON, H.M., COOPER, J.F., MANYANGARIRWA, W., KARUMA, J., CHIIMBA, W. (2001). Integrated Vegetable Pest Management; safe and sustainable protection of smallholder brassicas and tomatoes – a handbook for extension staff and trainers in Zimbabwe. ISBN 0 85954 536 9. See http://bit.ly/2AUh3Pa DOBSON, H M, (2002). FAO Desert Locust Control Guidelines -. ISBN: 92-5-104626-3. See https://bit.ly/2JcZqyu DOBSON, H. M., MATTHEWS, G. A., OLEMBO, S., BALEGUEL, P., WILES, T. L. 2004. Application challenges for small-scale African farmers: a training initiative in Cameroon. Aspects of Applied Biology 71, 2004 DOBSON, H. M. and COOPER, J. F. 2003. A dissemination strategy for products of CPP-funded vegetable IPM research in east and southern Africa. Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich. DOBSON, H.M., MATTHEWS, G.A., and WILES, T. L., 2003. Pesticide Safety and Application Equipment – an Instructors’ Manual. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy MATTHEWS, G., WILES, T., DOBSON, H., FRIEDRICH, T. (2002) Implementation of FAO Guidelines on Minimum Requirements for Pesticide Application Equipment: a case study in Cameroon. Proceedings of the BCPC Conference on Pests and Diseases, pp 995 - 1002, ISBN 1901396622. COOPER, J.F. and DOBSON, H.M., (2002). Pesticides in the third world - changing role and a need for new thinking. Proceedings of the BCPC Conference on Pests and Diseases, pp 979-986, ISBN 1901396622. SIMONS, S., ODUOR, G., KIBATA, G., COOPER, J.F. and DOBSON, H.M. 2002. Better practices for smallholder vegetable farmers. A wall calendar of cartoon images for farmers. CABI ARC, Nairobi, Kenya. DOBSON, H.M. (2002). Pesticide application: mastering and monitoring. In: Ecological monitoring methods for the assessment of pesticide impact in the tropics, Editors Grant, I.F. and Tingle, C.C.D. Natural Resources Institute, UK. ISBN: 085954543-1 VERKERK, R.H.J., D.J. WRIGHT, S.Z. SITHOLE, T. SIBANDA, T. WESILE, G.N. KIBATA, J. ONG’ARO, P. SAMSON, G. ODUOR, P. KARANJA, S. SIMONS, S. MUSIYANDAKA, R. HODZI, F. NYAKANDA, S.L.J. PAGE, A. LITTLE, S. WILLIAMSON & H. DOBSON (1999) Important Natural Enemies of Vegetable Pests in Kenya and Zimbabwe: Recognition and Conservation (Final Draft), Imperial College, London, pp. 49. SIBANDA, T., DOBSON, H.M., COOPER, J.F., MANYANGARIRWA, W. and CHIIMBA, W. 2000. Pest management challenges for smallholder vegetable farmers in Zimbabwe. Crop Protection Vol 19, nos 8-10, pp 807-816. DOBSON, H.M. and MAGOR J.I. (1999). Ancient plagues and modern solutions: locust management in the new millennium. BCPC pre-conference symposium, Brighton. DOBSON, H M (1999). Advances in locust spraying technology. Insect Science and its Application Vol 19, No 4, pp 335-368. COOPER, J. F., SMITH, D.N. & DOBSON, H.M. (1996) An evaluation of two field samplers for monitoring spray drift. Crop Protection, 15 (3), 249-257 DOBSON, H.M., COOPER, J. & SCHERER, R. (1995) Economics and practicalities of migratory locust hopper band control using barriers of insect growth regulator. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Strategies in Locust Control, Bamako, Mali, April 1995. pp 433-442 RITCHIE, J.M. & DOBSON, H.M. (1995). Desert locust control operations and their environmental impact. Natural Resources Institute Bulletin No. 67, 1995, ISBN: 0-85954-417-9, ISSN: 0952 8245 SYMMONS, P M; Dobson, H M and Sissoko, M, 1991. Pesticide drop size and efficacy; a series of trials against grasshoppers. Crop Protection, 10, 136-144. SUTHERLAND, J A; KING, W J; DOBSON, H M; INGRAM, W R; ATTIQUE, M R and SANJRANI, W, 1990. Effect of application volume and method on spray operator contamination by insecticide during cotton spraying. Crop Protection, 9, 343-350. JOHNSTONE, D R; ALLSOPP, R; COOPER, J F and DOBSON, H M, 1988. Predicted and observed spray droplet deposition on tsetse flies Glossina morsitans following aerosol application from aircraft. Pesticide Science, 72, 107-121. COOPER, J F; DOBSON, H M and JOHNSTONE, D R, 1987. The availability and fallout of an insecticidal aerosol dispersed from aircraft during operations for control of tsetse fly in Zimbabwe. Atmospheric Environment, 21, (11), 2311-2321. Research / Scholarly Interests: Interests include natural pest regulatory mechanisms in IPM, communication of the sometimes complex information required for successful operation of IPM in pest-susceptible crops and the integration where necessary of appropriate pesticides, with delivery mechanisms and dosing to achieve specificity in targetting the pests. With a Applied Zoology first degree and an Agricultural Engineering Masters degree, he is interested in the interface between biology and engineering and how these can complement each other for developing world benefit. Research Projects: Capacity Development for Agricultural Innovation Systems (2015 – 2019) Professor Dobson was international manager for Rwanda on this EU-funded project which covered 8 countries across Africa, Latin America and Asia. The focus was on systems for agricultural innovation, rather than technologies, and it strengthened the capacity of innovation partnerships involving public, private and civil society stakeholders in ‘functional capacities’. Those included conflict resolution, advocacy, coaching, communication, inclusive management that allowed the partnerships to work more effectively together and collectively solve their problems and improve livelihoods. Programme Manager for CropLife International’s obsolete pesticides activities For the last 8 years Professor Dobson has been Programme Manager for Croplife International’s obsolete pesticides activities – a USD 30 million industry investment in a USD 250 million collaboration with FAO, the World Bank, NGOs and national governments from 13 countries to rid Africa of stockpiles of old and unusable pesticides. This has involved developing innovative systems and practices as well as modes of partnering with stakeholders who have widely differing agendas. By mid-2017 around 5,000 tonnes of pesticides had been repackaged, exported from Africa and disposed of in an environmentally responsible way – by high temperature incineration in specialist facilities in Europe – and this is expected to rise to 9,000 tonnes by end of 2020, with substantial beneficial environmental, social and economic impacts. Adviser to UK’s Health and Safety Executive (2004 – 2016) This was an advisory role on application of pesticides and their fate in the environment – reviewing ideas and concepts, making recommendations on research funding and tracking/steering progress on research projects. Yaounde Initiative Foundation (2005 – 2019) (yaoundefoundation.org) This was an international NGO set up to continue the work started with an FAO project on integrated pest and vector management in Cameroon. It works with national government and the private sector to find innovative solutions to tackle vectors of malaria and sleeping sickness as well as agricultural pests and diseases. It is now a self-sustaining national organisation with occasional international inputs. Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: http://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/1908.html Phone: +44 (0)7976 57 3496 Professor of Integrated Pest Management, Crop Protection Specialist
Dr Karna Hansson	Qualifications: MSc, PhD Biography: Dr K. Hansson joined the Natural Resources Institute in 2022 as a postdoctoral Research Fellow. As part of the Ecosystem Services research group at NRI, she studies the contribution of root dynamics to carbon balance of agroforestry coffee plantations in Costa Rica. Her background is in forest ecology, specialising in fine root dynamics and carbon and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Dr Hansson obtained her MSc in soil science from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, in 2004. Her PhD in Ecology from the same university, titled ‘Impact of Tree Species on Carbon in Forest Soils’ (2011), focused mainly on differences in carbon storage in pine, spruce and birch stands in southern Sweden. As a postdoctoral researcher at the French National Forest Institute (INRA), she studied the relationship between soil chemical properties, biogeochemical cycling and stand productivity, with the purpose to increase understanding of forest soil chemical fertility. After a career break, she was awarded a Daphne Jackson Fellowship to join NRI in spring 2022. Selected Publications: Legout A., Hansson K., van der Heijden G., Laclau J-P., Mareschal L., Nys C., Nicolas M., Saint-André L., Ranger J. 2020. Chemical fertility of forest ecosystems. Part 2: Towards redefining the concept by untangling the role of the different components of biogeochemical cycling. Forest Ecology and Management, vol 461. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117844) Hansson K, Laclau J-P., Saint-André L., Mareschal L., van der Heijden G., Nys C., Nicolas M., Ranger J., Legout A. 2020. Chemical fertility of forest ecosystems. Part 1: Common soil chemical analyses were poor predictors of stand productivity across a wide range of acidic forest soils. Forest Ecology and Management, vol 461. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117843) Hansson K., Fröberg M., Helmisaari H-S., Kleja D.B., Olsson B.A., Olsson M., Persson T. 2013. Carbon and nitrogen pools and fluxes above and below ground in spruce, pine and birch stands in southern Sweden. Forest Ecology and Management vol 309 28-35. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.05.029) Hansson K., Helmisaari H-S., Sah S., Lange H. 2013. Fine root production and turnover of tree and understorey vegetation in Scots pine, silver birch and Norway spruce stands in SW Sweden. Forest Ecology and Management, vol 309 58-65. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.022) Hansson K., Olsson B.A, Olsson M., Johansson U., Kleja D.B. 2011. Differences in soil properties in adjacent stands of Scots pine, Norway spruce and silver birch in SW Sweden. Forest Ecology and Management vol 262 522-530. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2011.04.021) Research / Scholarly Interests: Fine root dynamics Carbon budgets Nutrient cycling Soil fertility Research Projects: Current research project (Daphne Jackson Fellowship 2022-2024): Contribution of root dynamics to carbon balance of agroforestry coffee plantations - a case study in Costa Rica Accurate carbon budgets are important when estimating the potential benefits of reforestation programmes for climate change mitigation. Including crop specific data makes estimates more accurate. Coffee is an important crop, often grown in agroforestry systems considered to sequester carbon. However, little is understood about contributions of plant roots to the system carbon balance. Carbon dynamics in agroforestry coffee plantations will be studied, in a long term experiment in Costa Rica. Carbon stocks have been previously estimated at the site, but without including root biomass and turnover. Results showed that large aboveground biomass alone cannot explain increased soil carbon storage in these agroforestry systems. The aim is to i) study belowground biomass and production, and how that correlates with soil carbon stocks and aboveground biomass, and ii) make carbon budget calculations, incorporating fine root dynamics. Previous research (postdoc): Chemical fertility of forest soils: concepts, influencing factors and the definition of reliable indicators Dr Hansson compiled a data base with data from 49 forest sites in France, Brazil and Congo. This included nutrient pools and fluxes, as well as tree growth data. She studied the relationship between soil chemical properties, as well as biogeochemical cycling at some of the sites, and stand productivity, with the purpose to increase understanding of forest soil chemical fertility. This work resulted in two research articles, published in the Journal Forest Ecology and Management in 2020. Previous research (PhD): Impact of Tree Species on Carbon in Forest Soils. Karna’s PhD thesis compared soil C fluxes and the accumulation of soil organic carbon under adjacent Norway spruce, Scots pine and silver birch stands growing on similar soils and examined the different processes involved. This was achieved mainly through field measurements of carbon pools and fluxes in southern Sweden, combined with respiration and decomposition studies in the laboratory. Soil carbon fluxes and the accumulation of soil organic carbon were found to differ between the three species, with the strongest differences in humus layers between spruce and birch, with pine intermediate. Species differences can be explained by differences in tree growth rate and decomposition. This PhD resulted in 8 publications. Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/9921.html Awards: Daphne Jackson Fellowship, sponsored by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). 0.5FTE for 2 years from 1 st May 2022 to 30 th April 2024. Stiftelsen Konung Carl XVI Gustafs 50-årsfond för vetenskap, teknik och miljö 100 000 SEK (£8200), ”for research on forest tree turnover of fine roots and its impact on soil carbon stocks and fertility”, research award by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, 2012. Research Fellow, Forest Ecology
Dr Katie L James	Qualifications: BSc, PhD Biography: Dr Katie James is a lecturer in Ecology and Environmental Science at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI), where she also serves as Deputy Programme Leader for both the BSc Environmental Science and the Masters by Research programmes. Her academic and research work is grounded in a strong interdisciplinary background in behavioural entomology, applied ecology, pollination ecology, and sustainable agriculture. Dr James graduated with a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of Greenwich in 2019, during which she worked as an entomology assistant for the Natural Resources Institute. This formative experience sparked her enduring interest in insect-plant interactions and ecological networks. She went on to complete a PhD in 2023 titled "The role of species-combination pollination systems in fruit crop production, quality, and nutritional composition." Her doctoral research investigated the ecological and agronomic impacts of diverse pollination systems on fruit crops, examining both yield and nutritional outcomes. Alongside her PhD, Dr James held the position of Lead Research Assistant at Queen Mary University of London, where she contributed to a major research project on tropical butterflies and their evolutionary adaptations to climate change. This work further broadened her expertise in evolutionary ecology and species responses to environmental pressures. Selected Publications: Arnold, S.E.J., Dudenhöffer, J.-H., Fountain, M.T., James, K.L., Hall, D.R., Farman, D.I., Wäckers, F.L. and Stevenson, P.C. (2021). Bumble bees show an induced preference for flowers when primed with caffeinated nectar and a target floral odor. Current Biology, (16). doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.06.068. James, K.L., Springate, S., Harte, S., Farman, D., Colgan, R. and Arnold, S. (2024). How multi-species pollination boosts strawberry yield, quality, and nutritional value. Journal of Pollination Ecology, 37, pp.326–340. doi:https://doi.org/10.26786/1920-7603(2024)788. Research / Scholarly Interests: Dr James's current research focuses on biodiversity within pollinator networks, pollinator behaviour, and the ecological drivers of crop yield and nutritional composition. She is particularly interested in the role of pollination in promoting sustainable agricultural practices and enhancing food security through improved ecosystem function. Katie’s previous research during her PhD focused on the role of pollination systems involving multiple pollinator species working together to enhance crop production, yielded new findings. Notably, she discovered that hoverflies (Eupeodes corollae) in combination with bees (Bombus terrestris) in natural systems can increase the vitamin C content in strawberry fruit—a finding that has the potential to impact how we approach crop production, especially in areas facing nutrient deficiencies and opens new research into areas of plant defence. Katie’s current research is focusing on integrating machine learning into understanding the mechanisms of pollinator behaviour and interactions, as well as how plant pathways facilitate successful pollination and vitamin C concentration. Teaching Programmes: Bumble bees show an induced preference for flowers when primed with caffeinated nectar and a target floral odour. (2021) Research assistant. The role of species-combination pollination systems in fruit crop production, quality, and nutritional composition (2023). A diverse assemblage of insect visitors can provide functional complementarity within plant pollination due to differences in characteristics such as their physical traits, visitation rate and foraging time of day or year. In a horticultural context, greater functional complementarity may play a crucial role in enhancing fruit yield and quality by improving pollination. We tested whether the identity of the crop pollinators (bumblebee Bombus terrestris and hoverfly Eupeodes corollae) independently and additively influenced commercial strawberry yield, quality, and nutritional parameters such as vitamin C and sugar concentration. Fragaria x ananassa “Malling Champion” plants received pollination treatments of either a) “control”: self-pollination where pollinators were excluded, b) “bee”: bumblebee Bombus terrestris, c) “hoverfly”: Eupeodes corollae, d) “combined”: both B. terrestris and E. corollae. Hoverflies and bumblebees exhibited distinct visitation patterns throughout the day, establishing a functional complementary relationship that enhances pollination success and crop output as well as vitamin C concentrations. Strawberries from plants receiving pollination by bumblebees, or bumblebees and hoverflies combined, had higher yields of higher marketable quality. They also had measurably higher vitamin C content than strawberries from plants pollinated by hoverflies alone, or the control (self-pollinating) plants. This study advances our understanding of niche complementarity and its impact on fruit yield and quality. The role of gibberellic acid in pollination and fruit development (2025). Little is known about the Smirnoff-Wheeler pathway and how vitamin C is synthesized within the plant and fruit of strawberry. This project seeks to use multiple modes of pollination (including self-pollination) to elucidate what role gibberellic acid has within pollination and the production of vitamin C in commercial strawberry. Machine learning and pollinator dynamics (2025). This project seeks to use 3D tracking software and machine learning to identify behavioural patterns and interactions between pollinators to further understand the dynamics and interactions that take place within pollinator biodiversity. Responsibilities: Deputy Programme Leader, BSc Environmental Science & Masters by Research Chair of the NRI-ECR forum Awards: Former President of the NRIPS (NRI-GRE) British Ecological Society Royal Entomological Society Kent wildlife Trust NDCS Founder and Former President of the Natural Science Society (2016-2019). Recent Conference Presentations: K.L. James: Interspecific interactions between hoverflies and bumblebees, British Ecological Society Conference, Liverpool. K.L. James: Strawberry production and multi-species pollination, AAB, Slough. Lecturer in Applied Ecology/Environmental Sciences
Dr Leonel D. Lara-Estrada	Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD Biography: Leonel Lara-Estrada joined NRI at the beginning of 2020. He moved from Germany, where he did his doctorate on evaluating the potential for adaptation and mitigation of agroforestry systems to climate change, at the R.U. Sustainability and Global Change of the Hamburg Universität (2019). He obtained an M.Sc. degree in Tropical agroforestry from The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, his Master’s thesis describes the effects of biophysical factors on the coffee quality and productivity. He completed his B.Sc. degree in Agronomy at the Universidad Nacional Agraria in Nicaragua, his thesis describes the response of different common bean genotypes to mineral fertilization. After his Master’s degree, Leonel has worked in research and development for the industry and academy. He worked as R&D coordinator for ECOM-Coffee group in Nicaragua (2006-2009) where he was in charge of validating and promoting the use of new coffee hybrids in agroforestry systems as a sustainable intensification strategy for coffee production in the Central American Region. Next, he worked for CATIE in a pilot project to develop a Weather-Index Insurance for coffee in Nicaragua and Honduras (2010-2011). After this, he became a guest researcher at the R.U. Sustainability and Global Change, where he worked in the development of a model to infer the quality of the coffee produced in Nicaragua (2013-2014). Then, Leonel worked in a pilot-project implemented by the World Coffee Research (WCR) and RD2Vision, where Leonel led the activities to identify the threats for coffee production in El Salvador, and the possible farming adaptation practices to face the expected impacts of climate change on the coffee areas in the country (2018). In parallel, Leonel had been invited to participate as an instructor/speaker in courses and workshops on sustainable agriculture from universities, NGOs and local technical schools (2006-2011, 2017); the topics included agroforestry, coffee breeding, best farming practices, and others. During this career, Leonel has collaborated and interacted with researchers, practitioners, decision-makers, and farmers; and local and international organizations. Selected Publications: 2021. Lara-Estrada L., Rasche L., and Schneider U.A. Land in Central America will become less suitable for coffee cultivation under climate change. Regional Environmental Change, 21(3), 88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-021-01803-0 2018. Lara-Estrada L., Rasche L., Sucar L.E., & Schneider U.A. Inferring Missing Climate Data for Agricultural Planning Using Bayesian Networks. Land, 7(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/land7010004 2017. Lara-Estrada L., Rasche L., and Schneider U.A. Modeling land suitability for Coffea arabica L. in Central America. Environmental Modelling & Software, 95, 196–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2017.06.028 2011. Bertrand B., Alpizar E., Lara L., SantaCreo R., Hidalgo M., Quijano J.M., Charmetant P., Montagnon C., Georget F., Etienne H. 2011. Performance of Coffea arabica F1 hybrids in agroforestry and full-sun cropping systems in comparison with American pure line cultivars. Euphytica 181(2)147-158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-011-0372-7 Research / Scholarly Interests: Leonel is interested in evaluating the potential of agroforestry and agricultural systems under diverse scenarios, particularly considering different farming strategies and socioeconomic and biophysical constraints. Including the performance of such systems considering production, adaptation and mitigation objectives under climate change conditions. Also, Leonel is interested to describe the potential of production systems and farming practices in the scope of sustainable intensification agriculture. Especially, exploring the impact of the goods and services provided by agroforestry systems. As a final and transversal objective, Leonel looks for generating data, knowledge, and tools to support decision making and farm planning processes at the farm, local and regional levels Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/7861.html Awards: Member of International Environmental Modelling and Software Society External Profiles: ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6562-9497 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmocrito/ Research Gate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Leonel_Lara-Estrada Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3015 Fellow in Agroforestry
Dr Lucie Büchi	Qualifications: MSc, PhD, FHEA Biography: Dr Lucie Büchi completed studies in population biology and genetics, followed by a PhD thesis in theoretical community ecology, at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). She then worked 7 years as a researcher at Agroscope (Switzerland), the Swiss national centre for agricultural research. before joining the Natural Resources Institute in 2018. At Agroscope, she developed projects on the impact of cropping practices, such as reduced tillage and the use of cover crops, on crop production, soil fertility, weed competition etc. She also studied biological nitrogen fixation by legume cover crops, and developed a soil cover agri-environmental indicator for monitoring purpose for the Swiss government. At NRI, Lucie Büchi works as a crop ecologist with a focus on the management of cropping systems in tropical and temperate climates, and on sustainable agriculture approaches such as regenerative agriculture and agroecology. In addition, she is interested in interdisciplinary research around gender and intersectional inequalities related to agriculture, in the Global North and South. Selected Publications: Walder, F., Büchi, L., Wagg, C., Colombi, T., Banerjee, S., Hirte, J., Mayer, J., Six, J., Keller, T., Charles, R., van der Heijden, M., 2023. Synergism between production and soil health through crop diversification, organic amendments and crop protection in wheat-based systems. Journal of Applied Ecology 60, 2091-2104, doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.14484 Morrow, N., Borrell, J.S., Mock, N.B., Büchi, L., Gatto, A., Lulekal, E., 2023. Measure of indigenous perennial staple crop, Ensete ventricosum, associated with positive food security outcomes in southern Ethiopian Highlands. Food Policy, 102451, doi: 10.1016/j.foodpol.2023.102451 Chase, R.R., Büchi, L., Rodenburg, J, Roux, N., Wendawek, A., Borrell, J.S., 2022. Smallholder farmers expand production area of the perennial crop enset as a climate coping strategy in a drought-prone indigenous agrisystem. Plants, People, Planet 5, 254-266, doi: 10.1002/ppp3.10339 Büchi, L., Walder, F., Banerjee, S., Colombi, T., van der Heijden, M., Keller, T., Charles, R., Six, J.,2022. Pedoclimatic factors and management determine soil organic carbon and aggregation in farmer fields at a regional scale. Geoderma 409, 115632, doi: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2021.115632 Mwangangi, I.M., Büchi, L., Haefele, S.M., Bastiaans, L., Runo, S., Rodenburg, J., 2021. Combining host plant defence with targeted nutrition: key to durable control of hemi-parasitic Striga spp. in cereals in sub-Saharan Africa? New Phytologist 230, 2164-2178, doi: 10.1111/nph.17271 Riedo, J., Wettstein, F.E., Rösch, A., Herzog, C., Banerjee, S., Büchi, L., Charles, R., Wächter, D., Martin-Laurent, F., Bucheli, T.D., Walder, F., van der Heijden, M., 2021. Widespread occurrence of pesticides in organically managed soils: the ghost of a conventional agricultural past? Environmental Science & Technology 55, 2919−2928, doi: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06405 Büchi, L., Cordeau, S., Hull, R., Rodenburg, J., 2021. Vulpia myuros, an increasing threat for agriculture. Weed Research 61, 13-24, doi: 10.1111/wre.12456 Rodenburg, J., Büchi, L., Haggar, J., 2020. Adoption by adaptation: moving from Conservation Agriculture to conservation practices. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 19, 437-455, doi: 10.1080/14735903.2020.1785734 Büchi, L., Wendling, M., Amossé, C., Jeangros, B., Charles, R., 2020. Cover crops to secure weed control strategies in a maize crop with reduced tillage. Field Crops Research 247, 107583, doi: 10.1016/j.fcr.2019.107583 Büchi, L., Georges, F., Walder, F., Banerjee, S., Keller, T., Six, J., van der Heijden, M., Charles, R., 2019. Potential of indicators to unveil the hidden side of cropping system classification: Differences and similarities in cropping practices between conventional, no-till and organic systems. European Journal of Agronomy 109, 125920, doi: 10.1016/j.eja.2019.125920 Wendling, M., Charles, R., Herrera, J.M., Amossé, C., Jeangros, B., Walter, A., Büchi, L., 2019. Effect of species identity and diversity on biomass production and its stability in cover crop mixtures. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 281, 81-91, doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2019.04.032 Banerjee, S., Walder, F., Büchi, L., Meyer, M., Held, A.Y., Gattinger, A., Keller, T., Charles, R., van der Heijden, M., 2019. Agricultural intensification reduces microbial network complexity and the abundance of keystone taxa in roots. The ISME Journal 13, 1722–1736, doi: 10.1038/s41396-019-0383-2 Büchi, L., Wendling, M., Amossé, C., Necpalova, M., Charles, R., 2018. Importance of cover crops in alleviating negative effects of reduced soil tillage and promoting soil fertility in a winter wheat cropping system. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 256, 92-104, doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2018.01.005 Büchi, L., Wendling, M., Amossé, C., Jeangros, B., Sinaj, S., Charles, R., 2017. Long and short term changes in crop yield and soil properties induced by the reduction of soil tillage in a long term field experiment in Switzerland. Soil and Tillage Research 174, 120-129, doi: 10.1016/j.still.2017.07.002 Wendling, M., Büchi, L., Amossé, C., Jeangros, B., Walter, A., Charles, R., 2017. Specific interactions leading to transgressive overyielding in cover crop mixtures. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 241, 88-99, doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2017.03.003 Wendling, M., Büchi, L., Amossé, C., Sinaj, S., Walter, A., Charles, R,. 2016. Influence of root and leaf traits on nutrient uptake of cover crops. Plant and Soil 409, 419-434, doi: 10.1007/s11104-016-2974-2 Büchi, L., Valsangiacomo, A., Burel, E., Charles, R., 2016. Integrating simulation data from a crop model in the development of an agri-environmental indicator for soil cover in Switzerland. European Journal of Agronomy 76, 149-159, doi: 10.1016/j.eja.2015.11.004 Büchi, L., Vuilleumier, S., 2016. Ecological strategies in stable and disturbed environments depend on species specialisation. Oikos 125, 1408-1420, doi: 10.1111/oik.02915 Büchi, L., Gebhard, C.-A., Liebisch, F., Sinaj, S., Ramseier, H., Charles, R., 2015. Accumulation of biologically fixed nitrogen by legumes cultivated as cover crops in Switzerland. Plant and Soil 393, 163-175, doi: 10.1007/s11104-015-2476-7 Büchi, L., Vuilleumier, S., 2014. Coexistence of specialist and generalist species is shaped by dispersal and environmental factors. The American Naturalist 183, 612-24, doi: 10.1086/675756 Goudet, J., Büchi, L., 2006. The effects of dominance, regular inbreeding and sampling design on Q_ST, an estimator of population differentiation for quantitative traits. Genetics 172, 1337-1347, 10.1534/genetics.105.050583 Research / Scholarly Interests: Dr Lucie Büchi has a strong interest in finding solutions to decrease the impact of agriculture on the environment through innovative cropping practices, with a focus on crop production, nutrient cycling, and soil properties. Among these, cultivation of cover crops, which are crops used only for the environmental services they could provide, and not for direct economic value, has been at the centre of many previous projects. Lucie’s main research interests are: Production and sustainability of tropical agri-systems Adoption of cover crops to diversify agri-systems Role of legume cover and food crop species in the rotation Interspecific competition between cultivated crops Sustainable weed management Gender inequalities in agriculture Teaching Programmes: Module leader for Applied Plant Ecology and Introduction to Ecological Modelling and Programming Research Projects: 2024-2025 ‘Empowering farmers: a participatory approach to soil organic carbon assessment’ Funded by the AFN+ network (UKRI) Website: https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/funding/funded-projects/funded-scoping-study-projects/empowering-farmers-a-participatory-approach-to-soil-organic-carbon-assessment/ Soils are key to sustain food production. An important component of soils is organic matter, which contributes to soil fertility and crop growth, and consists of about 58% carbon. This soil organic carbon also helps to fight climate change, as the more carbon is in the soil, the less in the atmosphere contributing to greenhouse effect and global warming. The primary objective of this project is to empower farmers to estimate the level of soil organic carbon content in their fields, through the assessment of soil colour. This easy and accessible method will be validated against laboratory assessment, which is usually more costly and time consuming. The project aims to develop a new, accessible method and will contribute to raising awareness on soil health and carbon sequestration that can be used to adapt farm management practices towards net zero targets. *2023-2024 ‘Discovering the traits underlying emergence of weed populations in the annual grass Vulpia myuros’* Funded by the Royal Society Weeds represent a major pressure on food production worldwide, by decreasing yields and contaminating harvests. It is thus crucial to study weed ecology to better understand how to control them now and in the future. In particular, the question of which traits (i.e. characteristics) favour the invasion and growth of new weeds into arable fields is key to understand how weediness emerges. In this project, we addressed the question of the traits underlying weed emergence in the grass species Vulpia myuros, also called rattail fescue. This species originates from the Mediterranean region and has been naturally present in Europe for centuries. However, V. myuros has emerged as a weed in recent years, benefiting from changes in cropping practices, in particular the reduction of tillage intensity. This species thus offers a unique opportunity to study the early stage of its invasion of arable fields. The traits characterising weediness in V. myuros will be studied by phenotyping wild and weed populations, i.e. we will measure important traits along the life cycle of the plant, from germination to flowering and seed production. The phenotyping of these populations in a growth chamber and greenhouse set up will reveal the similarities and differences in important traits among wild and weed populations and identify traits that are important to explain weediness. This project will shed new light on the traits underlying weed emergence in a species that may pose problems for food production in the future, and provide insights for improved control methods. 2022-2024 ‘Increasing productivity and sustainability in UK viticulture’ Funded by Innovate-UK’s Farming Innovation Programme, led by NIAB-EMR and Gusbourne vineyard, in collaboration with Chapel Down vineyard, Vinescapes and T Denne & Sons Website: https://www.vinescapes.com/i-uk-cover-crop-research-project/ The proposed project will bring innovation by quantifying, for the first time, the impact of cover crops and non-chemical weeding strategies on soil health, production efficiency, and juice quality in UK vineyards. Project outputs will include evidence-based recommendations for growers on the best ground management approaches to suit UK vineyards. Industry-wide uptake of these practices would demonstrate to the public, the horticultural sector and retailers that the viti industry is committed to achieving environmental and net-zero goals. We propose to carry out the first full-scale experiments and commercial trials of cover cropping and mechanical weeding strategies in UK vineyards to identify and tailor optimal soil management approaches for the UK industry. The trial sites will serve as long-term research facilities on commercial holdings in Kent, and our intention is that they host separate but allied future research on beneficial insects and soil pathogens. We intend to commercialise project outputs through an existing route. 2019-2021 ‘Landscape scale genomic-environment diversity data to model existing and novel agri-systems under climate change to enhance food security in Ethiopia’ Funded by BBSRC GCRF, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Queen Mary University London and Addis Abeba University Goal: We propose to perform a high-resolution multi-functional genomic and environmental characterization of Ethiopian highland agri-systems, focusing on Enset and ten regionally and globally important crops that together comprise a range of complementary cropping agri-systems in the Southern Ethiopian highlands, seeking to enhance their role in future resource provision, and generating clear economic and social impact on the livelihoods they support. 2019-2021 ‘Socioeconomic and environmental sustainability of coffee agroforestry’ (SEACAF) Funded by BBSRC GCRF, in collaboration with CATIE (Costa Rica) and Universidad del Valle (Guatemala) Goals: 1. Identify and assess trade-offs between intensification (maximising productivity and profits) and sustainability (provision of ecosystem services, climate and market resilience) in coffee monocultures and agroforestry systems 2. How to meet growing demand for agricultural products and sustain livelihoods of farmers, in a context of climate change and market variation, while maintaining ecosystem services that are required for production and society as a whole Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (GALA) link: https://gala.gre.ac.uk/view/authors/6426.html Responsibilities: Module leader for Applied Plant Ecology External Profiles: ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1935-6176 LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/luciebuchi Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DmOeeg0AAAAJ&hl=en ResearcherID (WoS) https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/E-5677-2012 Research Gate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lucie_Buechi Phone: +44 (0)1634 88 3890 Senior Lecturer in Crop Ecology

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