We explore these changes from a range of different perspectives, which include:
- Monitoring biogeochemical cycling
- Quantifying changes in tree species composition, growth and reproduction
- Modelling the response of soils
We undertake research across biomes and ecosystems including tropical and temperate forests, agricultural environments, wetlands and freshwaters.
We use a range of approaches, leveraging more traditional field-based measurements, including long-term ecological monitoring, alongside process-based modelling, remote sensing, and data driven approaches (e.g. deep learning).
Research highlights
Publications
Foest, J. J., Bogdziewicz, M., Pesendorfer, M. B., Ascoli, D., Cutini, A., Nussbaumer, A., Verstraeten, A., Beudert, B., Chianucci, F., Mezzavilla, F., Gratzer, G., Kunstler, G., Meesenburg, H., Wagner, M., Mund, M., Cools, N., Vacek, S., Schmidt, W., Vacek, Z., & Hacket-Pain, A. (2024). Widespread breakdown in masting in European beech due to rising summer temperatures. Global Change Biology, 30, e17307. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17307
Journé, V., Szymkowiak, J., Foest, J. Hacket-Pain, A., Kelly, D. & Bogdziewicz, M. Summer solstice orchestrates the subcontinental-scale synchrony of mast seeding. Nature Plants 10, 367–373 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-024-01651-w
Bogdziewicz, M, Kelly, D., Ascoli, D.... and Hacket-Pain, A. 2024. Evolutionary ecology of masting: mechanisms, models, and climate change. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 39, 9, 851 – 862
Szymkowiak, J., Foest, J., Hacket-Pain, A., Journé, V., Ascoli, D. & Bogdziewicz, M. (2024) Tail-dependence of masting synchrony results in continent-wide seed scarcity. Ecology Letters, 27, e14474. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14474
Leifsson, Buras, Klesse, et al. [inc. Hacket-Pain]. 2024. Identifying drivers of non-stationary climate-growth relationships of European beech, Science of The Total Environment, 937, 173321, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173321
Dargie, G. C., del Aguila‐Pasquel, J., Córdova Oroche, C. J., Irarica Pacaya, J., Reyna Huaymacari, J., Baker, T. R., …Draper, F.C. …et al. 2024. Net primary productivity and litter decomposition rates in two distinct Amazonian peatlands. Global Change Biology, 30(8), e17436.
Hastie, A., Householder, J. E., Coronado, E. N. H., Pizango, C. G. H., Herrera, R., Lähteenoja, O., … Draper F.C. … et al. 2024. A new data-driven map predicts substantial undocumented peatland areas in Amazonia. Environmental Research Letters, 19(9), 094019.
Householder, J.E., Wittman, F., Schöngart, J., Fernandez Piedade, M.T., Junk, W.J., Latrubesse, E.M., Costa Quaresma, A., Demarchi, L.O., de S. Lobo, G., de Aguiar, D.P.P., … Draper F.C., … et al. 2024. One sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is dependent on river floodplains. Nature ecology and Evolution, 8(5), 901-911.
Garcia Luize, B., Bauman, D., ter Steege, H., Palma‐Silva, C., Leão Do Amaral, I., de Souza Coelho, L.., de Almeida Matos, F.D., de Andrade Lima Filho, D., Salomão R.P., …. Draper, F.C., … et al. 2024. Geography and Ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities. Journal of Biogeography (in press).
Matas-Granados, L. Draper, F.C., Cayuela L., de Aledo J.G., Arellano G., Ben-Saadi, C., Baker, T.R., Phillips O.L., Honorio Coronado, E.N., Ruokolainen, K. et al. 2024. Understanding different dominance patterns in western Amazonian forests. Ecology Letters 27(1), e14351.
Cooper, D.L.M., Lewis, S.L., Sullivan, M.J.P., Prado, P.I., ter Steege, H., Barbier, N., Slik, J.W.F., Sonke, B., Ewango, C.E.N., Adu-Bredu, S., Affum-Baffoe, K., …Draper, F.C. …et al. 2024. Consistent Patterns of Common Species Across Tropical Forest Tree Communities. Nature 625(7996), 728-734.
Peacock, M., Lawson, C., Gowing, D. and Gauci, V., 2024. Water table depth and plant species determine the direction and magnitude of methane fluxes in floodplain meadow soils. Ecology and Evolution, 14(3), p.e11147.
Davidson, S.J., Davies, M.A., Wegener, E., Claussen, S., Schmidt, M., Peacock, M. and Strack, M., 2024. Carbon stocks and fluxes from a boreal conifer swamp: Filling a knowledge gap for understanding the boreal C cycle. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 129(5), p.e2024JG008005.
Grants
Royal Society. Research Grant (2023-2025) £69,900. High-resolution airborne spectroscopy for quantifying climate-induced ecosystem changes (PI F. Draper).
Defra. 2024-2027. Lowland Peat Project 3. The options, feasibility and impact of managing lowland peat for reduced greenhouse gas emissions. £5 million, £150K to UoL. Peacock CoI.
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