The problem
Small aquatic systems are increasingly recognised as extremely effective sequesters of carbon from the atmosphere and their estimated cumulative global coverage is being increasingly revised upwards. Regardless small seasonal wetlands are often missed out of global carbon models due to a lack of field observations and accurate regional models.
Our team
Our team is comprised of specialists in a diverse range of disciplines, including environmental chemistry, molecular chemistry, palynology, GIS, ecology,and ecosystems services, allowing us to work holistically on the role these significantly understudied environments play in this important global biogeochemical cycle.
Our approach
Our holistic approach adopts a micro-meso-macro scale approach to tackle every aspect of aquatic carbon cycling from sediment molecular chemistry to regional carbon flux extrapolations. Our goal is to aid land-use and pond-scape management, inform policy making processes and ultimately to feed into global carbon models.
Studies include:
Micro; Sediment carbon chemistry, pollen analysis, sediment dating, and microbial decomposition.
Meso; Whole pond carbon accumulation, and gaseous exchange with the atmosphere.
Macro; spatial and temporal variations between ponds across the landscape, landscape use-age and pond characterisation, and regional extrapolations using bottom up approach.
We are equipped with high quality laboratories allowing for the chemical analysis of sediment and water samples, whilst our mobile unit equipped with a raft of sampling apparatus for water quality and gas analysis allows for field monitoring of systems all over the UK.
Our sites
Whilst being a relatively young group our novel, unique and holistic approach to aquatic carbon capture has developed quickly over the past few years leading us to develop strong links with the regional offices of the Wildlife Trust and Natural England as well as Gateshead City Council among others. Whilst the majority of our research is focused on water bodies predominantly in the North East of England our mobile research unit has permitted research in Yorkshire, the Lizard Peninsula, and East Anglia.
If you are interested in working with us or simply have an interesting set of ponds you think we may be interested in please get in touch.
