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ecosystem services

November 11, 2015

Ecological Sciences (Research Page)

Ecological Sciences (ES) is a multi-disciplinary collective of over 65 researchers with a unique breadth of scientific expertise, skills and knowledge in the ecology, physiology and systematics of microbes, lichens, fungi, plants, soils, and...
December 12, 2022
Researchers from The James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen are collaborating on a new project led by the University of Stirling to explore how pollution and climate change are impacting freshwater ecosystems. The study, MOT4Rivers, will...
November 11, 2022
MERLIN, a project committed to transformative ecosystem restoration through Nature-based Solutions, co-led by the James Hutton Institute, is offering companies a unique opportunity to showcase their cutting-edge work to develop products and...
August 8, 2022
An international partnership of blue carbon experts from the James Hutton Institute, the University of St Andrews, the Norwegian Geological Survey, and University College Dublin has been awarded funding under the Blue Carbon International Policy...
August 8, 2022
Researchers from the James Hutton Institute and the University of Aberdeen have worked with The Glenlivet distillery to introduce environmentally sustainable solutions at Chivas Brothers’ Speyside distillery to address water scarcity and...
April 4, 2022
This research explores if and how the concept of 'Natural Capital' can influence decision-making in support of sustainability and a Just Transition.
February 2, 2022
MERLIN stands for Mainstreaming Ecological Restoration of freshwater-related ecosystems in a Landscape context: INnovation, upscaling and transformation. MERLIN is a European Horizon 2020 project (2021-2025) with 44 partner organisations across...
January 1, 2022
Society needs to re-think its relationship with the natural world if we are to avoid the worst consequences of climate change and pandemics, the James Hutton Institute has urged in the 2022 episode of BBC Scotland’s Resolutions programme...
July 7, 2021
Scientists from all over the world have come together in the 6th Forum Carpaticum to present their research and discuss the sustainable development of the Carpathian region and mountain areas more generally. The event was organised online by the...
April 4, 2021
Substantial cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions could be achieved by raising water levels in agricultural peatlands, according to a new study co-authored by James Hutton Institute scientists and published in the journal Nature. Peatlands...
November 11, 2020
Scotland boasts a hugely varied coastline and a rich offering of inland waters in both rural and urban settings which host an amazing array of riches, come in all shapes and sizes, and are greatly valued and cherished by communities and visitors...
November 11, 2020
Testing the natural Capital Protocol in an upland farm in Scotland: The Glensaugh case study
November 11, 2020
A new hydrological study co-authored by James Hutton Institute PhD student Camilla Negri and colleagues based in Italy has shown that winter flooding, the application of water onto agricultural lands to recharge groundwater aquifers during...
September 9, 2020
Mountains cover 22% of the world's land surface and are home to about 915 million people. In Europe, mountain ranges cover 36% of the European area and play an essential role in the provision of public and private goods. Despite their...
June 6, 2020
Professor Bob Ferrier, Director of Scotland's Hydro Nation International Centre at the James Hutton Institute, has appeared in OOSKAnews' latest aquaNOW Audience to discuss how HNIC is aiming to bring together a critical mass of the...
March 3, 2020
To mark World Water Day, the James Hutton Institute has taken part in an aquaNOW Audience on the topic of 'Water and the Climate Crisis'. aquaNOW Audiences are interactive panel discussions, produced by OOSKAnews, engaging international...
January 1, 2020
Professor Rob Brooker has been appointed to the leadership of the Ecological Sciences department at the James Hutton Institute, following the departure of Dr Helaina Black, who has become an Honorary Associate of the Institute. The group...
October 10, 2019
A new report commissioned by the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) estimates that the restoration of native oyster beds in Scotland has the potential to give a £3.5m boost to the UK economy and create jobs in some of the most...
September 9, 2019
The James Hutton Institute has hosted the first of a new series of aquaNOW Audiences on the topic of 'The Philosophy of a Hydro Nation'. aquaNOW Audiences are interactive panel discussions, produced by OOSKAnews, engaging international...
May 5, 2019
Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history — and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely, warns a landmark new report from the Intergovernmental...
January 1, 2019
Monitoring and evaluation are key elements in the adaptive management of our ecosystems, the process of learning from new experiences and insights to improve how we manage the environment. A research consortium led by the James Hutton Institute...
December 12, 2018
  What is the story with woodlands in the Cairngorms National Park? Or should we say, what are the stories, as there are many threads of stories of actual, former or speculative woodlands weaving in and out that make this area what it...
June 6, 2018
This page lists recent projects relevant to UK alpine ecosystems.Contact us if you have papers or reports that you would like to be listed on this page. Return to main Alpine Ecology Network page
June 6, 2018
This page lists recent research papers and project reports relevant to UK alpine ecosystems. Contact us if you have papers or reports that you would like to be listed on this page. Return to main Alpine Ecology Network page
June 6, 2018
Here you will find details of past meetings of the UK Alpine Ecology Network along with links to workshop reports and presentations where available. Return to main Alpine Ecology Network page Inaugural meeting January 2018, James Hutton...
June 6, 2018
The UK Alpine Ecology Network was formed in 2018 as a means of bringing together scientists, conservationists and land managers with an interest in the ecology of alpine ecosystems across the UK. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in...
February 2, 2018
Summary This research project focuses on sustainable intensification of agriculture in highly productive peri-urban farming areas in China. This agricultural base is essential to meet China's increasing food production demands but is under...
November 11, 2017
Peat bogs are useful to society in many ways – they regulate our water flows and sequester greenhouse gases while serving as a historical archive of our past and protecting unique plant and animal species. However, many peat bogs have been...
October 10, 2017
Researchers at the James Hutton Institute have become important partners in a project which aims to improve green spaces in a Lanarkshire town. Cumbernauld Living Landscape, a partnership between the Scottish Wildlife Trust, North Lanarkshire...
July 7, 2017
Introduction
May 5, 2017
Managing ecosystems to avoid exceeding national, and ultimately planetary, boundaries will inevitably involve trade-offs and synergies between different ecosystem services. Maximising one benefit (e.g. provision of food) may be traded-off against...
March 3, 2017
Ecosystem services – the flows of resources such as clean air, water, food, materials and mental restoration generated by the interaction of humans and nature – are the subject of significant research efforts by scientists throughout...
March 3, 2017
Our natural resources benefit society in many ways. Therefore, to achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability, management of natural resources must connect and consider multiple goals and issues.  However, many existing...
January 1, 2017
Deer are iconic species in Scotland and provide a key ecological resource for the tourism, hunting and food industries. However, at high densities their impact can be detrimental to some habitats. Are the right policies and incentives in place to...
December 12, 2016

Peat Surveys: Knock Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Knock Moss, Wigtownshire
December 12, 2016

Peat Surveys: Elsie Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Elsie Moss, Aberdeenshire
December 12, 2016
Peat Deposit: Fiag Plantation, Highland
December 12, 2016
Peat Deposit: Wyndford Moss, Aberdeenshire
November 11, 2016
Summary of Peat Deposit Depths, and Land Cover in 1988
November 11, 2016
Peat Deposit: Blacklaw Bog, South Lanarkshire
November 11, 2016
Peat Deposit: Awhirk Moss, Wigtownshire
October 10, 2016
Peat Deposit: Drumbreck Moss, North Lanarkshire
October 10, 2016
Peat Deposit: Drumbow Moss, North Lanarkshire
October 10, 2016
Payment for Ecosystem Services (PESS) schemes are based on voluntary payment arrangements between individual beneficiaries and service providers to establish or increase the supply of an ecosystem service.
October 10, 2016
Peat Deposit: Dirskelpin Moss, Wigtownshire
September 9, 2016
The topic of water research involves staff from multiple disciplines at the James Hutton Institute who collaborate on Water Related research.  Their work, either as part of our research programme for the Scottish Government or for other...
September 9, 2016
Peat Deposit: Nutberry Moss and Dornock Flow, Dumfriesshire Survey: 1967
September 9, 2016

Peat Surveys: Creca Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Creca Moss, Dumfriesshire
September 9, 2016
Peat Deposit: Gartur Moss, Stirlingshire
September 9, 2016
Peat Deposit: Cranley Bog, South Lanarkshire
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Harburn and Cobbinshaw Bogs, West Lothian
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Backhill of Bush Moss, Kirkudbrightshire
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Mindork Moss, Wigtownshire
August 8, 2016

Peat Surveys: Glims Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Glims Moss, Orkney
August 8, 2016

Peat Surveys: White Moss (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: White Moss, Orkney
August 8, 2016

Peat Surveys: Dornal Bog (Research Page)

Peat Deposit: Dornal Bog, Wigtownshire
August 8, 2016
Peat Deposit: Threepwood Moss, Roxburghshire
June 6, 2016
The aim of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem subgroup is to understand how human driven global and local changes impact on the network of interactions between animals, microbes and plants in natural and semi-natural habitats to predict change and...
June 6, 2016
Maps of the distribution of surveys of peat deposits by the Scottish Peat Committee and Macaulay Institute Peat Surveys (since 1984)
May 5, 2016
The potential of ecosystem services-based approaches for sustainable water resource management has been highlighted in a book co-edited by researchers from the University of Leeds, the James Hutton Institute, the James Cook University and UNESCO...
May 5, 2016
March 3, 2016
There has been a renewed drive in nature conservation policy in recent years, but is it coming at the expense of limitations in the delivery of the many services that our ecosystems provide, such as tourism and recreation, provision of raw...
March 3, 2016
Craig Macadam, Conservation Director from the invertebrate charity Buglife, will deliver this Aberdeen Entomological Club seminar entitled “More than just fish food: Ecosystem services provided by freshwater insects”. It will be held...
February 2, 2016
Ainoa Pravia from the Ecological Sciences Group, James Hutton Institute, will deliver this Aberdeen Entomological Club seminar entitled “Evaluating peatland management for multiple ecosystem services”. It will be held at the James...
January 1, 2016
The GreenHealth project, and its findings, are referenced by the following research teams or outputs:  
January 1, 2016
The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was established to provide decision makers with scientifically credible and independent information that takes into account the complex relationship between...
January 1, 2016
Ecosystem services – the flows of resources such as clean air, water, food, materials and mental restoration – are the product of humans and nature interacting together and have a social dimension that needs to be further investigated...
December 12, 2015

Staff and Students (Research Page)

Staff For students, follow the link here: Students
December 12, 2015
The MRES report provides a review of recent and ongoing work relevant to ecosystem service mapping in Scotland. It provides a reference resource for future research and a list of example methodologies used in this area, while at the same time...
November 11, 2015
Researchers in SEGS often create a short research notes or briefings, to communicate the findings of research projects. Please click on the titles below to view a selection of research notes and briefings.
October 10, 2015

Outreach (Research Page)

October 10, 2015

Our Science (Research Page)

The Ecological Sciences department operate across scales and studies ecology at the resolution of populations, communities, ecosystems and their associated processes and functions. Increasingly we also explore how ecology and people interact, how...
October 10, 2015

Research Facilities (Research Page)

April 4, 2015
Wednesday 27th May 14:45 - 18:30 (Session SS6)
April 4, 2015
The potential of ecosystem services-based approaches for sustainable water resource management has been highlighted in a new book co-edited by researchers from the James Hutton Institute and UNESCO. The book is published by Cambridge University...
February 2, 2015
This video created by the James Hutton Institute helps to explain Scenario Planning for Environmental Management. It has been produced as part of the EU funded project COMET-LA (COmmunity-based Management of EnvironmenTal challenges in Latin...
February 2, 2015

Sam Poskitt (Member of Staff)

Sam is an Environmental Social Scientist with a background in Geography, Environmental Anthropology and International Development. He specialises in participatory approaches for research, learning, and decision-making in relation to tackling...
January 1, 2015
SOCiT soil carbon app
January 1, 2015

Books and Book Chapters (Research Page)

Water Ecosystem Services - A Global Perspective
January 1, 2015

Workshops (Research Page)

Scotland’s peat bogs - rural community perceptions on Lewis (PDF File: 5,798KB)
January 1, 2015
The briefs described on this page are either hosted on the knowledgescotland website, or are available for direct download (pdf format).
January 1, 2015

MANECO (Project)

Managing ecosystem services in low alpine cultural landscapes through livestock grazing Current tree-lines in Norway are heavily depressed by land uses associated with traditional (agri-) cultural practices, but reduced intensity of land use...
December 12, 2014
What is Ecogenomics?
October 10, 2014
Introduction to Soils Exploring Scotland's Soils
October 10, 2014
Scotland's soil resources
October 10, 2014
Learn more about soils & climate change
August 8, 2014
Data from spatial monitoring of water quality provided parameter sets for validation of catchment scale models. These have been used in a number of externally funded research projects including REFRESH.
August 8, 2014
Management to mitigate pollutant swapping Buffer strips are useful for mitigating diffuse pollution. As riparian buffers perform their role in sediment trapping, P accumulates with no loss mechanism (as in wetland denitrification for N)....
August 8, 2014
Tarland modelling                         Hydraulic models help to predict where flooding might occur, how severe it might...
August 8, 2014
Publications and Knowledge Exchange Project outputs include a number of papers in scientific journals, conferences, and events for stakeholders. Examples of such outputs follow:
August 8, 2014
James Hutton Institute
July 7, 2014
TRANSGRASS innovatively combined collaborative video, interactive Touchtable technology, and ecological surveys with a series of workshops to develop a transdisciplinary platform for the integration of contested forms of knowledge...
June 6, 2014
Aim: to maintain active engagement with HEP stakeholders and researchers Our research aims to support sustainable HEP development and therefore needs to be designed and executed in partnership with conservation managers and HEP operators and...
June 6, 2014
Aim: understand the governance, regulation and economics of small scale run-of-river HEP schemes We are interested in how economic, regulatory and social issues relate to small scale HEP development and shape the outcome of planning...
June 6, 2014
Aim: to establish the resilience of Scotland’s hydropower resources to future water availability The 2020 Renewable Energy Routemap targets for generation could be affected by environmental change impacts on the hydropower resource in...
May 5, 2014
Background Over 85% of land plants are obligate associated with mycorrhizal fungi illustrating the importance of the symbiosis. Fungi provide water and essential nutrients to their host plants in exchange for carbohydrates derived from...
April 4, 2014
Hydropower plays a key role in Scotland’s renewable energy contributions and renewables targets for 2015 (50%) and 2020 (100%). Our research is supporting the sustainable planning, development and management of this resource. We are...
April 4, 2014
Research by the James Hutton Institute and the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) relating to the role of ecosystem services in meeting Scotland’s Hydro Nation Challenge has been featured in a new book edited by Arup Group, a...
April 4, 2014
The James Hutton Institute, in partnership with Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), are proud to announce that the European Society for Rural Sociology (ESRS) have chosen Aberdeen as the host city for their 2015 congress.
April 4, 2014
   
February 2, 2014
This seminar "Exploring low-carbon transitions by means of model integration" will be given by Associate Professor Alexey Voinov from the University of Twente, the Netherlands, at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen.
February 2, 2014
A case study on sustainable agriculture and the environment at the James Hutton Institute
January 1, 2014
A workshop was held at Birnam Arts and Conference Centre on 20 November 2013 to provide an update on research being conducted as part of the Vibrant Rural Communities theme of the Food, Land and People Strategic Research programme, funded by...
January 1, 2014
January 1, 2014

LandSFACTS publications (Research Page)

Publications relating to the LandSFACTS model.
January 1, 2014
The LandsFACTS model was originally (v1.6) set up to simulate cropping systems at the landscape scale. Since 2007, it was further developed to allow modelling land uses at multiple scales within an evolving environment. The diagram below presents...
January 1, 2014

LandSFACTS (Research Page)

LANDscape Scale Functional Allocation of Crops Temporally and Spatially
January 1, 2014
Environmental, economic and social issues associated with agriculture are often fundamental for rural prosperity and sustainability, with consequent implications for any debate about future land use. A key to supporting the planning of change is...
January 1, 2014
Stakeholder engagement events relating to theme topics Health and wellbeing conferences and workshops Date Title Theme role Venue 25 November 2013
January 1, 2014
Soil mapping
December 12, 2013

Information notes (Research Page)

Green space Services: Community Engagement Case Study (GreenHealth project, Note No. 5)
December 12, 2013
Project aim This aim of this project was to aid consideration of thinking of policy and practice linked to well-being and water. Funding was provided by Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) and it ran from 2011-2012.
December 12, 2013
The aim of TESS is to investigate the role of community-based transition initiatives in fostering a more low-carbon and sustainable Europe. TESS is a European Union project funded under the Seventh Framework Programme, and...
December 12, 2013
Project aim This project explored existing examples of the Ecosystem Approach, to identify implications for future equitable and holistic natural resource management. 
November 11, 2013
A promising area for managing insect pests is through improved understanding of the importance of microbes associated with insects. Many insect species rely on symbiotic bacteria for their survival and these ‘hidden players’ residing...
November 11, 2013
November 11, 2013

Ecosystem services (Research Page)

Natural Capital is the resource from which Ecosystem Services, i.e. what an ecosystem 'does' or provides that ultimately gives some benefit to humans, are generated. We often think of these services in 4 categories:
October 10, 2013
This film created by the James Hutton Institute and GRID-Arendal helps to explain Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes. It has been produced as part of the James Hutton Institute - UNESCO Global Dialogue on Water Ecosystem Services. [...
September 9, 2013
An Aberdeen-based water scientist has gained himself a readership of more than 300,000 people across Asia and the world. However Sohan Ghimire, who works at the James Hutton Institute, is not a fiction writer on the bestseller list but has been...
September 9, 2013

IPM in the agroecosystem (Research Page)

IPM is also about managing the other species in agroecosystem and not just the crop and visible weeds, pathogens, pests and their symptoms. It should also include management of:
June 6, 2013
June 6, 2013

Scottish Rivers Handbook (Research Page)

The Scottish Rivers Handbook has been produced by the James Hutton Institute and the University of Stirling for CREW, the Centre of Expertise for Waters. It is an accessible, fully illustrated 36 page book providing an overview of the physical...
June 6, 2013

People (Research Page)

Valuation and governance of natural capital Looking at natural capital inherently requires looking at the relationships between humans and their natural environment. The concept of ‘capital’ implies that components of the natural...
June 6, 2013

Biodiversity (Research Page)

The term biodiversity describes the diversity of life on Earth. Diversity can occur at a number of levels of biological organisation, from genes, through to individuals, populations, species, communities and entire ecosystems.
April 4, 2013

BaBU Review (Research Page)

The Biotic and Biophysical Underpinning of Ecosystem Services in the Scottish Context  review was carried out to help deliver increased understanding of the linkages between the primary ecological and evolutionary processes, ecosystem...
March 3, 2013
Peatlands provide vital services to society, such as helping to mitigate climate change, providing clean water and supporting biodiversity and tourism, but are currently under threat. Peatlands are an ideal case study for valuing nature...
March 3, 2013
This project was conducted as part of the Valuing Nature Network funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It brought together a team of soil scientists, ecologists, modellers and economists. The aim was to develop an...
March 3, 2013
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to deliver good ecological status (GES) for Europe’s waters. It includes economic principles, such as the use of cost-effectiveness analysis of measures to achieve GES and of derogation on grounds of...
March 3, 2013
Co-construction of a common understanding between scientist, practitioners, land managers and other stakeholders brings knowledge from different disciplines and stakeholders that is crucial for a better understanding of the linkages between...
March 3, 2013
Guidance and advice for improving implementation and increasing uptake of measures to improve water quality in Scotland The Scotland River Basin Management Plan (2010) requires implementation of programmes of measures to support achievement of...
February 2, 2013

URflood: Funders (Research Page)

February 2, 2013

URflood: Links (Research Page)

Partners The James Hutton Institute Suomen ympäristökeskus (Finnish Environment Institute) University College Dublin
February 2, 2013

URflood: Partners (Research Page)

The James Hutton Institute
February 2, 2013

URflood: Outputs (Research Page)

Main outputs from the project:
February 2, 2013

URflood: Case Studies (Research Page)

Please use the links below to read more about the country specific case studies
February 2, 2013
The aims of the project will be delivered via the following work packages:
February 2, 2013

URflood: Key Questions (Research Page)

October 10, 2012
October 10, 2012
August 8, 2012
Evidence suggests that mountain hare numbers have declined in recent years; however the extent of this decline and whether this represents a long-term decline or is the low phase of a synchronised population cycle is not clear.
August 8, 2012
Estimating animal abundance or density is a central requirement in ecology and remains one of the most challenging areas of wildlife management. Methods of estimating animal numbers must be tailored to the survey objectives, habitat and species.
August 8, 2012
Anthropogenic pressure and climate change are generating an increasingly fragmented landscape in which natural mountain hare populations are becoming more isolated and subsequently prone to greater risk of local extinction due to stochastic...
August 8, 2012
The distribution of Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus) in Scotland (2006/07)
July 7, 2012

HAPE Core researchers (Research Page)

 
July 7, 2012
Pathogens do not automatically pose a risk to human or animal health if there is no pathway by which they can reach that person or animal (the receptor). Therefore, using a Source-Pathway-Receptor approach to address human and animal pathogens in...
July 7, 2012

HAP-E@Hutton (Research Page)

The core research group in the Centre for Human and Animal Pathogens in the Environment (HAP-E) at the James Hutton Institute studies the following pathogen-environment systems:
May 5, 2012
A new term “weather weirding” has captured public imagination succinctly summing up recent meteorological conditions and illustrating the very real problems of trying to manage water quantity extremes. 
May 5, 2012
Since the release of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, ecosystems have become widely recognised as natural capital assets supporting and supplying services which are highly valuable to humans. There is a growing appreciation of the important...
May 5, 2012
Scotland has water resources of generally high quality and with adequate volume to meet current demands. However, these resources are not uniformly distributed and there are significant pressures on both quantity and quality in certain regions....
May 5, 2012
Researchers at the James Hutton Institute are working on a number of ways to tighten nutrient cycles. This involves a combination of knowledge into how to reuse societies 'wastes' such as sewage effluent discharges as valuable nutrient...
April 4, 2012
Isotopes
March 3, 2012
If you would like to be part of the Ecosystem Approach Working Group (EAWG) there are three membership types.
March 3, 2012

EAWG Resources (Research Page)

Outputs and documents from meetings Please got to the meetings page to see the reports made from our EAWG meetings and the accompanying meeting documents.
March 3, 2012

EAWG Meetings (Research Page)

Main EAWG workshops are held once per year, with other meetings arranged as required. See below for more information about individual meetings, including copies of presentations and papers. Documents are in pdf format. EAWG5 - Ecosystem Service...
March 3, 2012
The Ecosystem Approach Working Group (EAWG) is part of the Ecosystem Services Theme, which is one of eight themes in the Scottish Government’s two strategic research programmes Environmental Change and Food and Rural Industries (2011-2016...
March 3, 2012
This group aims to improve knowledge of biogeochemical and hydrological cycles, and their role in ecosystem functions and services. To do this we study chemical, physical, and biological processes and reactions that govern the composition of soil...
February 2, 2012
Soil plays a vital role in controlling the flow of water and chemicals between the atmosphere and the earth. As water passes through the soil it is filtered by plants, bacteria, fungi and soil particles, which remove various minerals and...
February 2, 2012

Soils and climate change (Research Page)

The climate is changing in response to the increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. While the burning of fossil fuels has made a major contribution to the levels of carbon dioxide, soils have been responsible for part...
February 2, 2012

Soils Database (Research Page)

What happens to the information recorded in the field by soil surveyors, and the results of all the analysis carried out on the samples they collect? Once it has been collated, it is stored securely so people from all over the world can use it as...
February 2, 2012
COMET-LA was a project coordinated by the University of Cordoba and funded under the European Commission Framework Programme 7. The acronym stands for “COmmunity-based Management of EnvironmenTal challenges in Latin America”. The...
November 11, 2011

Land capability (Research Page)

Soil is a fundamental part of land and is key in determining what activities can be undertaken and supported on different types of land; how capable is land is sustaining different farming systems, different woodland types, valued habitats, as a...
October 10, 2011
Many antifouling paints, applied to ships’ hulls and other marine structures, contain copper (Cu) as an active ingredient. As a result many European waterways are becoming increasingly Cu contaminated. This work is investigating the effects...
October 10, 2011
Salt marsh occurs in the intertidal zone and has a number of functions including a filter for pollutants, protecting coasts from flooding and providing habitat for a number of salt tolerant species. More recently it has been recognised salt...
October 10, 2011

Carbon cycling (Research Page)

We are collaborating with staff at Oceanlab (Aberdeen University) in a number of projects, mainly involved with carbon cycling, covering both estuaries and the deep sea. This work is fundamental as deep sea sediments cover over half of the earths...
October 10, 2011

Ecosystem functioning (Research Page)

Studies are continuing into land run-off and coastal ecosystem functioning and the subsequent increased turbidity and particle loading in the water column. To better understand the biogeochemical processes occurring in sandy intertidal...
October 10, 2011

Analytical Services (Research Page)

Our Analytical Group carries out a range of analyses on marine and estuarine sediments. We quantify analytes such as heavy/toxic metals, organotin compounds (now banned as antifouling agents on boats) and a range of persistent organic pollutants....
October 10, 2011
This work is examining the potential for increased food production in the Ythan catchment and its likely impacts on meeting nature conservation obligations, using the ecosystem approach. The ecosystem approach is a management tool to conserve our...
October 10, 2011
October 10, 2011
The NCC Sand Dune Survey of Scotland which took place from 1975-1977 has since been digitised and is currently being used for two projects.
October 10, 2011
The East Grampian Coastal Partnership is a group of individuals, with representatives from local authorities, industry, conservation bodies, recreation and tourism groups, local residents and many others with an interest in the future wellbeing of...
October 10, 2011
To optimise the potential of Scotland’s natural assets and provide local responses to global change, we must build on existing work and continually improve our knowledge to support strategic needs and enable well informed decision making....
October 10, 2011
Climate change has the potential to have significant impacts on our coastal communities through increased storm events and sea level rise. An evaluation tool has been developed to compare Scotland’s coastal management policies against...
October 10, 2011
Pathogens from agricultural run-off and sewage effluent are transported to beaches where they can cause non-compliance with bathing water standards. Intensification of livestock-based agriculture and climate change may exacerbate this; with...
October 10, 2011
Scotland’s sand dune vegetation has been assessed to investigate species distribution in relation to ecological variables. The response of the vegetation is modelled to assess if ecosystem processes and species distribution are related to...
October 10, 2011
Public attitudes towards biodiversity and its management are poorly understood, raising concerns over the effectiveness of public participation in biodiversity policy making. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with members of the public to...
October 10, 2011
The link between natural environments and their restoration has been the focus of much research including its importance for human wellbeing. We are carrying out a series of studies looking at community perceptions of renewable energy...
October 10, 2011
Scotland’s natural assets provide a wealth of goods and services which are of benefit to human wellbeing, such as food, fuel, climate regulation and recreation opportunities. To ensure a sustainable future we must balance our economic and...
October 10, 2011
Our work in this area reflects the external pressures Scotland is facing and explores how we can adapt to global changes such as demographic shifts, social attitudes, global trade and climate change. The impacts of which, are generally out with...
October 10, 2011
August 8, 2011

Green Health (Project)

Contribution of green and open space in public health and wellbeing Partners Lead organisation: James Hutton Institute (Project Co-ordinator: David Miller) Research partners:
April 4, 2011
Publications in which the VLT is presented or discussed Wang, C., Miller, D., Brown, I. and Jiang, Y. 2016. Public Participation to Support Wind Energy Development: The Role of 3D GIS and Virtual Reality. In: Proceedings of 24th...
March 3, 2011
A development and demonstration virtual reality theatre has been constructed to compliment the mobile Virtual Landscape Theatre. The dimensions and capabilities of the development theatre are the same as the VLT enabling the preparation and...
March 3, 2011

David Miller (Member of Staff)

March 3, 2011

Keith Marshall (Member of Staff)

March 3, 2011

Kirsty Blackstock (Member of Staff)

March 3, 2011

Kerry Waylen (Member of Staff)

Kerry Waylen is a senior researcher in the Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences (SEGS) department at the James Hutton Institute.  She builds understanding of how to achieve more 'joined up' approaches to natural resource...

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The James Hutton Research Institute is the result of the merger in April 2011 of MLURI and SCRI. This merger formed a new powerhouse for research into food, land use, and climate change.