Mark Young

Plant Scientist/Information Technologist
Ecological Sciences
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)
Current technical activities
  • Database development, administration and management in EU projects ECONUTRI, FRAMEwork, Radiant, TRUE, TOMRES, AMIGA, PURE, Legume Futures, SIGMEA and experimental data for the Agroecology Sub-group.
  • Web page development, administration and management; web frontends for databases for EU projects and Agroecology.
  • Programming and development of bespoke software solutions for Agroecology.
  • Development of DEXi multi attribute decision support models.
  • Development of a compartment and flow model in Simile to simulate the flow of nitrogen and carbon through arable and hill farming systems.
  • Development and maintenance of physiological measurement equipment and data loggers.
  • Provide expertise, training and support in GPS and GIS to Agroecology.

Research

  • Examination of machine learning and datamining techniques for data analyses.
  • Development of DEXi multi attribute decision support models for the Centre for Sustainable Cropping.
  • Development of a compartment and flow model (using to simulate the flow of nitrogen and carbon through arable and hill farming systems.
  • Examination of nitrogen budgets within crop systems incorporating legumes.

Past research

  • Monotoring of greenhouse gas emissions as part of the Centre for Sustainable Cropping at Balruddery.
  • Geneflow as part of the SIGMEA project with various European Partners.
  • Ecotyping of barley and Capsella bursa-pastoris.
  • GIS analyses of European datasets in collaboration with workers from the Josef Stafan Institute, Slovenia.
  • Geneflow between Brassica napus and Brassica rapa.
  • Image analysis of graded potatoes.
  • A predictive model of potato tuber size distribution and procedures to optimise its operation.
  • Optimisation of nitrogen and water use in the potato crop.
  • An investigation of the factors associated with different patterns of reducing sugar accumulation in stored potato tubers.

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Marshall, B.; Young, M.W. (2004) Automated on-farm assessment of tuber size distribution., In: Decision Support Systems in Potato Production – bringing models to practice (eds. D.K.L. MacKerron and A.J. Haverkort). Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, The Netherlands, pp100-117.

Technical / contract reports

  • Squire, G.R.; Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Karley, A.J.; Young, M.W. (2011) Scotland’s wild arable plants., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, pp21-23.
  • Squire, G.R.; Allnutt, T.; Boffey, C.W.H.; Cullen, D.W.; Daniels, R.E.; Ford, L.; Henry, M.; Jacobs, J.H.; Knightley, S.; Kilpatrick, J.B.; Lutman, P.J.; McNicol, J.W.; Osborne, J.L.; Ramsay, G.; Scrimgeour, C.; Shearan, A.; Swain, J.L.; Sweet, J.B.; Young, M. (2008) Factors affecting cross pollination of oilseed rape growing under UK conditions., RGO125 Final Report to Defra and RERAD, London.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.S.; Wishart, J.; Young, M.W.; Karley, A.J.; Valentine, T.A.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R. (2006) Common wild plants as biodiversity indicators., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2006, pp42-43.
  • Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Bohan, D.A.; Brooks, D.R.; Champion, G.T.; Firbank, L.G.; Haughton, A.J.; Heard, M.S.; May, M.J.; Perry, J.N.; Young, M.W. (2005) Biodiversity effects of the management associated with GM cropping systems in the UK., Final Report of Defra Project EPG 1/5/198, London.
  • Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Begg, G.S.; Elliott, M.J.; Parish, A.M.; Young, M.W.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2004) Persistence of GM herbicide-tolerant plants., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp167-168.
  • Karley, A.J.; Marshall, B.; Young, M.W.; Holroyde, S.; Wright, G.M.; Squire, G.R. (2004) Plant archtecture and structural-functioning modelling., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp157-159.
  • Ritz, K.; Crabb, D.; Harris, K.; Nunan, N.; Wu, K.; Crawford, J.W.; Young, I.M. (2000) Visualising the spatial organisation of soil microbial communities., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1999/2000, 163-166.

Conference papers

  • Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Birch, A.N.E.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R.; Young, M.W. (2011) Managing landscape cropping patterns in support of arable biodiversity., Association of Applied Biologists – Agricultural Ecology Research: It’s Role in Delivering Sustainable Farm Systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011 (Talk).
  • Karley, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Valentine, T.A.; Johnson, S.N.; Toorop, P.E.; Squire, G.R.; Young, M.W.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2011) Can arable weeds contribute to ecosystem service provision? Functional diversity in shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris L. Medik.)., Aspects of Applied Biology, Agricultural Ecology Research: Its role in delivering sustainable farm systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011, 109, pp31-38.
  • Young, M.W.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; James, E.K.; Karley, A.J.; Squire, G.R. (2011) Increasing the sustainability of arable yield and reducing the dependence on chemical N fertilisers., Aspects of Applied Biology, Agricultural Ecology Research: Its role in delivering sustainable farm systems, Dundee, 15-16 June 2011, 109, pp81-86.
  • Karley, A.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Valentine, T.A.; Bingham, I.J.; Hoad, S.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R. (2010) Impact of plant traits on nitrogen-efficiency and compartmentation in arable systems., Association of Applied Biologists – Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Plants and Crops, Olde Barn Hotel, Marston, Lincs, UK 15-16 December 2010. Aspects of Applied Biology, 105, 89-96.
  • Begg, G.S.; Birch, A.N.E.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R. (2010) Engineering arable landscapes to balance the pros and cons of weeds., IOBC/wprs Working Group Meeting – Landscape Management for Functional Biodiversity, Cambridge, 22 June – 1 July 2010.
  • Banks, G.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R. (2010) Demography of feral oilseed rape over 11 years in an agricultural region., 2nd International Conference on Implications of GM-Crop Cultivation at Large Spatial Scales, Bremen, Germany, 25-26 March 2010.
  • Hawes, C.; McRoberts, N.; Squire, G.R.; Walker, R.L.; Watson, C.A.; Young, M.W. (2008) Costing the ecological-economic trade-off for resilient arable production., Proceedings Crop Production in Northern Britain 2008. Dundee, 26-27 February 2008, 27-32.
  • Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Begg, G.S.; Karley, A.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Young, M.W. (2008) Cumulative impacts of GM herbicide-tolerant cropping on arable plants assessed through species-based and functional taxonomies., Theorie in der Ekologie 14, Bremen, Germany, 2-4 April 2008.
  • Karley, A.J.; Binnie, K.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Valentine, T.A.; Wright, G.M.; Young, M.W. (2008) Crop traits for crop-weed coexistence in reduced input arable systems., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2008, Imperial College, London, 3-5 September 2008.
  • Begg, G.S.; Elliott, M.J.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Cullen, D.W.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R. (2007) Localised heterogeneity, gene flow and the persistence of transgenes from genetically modified oilseed rape., 3rd International Conference on Coexistence Between Genetically Modified (GM) and Non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chains, Seville, Spain, 20-21 November 2007, pp101-104.
  • Wishart, J.; Begg, G.S.; Young, M.W.; Hackett, C.A.; Squire, G.R.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2007) Molecular biology and ecology of flowering-time variants of Capsella., British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Glasgow, 10-12 September 2007.
  • Squire, G.R.; Young, M.W.; Brown, L.; Dawson, G.; Sausse, C. (2006) Coexistence: The value of a Scottish study area within a European coordinated programme., Proceedings of Crop Protection in Northern Britain, Dundee, 28 February – 1 March 2006, pp45-50.
  • Begg, G.S.; Young, M.W.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R. (2005) Persistence and potential impact of a GMHT trait in oilseed rape., GMOs: Ecologial Dimensions, 73, 211-218.
  • Begg, G.S.; Young, M.W.; Hawes, C.; McNicol, J.W.; Squire, G.R. (2003) Modelling feral (volunteer) oilseed rape in relation to thresholds of impurity., Proceedings of the 1st European Conference on the Co-existence of Genetically Modified Crops with conventional Organic Crops, Denmark, 13-14 November 2003, pp169-171.
  • Marshall, B.; Young, M.W. (2003) Automated on-farm assessment of tuber size distribution., EAPR, Third International Potato Modelling Workshop, Scottish Crop Research Institute, Dundee, 3-5 March 2003.
  • Young, M.W.; Jones, H.G. (2002) An investigation of factors affecting yield of red raspberry (Rubus) in Tayside., Acta Horticulturae, 585, 683-687.
  • Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Marshall, B.; D’Hertefeldt, T.; Ramsay, G.; Young, M.W.; Squire, G.R.; Wright, G.M. (2002) Dispersal and persistence of feral oilseed rape – mechanisms and consequences., ESF Working Group Meeting: Estimating and Managing Geneflow and Dispersal in GM Crops, Lille, France, 2-3 July 2002.
  • Squire, G.R.; Begg, B.; Young, M.W. (2002) Persistence and effect of GM and non-GM feral OSR as arable seedbank and wayside plants., AAB Meeting, Reading, 9-11 September 2002.
  • Maule, M.M.; Young, M.W.; Wright, G.M.; Squire, G.R. (2001) Studying plant architecture using image analysis., Proceedings of the SAC Workshop. Crianlarich, 9-10 October 2001.
  • MacKerron, D.K.L.; Young, M.W. (2000) Variation in indicated nitrogen nutrification in a potato crop., Abstracts of the Xth International Colloquium for the Optimization of Plant Nutrition, Plant Nutrition for the Next Millennium. Cairo, 8-13 April 2000.
  • McGovern, H.; Hallett, P.D.; Ritz, K.; Griffiths, B.S.; O’Sullivan, M.F.; Young, I.M. (1999) Structural generation and active fungi in direct drilled and ploughed soil., Sustainable Management of Soil Organic Matter, Edinburgh, September 1999.
  • McGovern, H.; Hallett, P.D.; Ritz, K.; Griffiths, B.S.; O’Sullivan, M.F.; Young, I.M. (1999) Structural generation and active fungi in direct drilled and ploughed soil., Soil Ecology Society International Conference, Chicago, USA, May 1999.
  • McGovern, H.; Hallett, P.D.; Ritz, K.; Griffiths, B.S.; O’Sullivan, M.F.; Young, I.M. (1999) Structural generation and active fungi in direct drilled and ploughed soil., British Society of Soil Science,Young Scientists Meeting, London.
  • Young, M.W.; Groves, S.J.; MacKerron, D.K.L.; Marshall, B.; McNicol, J.W.; Turley, D.; Wiltshire, J.J.J. (1999) Defining the factors influencing the parameters of tuber size distribution., Abstracts of the 14th Triennial Conference of the European Association for Potato Research. Sorrento, Italy, 4-7 May 1999, 100-101.
  • McGovern, H.; Hallett, P.D.; Ritz, K.; Griffiths, B.S.; O’Sullivan, M.F.; Young, I.M. (1999) Structural generation and active fungi in direct drilled and ploughed soil., Soil Structure Carbon Workshop, Leamington, Canada, 23-25 August 1999.

Conference posters / abstracts

  • Squire, G.R.; Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Young, M.W. (2009) Ecological properties of weed communities., XIII Colloque International sur la Biologie des Mauvaises Herbes, Dijon, France, 8-10 September 2009, 85.
  • Valentine, T.A.; Karley, A.J.; Binnie, K.; Post, J.; Young, M.W.; Wright, G.M.; Marshall, B.; Hallett, P.D.; McKenzie, B.M.; Bengough, A.G. (2006) Plant growth responses to soil physical constraints., ESF – Wellcome Trust Conference, Cambridge, 8-11 November 2006. (Poster)
  • MacKerron, D.K.L.; Young, M.W. (1999) The effects of nitrogen nutrition on tuber dry matter concentration., Abstracts 14th EAPR Triennial Conference, Sorrento, Italy, 128-129.
  • MacKerron, D.K.L.; Marshall, B.; McNicol, J.W.; Turley, D.; Wiltshire, J.J.J.; Young, M.W. (1999) The development of an improved screening method to characterize new cultivars for tuber size distribution., Abstracts of the 14th Triennial Conference of the European Association for Potato Research, Sorrento, Italy, 2-7 May 1999.

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