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Barry Thornton

Staff picture: Barry Thornton
Environmental and Biochemical Sciences
Environmental and Biochemical Sciences
Section Leader of the Isotopes Section
+44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

The James Hutton Institute
Craigiebuckler
Aberdeen AB15 8QH
Scotland UK

 

Barry has been manager of the Light Stable Isotopes Laboratory in the Analytical Group since 2006. After originally studying Biochemistry at Bangor he gained his PhD at Aberdeen University, being primarily based at the Institute during this period. He has a strong background in plant physiology with extensive experience of the application of stable isotopes in a wide variety of research contexts, in particular looking at C and N fluxes in plant-soil ecosystems.

Current research interests

Barry continues to have an interest in C and N fluxes in the plant-soil and other ecosystems. He has utilised compound specific stable isotope techniques to trace the flow of C from various sources into microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Recently he determined the spatial distribution of carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the topsoil of Scotland and applied linear modelling to assess the extent to which land use and climate act as drivers of the observed distributions. He is currently applying Rayleigh equations to the pattern of enrichment of carbon isotopes which occurs going down soil profiles at the national scale to develop understanding of soil carbon decomposition rates. He has over 65 peer reviewed manuscripts.

Bibliography

  • Mayor, D.J.; Thornton, B.; Jenkins, H.; Felgate, S.L. (2019) Microbiota: The living foundation, In: Beninger, P.G. (ed.). Mudflat Ecology. Aquatic Ecology Series, No. 7. Chapter 3. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland, 43-61

  • Miller, D.G.; Matthews, K.B.; Towers, W. (2012) Stocking rate on Land with Environmental Designations: an estimation of stocking rate on land designated as either RAMSAR, SAC, SPA or SSSI., Report to the Scottish Government, Areas of Natural Constraint Working Group, 16pp, 29 October 2012.
  • Ourry, A., Thornton, B. and Laine, P. (1997) Field evaluation of the contribution of N reserves versus N uptake for regrowth of the forage species ryegrass., Report for British Council on Alliance project No. PN 9720.

  • Waibel, M.; Santos, C.; Paterson, E.; Thornton, B.; Brennan, F.; Abram, F.; Tuohy, M. (2017) Biochemical characterisation of operational soil proteinaceous fractions, obtained by different extraction methods from grassland topsoils., 6th International Symposium on Soil Organic Matter, Harpenden, UK, 3-7 September 2017.
  • Waibel, M.; Thornton, B.; Paterson, E.; Freitag, T. (2016) Interactions in labile C application to soil and soil organic matter mineralisation., 3rd Doctoral Researcher’s Conference, Signaling at the Plant-Soil Interface, Bad Salzdetfurth, Germany, 14-16 September 2016.
  • Grammatopoulou, E.; Thornton, B.; Robinson, D.; Mayor, D.J. (2015) Distribution and origin(s) of organic matter and bacterial biomass in the Kermadec Trench: testing and resource accumulation depth hyopothesis., 14th Deep Sea Biology Symposium, Aveiro, Portugal, 31 August - 14 September 2015.
  • Delbos, E.; Dawson, L.A.; Hillier, S.; Robertson, J.; Ross, J.; Thornton, B. (2008) Traces of soil from archaeological artefacts: a multidisciplinary approach., International Crime Science Conference 2008, London, 17-18 July 2008.
  • Lattanzi, F.A.; Thornton, B.; Schnyder, H. (2004) Functional heterogeneity within grass roots systems. 1. Growth and nitrogen accumulation and mobilisation., In: Proceedings of the "Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Grunland und Futterbau", Ettelbrucke Luxemburg, September 2004, Band 6, pp77-80.
  • Lattanzi, F.A.; Thornton, B.; Schnyder, H. (2004) Functional heterogeneity within grass roots systems. 1. Nitrate influx rates., In: Proceedings of the "Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Grunland und Futterbau", Ettelbrucke Luxemburg, September 2004, Band 6, pp81-83.
  • Lattanzi, F.A.; Thornton, B.; Schnyder, H. (2004) Functional heterogeneity within grass roots systems., Annual Meeting of the Pasture Ecology Group, Institute of Agronomy and Crop Science, University of Bonn, Bonn, 25-26 July 2004.
  • Santos, P.M.; Thornton, B.; Corsi, M. (2003) The sources of nitrogen used for growth of new leaves and tillers in defoliated Panicum maximum plants., World Conference on Animal Production (WCAP-2003), 9th, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 26-31 October, 2003. On cd-rom.
  • Midwood, A.J., Paterson, E. and Thornton, B. (2002) Steady-state 13C labeling of Lolium perenne (ryegrass): comparison of plant with root exudate isotope signatures., The 9th Canadian Continuous-Flow Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Workshop, University of Newfoundland, St John's Newfoundland, August 25-28, 2002, p3.8
  • Lestienne, F.; Gastal, F.; Moulia, B.; Thornton, B. (2002) Pattern of leaf and tiller development of perennial ryegrass plants., In: Multi-function Grasslands: quality forages, animal products and landscapes (eds. J.L. Durand, J.C. Emile, C. Huyghe and G. Lemaire). Proceedings of the 19th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, La Rochelle, France, 27-30 May 2002. European Grassland Federation, pp332-333.
  • Gastal, F., Dawson, L.A. and Thornton, B. (2002) N use efficiency of perennial grasses is affected by their tolerance to defoliation., In: Multi-function Grasslands: quality forages, animal products and landscapes (eds. J.L. Durand, J.C. Emile, C. Huyghe and G. Lemaire). Proceedings of the 19th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, La Rochelle, France, 27-30 May 2002. European Grassland Federation, pp296-297.
  • Birch, C.P.D. and Thornton, B. (1997) Interactions between defoliation, resource allocation to leaves and plant growth., 29th Agricultural Research Modellers' Group Meeting. Journal of Agricultural Science, 129, 113-114.
  • Jones, D., McHardy, W.J., Thornton, B. and Dawson, L.A. (1989) Application of scanning electron microscopy to mycorrhizal research., In: Proceedings of the Institute of Physics Electron Microscopy and Analysis Group and Royal Microscopical Society Conference, 1989 (ed. M.Y. Elder and P.J. Goodhew), pp. 775-778. Eastern Press Ltd., Reading.

  • Craig, C-A.; Lilly, A.; Midwood., A. J.; Thornton, B.; Green, G. (2022) How variable are Sr isotope ratios in soil associations? - implications for extrapolating isoscapes, Joint European Stable Isotope Users Group Meeting, 10-14 October 2022, Kuopio, Finland
  • Vinnepand, M.; Fischer, P.; Craig, C-A.; Hambach, U.; Zeeden, C.; Thornton, B.; Tütken, T.; Jöris, O.; Prud’homme, C.; Schulte, P.; Moine, O.; Fitzsimmons, K.; Lehmkuhl, F.; Schirmer, W.; Vött, A. (2022) Upper Pleistocene dust dynamics reconstructed by isotope fingerprinting and the magnetic fabric of Loess-Palaeosol-Sequences, European Geosciences Union (EUG), 23-27th May 2022, Vienna, Austria & Online
  • Vinnepand, M.; Fischer, P.; Craig, C-A.; Hambach, U.; Zeeden, C.; Fitzsimmons, K.; Thornton, B.; Tütken, T.; Jöris, O.; Fiedler, S.; Prud’homme, C.; Schulte, P.; Moine, O.; Peric, Z.; Lehmkuhl, F.; Schirmer, W.; Vött, A. (2021) Extracting climate and dust source signals from LoessPalaeosolSequences - A multivariate geochemical approach tested onto the western Central European Schwalbenberg site, Mid-European Geomorphology Meeting 2021, 6-9 November 2021, Technical University of Munich, Munich
  • Wiltshire, K.; Waine, T.; Grabowski, B.; Glendell, M.; Addy, S.; Baggaley, N.; Thornton, B.; Meersmans, J.; Napier, F. (2020) Sediment origins across the terrestrial-aquatic continuum: climate threat mitigation and promotion of water quality., EGU General Assembly 2020 Online 4-8 May 2020, EGU2020-2637. Abstract.
  • Wiltshire, K.; Meersmans, J.; Waine, T.; Glendell, M.; Baggaley, N.; Thornton, B.; Napier, F. (2019) Tracing the origin of sediments and C across the terrestrial-aquatic continuum: A holistic approach to assess climate change and water quality threats., STARS International Conference, Future Global Challenges for Soil Science, Conference, Lancaster, 14-17 January 2019. (Poster)
  • Glendell, M.; Hirave, P.; Birkholz, A.; Baggaley, N.; Thornton, B.; Addy, S.; Rose, J.; Dawson, L.A.; Juvanon, N.; Alewell, Ch. (2019) Testing the use of compound-specific stable isotope analysis of n-alkanes for river sediment source apportionment., EGU General Assembly, 2019, Vienna, Austria, 7-12 April 2019. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 21, EGU2019-4068.
  • Crittenden, P.D.; Thornton, B.; Smith R.I. (2017) Nitrogen fixation ad nitrogen enrichment in Motane Britain: a case study with the lichen Stereocaulon vesuvianum Pers., 20th International Congress on Nitrogen Fixation, Granada, Spain, 3-7 September 2017. (Poster)
  • Waibel, M.; Santos, C.; Paterson, E.; Thornton, B.; Brennan, F.; Abram, F.; Tuohy, M. (2017) Characterisation of proteins obtained by different extraction methods from a grassland topsoil., ENVIRON 2017, Athlone, Ireland, 10-12 April 2017. (Poster)
  • Bradley, R.; Paterson, E.; Chapman, S.J.; Thornton, B.; Sim, A. (2013) Testing the root-priming of soil organic matter decomposition using the isotopic signature of fossil fuel CO2., European Geosciences Union, Vienna, Austria, 7-12 April 2013.
  • Mayor, D.J.; Thornton, B. (2012) Is the deep-sea different? A cross-ecosystem study investigating how the quantity and quality of organic matter influence benthic carbon cycling., 13th International Deep-Sea Biology Symposium, Wellington, New Zealand, 3-7 December 2012.
  • Mayor, D.J.; Thornton, B. (2012) A cross-ecosystem study investigating how the quantity and quality of organic matter influence benthic carbon cycling., MASTS Annual Science Meeting 2012, Oceans and Society - 21st Century Challenges, Herriot Watt Conference Centre, Edinburgh, 11-13 September 2012.
  • Graefe, U.; Ascher, J.; Sartori, G.; Thornton, B.; Ceccherini, M.T.; Pietramellara, G.; Egli, M. (2012) Biological characterisation of humus profiles along a climosequence of subalpine soils., EUROSOIL 2012, Soil Science for the Benefit of Mankind and Environment, 4th International Congress of the European Confederation of Soil Science Societies (ECSSS), Bari, Italy, 2-6 July 2012.
  • Graefe, U.; Ascher, J.; Sartori, G.; Thornton, B.; Ceccherini, M.T.; Pietramellara, G.; Egli, M. (2011) Biological characterisation of humus profiles along a climosequence of subalpine soils., Microbial-Faunal Interactions Shaping Soil Processes, Workshop of the Gesellschaft für Okologie, Soil Ecology Group, Humbolt-Universitat zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 5-7 October 2011.
  • Mayor, D.J.; Thornton, B.; Hay, S.; Zuur, A.F.; Witte, U. (2011) Food quality affects carbon mineralisation but not growth in a deep-sea sediment ecosystem., World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, Aberdeen, UK, 26-30 September 2011.
  • Gontikaki, E.; Thornton, B.; Jobstvogt, N.; White, D.; Witte, U. (2011) Priming effects in deep-water sediments: interaction between quantity of organic matter input and sediment trophic state., World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, Aberdeen, UK, 26-30 September 2011.
  • Mayor, D.J.; Gray, N.; Elver-Evans, J.; Midwood, A.J.; Thornton, B. (2011) Copper contamination in marine sediments: implications for ecosystem functioning., MASTS Annual Science Meeting 2011, Science to Underpin Scotland's Marine Plan, Herriot Watt Conference Centre, Edinburgh, 22-24 August 2011.
  • Mayor, D.J.; Cook, K.; Thornton, B.; Walsham, P.; Witte, U.F.M.; Zuur, A.F.; Anderson, T.R. (2011) Absorption efficiencies and basal turnover of carbon, nitrogen and fatty acids in Calanus spp., MASTS Annual Science Meeting 2011, Science to Underpin Scotland's Marine Plan, Herriot Watt Conference Centre, Edinburgh, 22-24 August 2011.
  • Mayor, D.J.; Thornton, B.; Hay, S.; Zuur, A.F.; Witte, U.F.M. (2011) Food quality affects carbon cycling in deep-sea sediments., MASTS Annual Science Meeting 2011, Science to Underpin Scotland's Marine Plan, Herriot Watt Conference Centre, Edinburgh, 22-24 August 2011.
  • Thornton, B.; Midwood, A.J.; Coull, M.C.; Hudson, G. (2011) Carbon and nitrogen isotopes of scottish soils., Stable Isotopes Mass Spectrometry User Group Meeting 2011, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, 23-24 November 2011.
  • Thornton, B.; Huai-ying, Y.; Paterson, E. (2011) Utilisation of rice photosynthate by soil micro-organisms is affected by soil water status., Stable Isotopes Mass Spectrometry User Group Meeting 2011, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, 23-24 November 2011.

Printed from /staff/barry-thornton on 29/03/24 08:18:49 AM

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.