Cathy Hawes

Research Scientist
Ecological Sciences
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

I am an ecologist working on arable biodiversity and agroecosystem sustainability in the Ecological Sciences Department at The James Hutton Institute since 2011, and previously at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) Environment-Plant Interactions Programme (2005-2011). Prior to this, I was the Associate Programme Leader for SCRI's Environmental Management and Biotechnology program (2002-2005) and Co-ordinator on the Defra funded Farm-Scale Evaluations of GMHT crops (1999-2003, Hawes et al. 2003). My PhD on forest structure and the community ecology of predatory insects was conducted at Forest Research and the University of Sussex (1996-1999) as part of the Forestry Commission’s Biodiversity Research Programme (Hawes et al 2002, 2013).

Research

Arable biodiversity is essential for maintaining agroecosystem function and supporting sustainable, resilient and productive agroecological systems (Hawes et al 2021). My research is based on the design and monitoring of regenerative arable cropping systems for whole-system sustainability at a field- to farm-scale (Hawes et al 2016, 2017, 2019). I focus specifically on the role of in-field arable weeds in providing the resources needed for above- and below-ground processes driven by soil arthropod communities, insect pollinators and natural enemies (Hawes et al 2008). I take a functional, trait-based approach (Hawes et al. 2005) to assess both the response of the arable seedbank and emerged weed communities to farming practice and the effects of in-field plant communities on arable foodwebs (Hawes et al. 2003, 2010, 2018). Currently, I am applying this functional approach to the design and targeted management of optimal in-field weed communities. The aim is to determine the trait combinations and diversity of understorey vegetation assemblages needed to maintain system processes for resilient cropping systems without impacting crop production.

My other main role at the Hutton is manager of the Centre for Sustainable Cropping (CSC), established in 2009 as an open access, long-term experimental platform for the design and implementation of a whole-systems framework to optimise multiple ecosystem functions for environmental and economic sustainability. The platform supports a wide range of agroecological and inter-disciplinary research projects, bringing together academic and industry partners to iteratively develop an integrated, regenerative cropping system and quantify long-term impacts through trends in biodiversity and sustainability indicators. Knowledge exchange and co-innovation with growers is a key element of this work and I work closely with industry and policy organisations to ensure integration between science and practice, particularly in developing innovative technologies to help meet multiple agroecological, environmental and economic goals for sustainable and resilient crop systems.

Past research

Research Career
I am an ecologist working on arable biodiversity and agroecosystem sustainability in the Ecological Sciences Department at The James Hutton Institute since 2011, and previously at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) Environment-Plant Interactions Programme (2005-2011). Prior to this, I was the Associate Programme Leader for SCRI’s Environmental Management and Biotechnology program (2002-2005) and Co-ordinator on the Defra funded Farm-Scale Evaluations of GMHT crops (1999-2003, Hawes et al. 2003). My PhD on forest structure and the community ecology of predatory insects was conducted at Forest Research and the University of Sussex (1996-1999) as part of the Forestry Commission’s Biodiversity Research Programme (Hawes et al 2002, 2013).

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

  • Parish, D.M.B.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2009) The contribution of arable weeds to biodiversity., In: Kingely, R. (ed.). Weeds: Management, Economic Impacts and Biology. Nova Publishing, New York, USA, pp61-76.
  • Hawes, C.; Boevink, P.; Moore, I. (2000) GFP in plants., In: Fluorescence Microscopy of Proteins: A Practical Approach (ed. V. Allen). Irl Press, pp163-177

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.
  • Hawes, C.; Hopkins, D.W. (2010) A new platform for sustainability research at SCRI., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2009, pp45-47.
  • Hawes, C.; Caldwell, E.; Gill, P.; Hopkins, D.W. (2009) Balruddery Farm: arable sustainability in theory and practice., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2008, 64-67.
  • Miller, D.R.; Schwarz, G.; Sutherland, L.A.; Morrice, J.G.; Aspinall, R.J.; Barnes, A.; Blackstock, K.L.; Buchan, K.; Donnelly, D.; Hawes, C.; McCrum, G.; McKenzie, B.M.; Matthews, K.; Miller, D.; Renwick, A.; Smith, M.; Squire, G.; Toma, L. (2009) Rural land use study 1: Drivers and decision-making., Final Report, RERAD, Scottish Government, November 2009, pp156.
  • Miller, D.R.; Schwarz, G.; Sutherland, L.A.; Morrice, J.G.; Aspinall, R.J.; Barnes, A.; Blackstock, K.L.; Buchan, K.; Donnelly, D.; Hawes, C.; McCrum, G.; McKenzie, B.; Matthews, K.B.; Miller, D.; Renwick, A.; Smith, M.; Squire, G.; Toma, L. (2009) Changing land use in rural Scotland – drivers and decision makers., Rural Land Use Study Project 1. Scottish Government Social Research.
  • Miller, D.R.; Schwarz, G.; Sutherland, L.A.; Morrice, J.G.; Barnes, A.; Blackstock, K.L.; Hawes, C.; McKenzie, B.M.; Matthews, K.B.; Renwick, A.; Smith, M.; Toma, L. (2009) Rural land use study 1: Drivers and decision-making., Inception Report, RERAD, Scottish Government.
  • Miller, D.R.; Schwarz, G.; Sutherland, L.A.; Morrice, J.G.; Barnes, A.; Blackstock, K.L.; Hawes, C.; McKenzie, B.M.; Matthews, K.B.; Renwick, A.; Smith, M.; Toma, L. (2009) Rural land use study 1: Drivers and decision-making., First Progress Report, RERAD, Scottish Government.
  • Johnson, S.N.; Karley, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Mitchell, C. (2008) Aboveground-belowground trophic linkages., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2007, pp40-41.
  • 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.
  • Wheatley, R.E.; Hawes, C.; Daniell, T.J.; Birch, A.N.E. (2006) Management impacts on arable diversity and function., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2006, pp40-41.
  • 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.
  • Newton, A.C.; Bengough, A.G. ;Begg, G.S.; Swanston, J.S.; Hawes, C. (2003) The role and importance of canopy heterogeneity., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2002/2003, pp125-127.
  • Hillier, J.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R.; Birch, A.N.E. (2000) Production and diversity in multi-trophic systems., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 1999/2000, pp176-179.

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.
  • Watson, C.A.; Ball, B.C.; Hallett, P.D.; Hawes, C.; Hoad, S.P.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; McRoberts, N.; Squire, G.R.; Topp, C.F.E. (2010) Developing sustainable multi-functional cropping systems: integrating disciplinary approaches and scales., 11th Congress of the European Society for Agronomy, Montpellier, France, 29 August – 3 September 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.
  • Brooks, D.R.; Firbank, L.G.; Bohan, D.A.; Champion, G.T.; Clark, S.J.; Dewar, A.M.; Haughton, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Heard, M.S.; May, M.J.; Osborne, J.L.; Perry, J.N.; Rothery, P.; Roy, D.B.; Scott, R.J.; Squire, G.R.; Woiwood, I.P. (2007) The implications of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops for UK farmland biodiversity: a summary of the results of the farm scale evaluations project., Cultivation of Genetically Modified Crops and Evaluation of Ecological Effects, National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan.
  • Humphry, R.W.; Haughton, A.J.; Raybould, A.; Thorbek, P.; Caron-Lormier, G.; Bohan, D.A.; Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C. (2007) A functional approach to modelling arable diversity., Association of Applied Biology, Warwick, 23-25 January 2007, 81, 271-276.
  • 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.
  • Hillier, J.; Birch, A.N.E.; Crawford, J.W.; Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Maule, M.M. (2002) A tri-trophic model to explore insect community response to the introduction of a pest-resistant GM crop., Proceedings of IOBC Host Plant Resistance Workshop, Sweden, 2001.
  • 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.

Conference posters / abstracts

  • Valentine, T.A.; Karley, A.J.; Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G. (2011) Soil physical indicators: matching root traits to soil physical constraints., Rhizosphere 3 International Conference, Perth, Australia, 25-30 September 2011. (Poster)
  • Lewis, T.D.; Rowan, J.S.; McKenzie, B.M.; Hawes, C. (2011) The erosion of agricultural seed banks., British Society of Soil Science Early Researchers’ Conference, University of York, 23-24 March 2011. (Poster)
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Begg, G.S.; Hawes, C.; Squire, G.R.; Rees, R. (2010) Legume futures: for more diverse and sustainable farm systems., National Institute for Agricultural Botany, Cambridge, 15 July 2010. (Poster)
  • Valentine, T.A.; Binnie, K.; Squire, G.R.; Hawes, C.; Hallett, P.D.; Bengough, A.G. (2010) Quantitative analysis of root response to multiple physical constraints: effects of soil pore structure., XVII Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB), Valencia, Spain, 4-9 July 2010. (Poster)
  • 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.
  • Karley, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Squire, G.R. (2005) Functional diversity in Capsella bursa-pastoris – the impact on insect herbivores., Abstracts of the Annual Main Meeting of Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) Annual Meeting, Barcelona, Spain, 11-15 July 2005 (Talk). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 141, S227.

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