Stuart Smith

Herbivore Impact Ecologist
Ecological Sciences
E: stuart.smith@hutton.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

Stuart is a plant-soil ecologist at the Institute focusing on how land-use management and restoration influences ecosystem functioning, particularly the impacts of herbivory and fire on plant communities and carbon storage and cycling. Stuart has research experience in a wide range of ecosystems including temperate upland grasslands, oceanic peatlands, tropical savannahs and tropical peatlands. Stuart is currently embedded in the Scottish Government Strategic Research Programme 2022 - 2027 with research areas in upland grazing management and prescribed burning and wildfires.

Research

  • Impacts of grazing management on ecosystem functioning and biodiversity including the Glen Finglas experiment
  • Understanding the potential resilience of peatland plant communities to herbivory and fire
  • Application of aboveground and belowground plant functional traits as a predictive tool in land management and restoration ecology
  • Developing effective monitoring approaches to enhance restoration outcomes – particular for reforestation
  • Open science in ecology and the value of sharing and collating ‘messy’ datasets

Publications

Journals

Prior to appointment

  • Banin, L.F.; Raine, E.H.; Rowland, L.M.; Chazdon, R.L.; Smith, S.W.; Rahman, N.E.B.; Butler, A.; Philipson, C.; Applegate, G.G.; Axelsson, E.P.; Budiharta, S.; Chua, S.C.; Cutler, M.E.J.; Elliott, S.; Gemita, E.; Godoong, E.; Graham, L.L.B.; Hayward, R.M.; Hector, A.; Ilstedt, U.; Jensen, J.; Kasinathan, S.; Kettle, C.J.; Lussetti, D.; Manohan, B.; Maycock, C.; Ngo, K.M.; O’Brien, M.J.; Osuri, A.M.; Reynolds, G.; Sauwai, Y.; Scheu, S.; Silalahi, M.; Slade, E.M.; Swinfield, T.; Wardle, D.A.; Wheeler, C.; Yeong, K.L.; Burslem, D.F.R.P. (2023) The road to recovery: a synthesis of outcomes from ecosystem restoration in tropical and sub-tropical Asian forests, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 378(1867)
  • Rahman, N.E.B.; Smith, S.W.; Lam, W.N.; Chong, K.Y.; Chua, M.S.E.; Teo, P.Y.; Lee, D.W.J.; Phua, S.Y.; Aw, C.Y.; Lee, J.S.H.; Wardle, D.A. (2023) Leaf decomposition and flammability are largely decoupled across species in a tropical swamp forest despite sharing some predictive leaf functional traits, New Phytologist, 238(2), 598-611
  • Lembrechts, J.J.; van den Hoogen. J.; Aalto, J.; Ashcroft, M.B.; De Frenne, P.; Kemppinen, J. ; Kopecký, M.; Luoto, M.; Maclean, I.M.D.; Crowther, T.W.; Bailey, J.J.; Haesen, S.; Klinges, D.H.; Niittynen, P.; Scheffers, B.R.; Van Meerbeek, K.; Aartsma, P.; Abdalaze, O.; Abedi, M.; Aerts, R.; Ahmadian, N.; Ahrends, A.; Alatalo, J.M.; Alexander, J.M.; Allonsius, C.N.; Altman, J.; Ammann, C.; Andres, C.; Andrews, C.; Ardö, J.; Arriga, N.; Arzac, A.; Aschero, V.; Assis, R.L.; Assmann, J.J.; Bader, M.Y.; Bahalkeh, K.; Baran?ok, P.; Barrio, I.C.; Barros, A.; Barthel, M.; Basham, E.W.; Bauters, M.; Bazzichetto, M.; Belelli Marchesini, L.; Bell, M.C.; Benavides, J.C.; Alonso, J.L.B.; Berauer, B.J.; Bjerke, J.W.; Björk, R.G.; Björkman, M.P.; Björnsdóttir, K.; Blonder, B.; Boeckx, P.; Boike, J.; Bokhorst, S.; Brum, B.N.S.; Br?na, J.; Buchmann, N.; Buysse, P.; Camargo, J.L.; Campoe, O.C.; Candan, O.; Canessa, R.; Cannone, N.; Carbognani, M.; Carnicer, J.; Casanova-Katny, A.; Cesarz, S.; Chojnicki, B.; Choler, P.; Chown, S.L.; Cifuentes, E.F.; ?iliak, M.; Contador, T.; Convey, P.; Cooper, E.J.; Cremonese, E.; Curasi, S.R.; Curtis, R.; Cutini, M.; Dahlberg, C.J.; Daskalova, G.N.; de Pablo, M.A.; Della Chiesa, S.; Dengler, J.; Deronde, B.; Descombes, P.; Di Cecco, V.; Di Musciano, M.; Dick, J.; Dimarco, R.D.; Dolezal, J.; Dorrepaal, E.; Dušek, J.; Eisenhauer, N.; Eklundh, L.; Erickson, T.E.; Erschbamer, B.; Eugster, W.; Ewers, R.M.; Exton, D.A.; Fanin, N.; Fazlioglu, F.; Feigenwinter, I.; Fenu, G.; Ferlian, O.; Fernández Calzado, M.R.; Fernández-Pascual, E.; Finckh, M.; Finger Higgens, R.; Forte, T.; Freeman, E.C.; Frei, E.R.; Fuentes-Lillo, E.; García, R.A.; García, M.B.; Géron, C.; Gharun, M.; Ghosn, D.; Gigauri, K.; Gobin, A.; Goded, I.; Goeckede, M.; Gottschall, F.; Goulding, K.; Govaert, S.; Jessen Graae, B.; Greenwood, S.; Greiser, C.; Grelle, A.; Guénard, B.; Guglielmin, M.; Guillemot, J.; Haase, P.; Haider, S.; Halbritter, A.H.; Hamid, M.; Hammerle, A.; Hampe, A.; Haugum, S.V.; Hederová, L.; Heinesch, B.; Helfter, C.; Hepenstrick, D.; Herberich, M.; Herbst, M.; Hermanutz, L.; Hik, D.S.; Hoffrén, R.; Homeier, J.; Hörtnagl, L.; Høye, T.T.; Hrbacek, F.; Hylander, K.; Iwata, H.; Jackowicz-Korczynski, M.A.; Jactel, H.; Järveoja, J.; Jastrz?bowski, S.; Jentsch, A.; Jiménez, J.J.; Jónsdóttir, I.S.; Jucker, T.; Jump, A.S.; Juszczak, R.; Kanka, R.; Kašpar, V.; Kazakis, G.; Kelly, J.; Khuroo, A.A.; Klemedtsson, L.; Klisz, M.; Kljun, N.; Knohl, A.; Kobler, J.; Kollár, J.; Kotowska, M.M.; Kovács, B.; Kreyling, J.; Lamprecht, A.; Lang, S.I.; Larson, C.; Larson, K.; Laska, K.; le Maire, G.; Leihy, R.I.; Lens, L.; Liljebladh, B.; Lohila, A.; Lorite, J.; Loubet, B.; Lynn, J.; Macek, M.; Mackenzie, R.; Magliulo, E.; Maier, R.; Malfasi, F.; Máliš, F.; Man, M.; Manca, G.; Manco, A.; Manise, T.; Manolaki, P.; Marciniak, F.; Matula, R.; Mazzolari, A.C.; Medinets, S.; Medinets, V.; Meeussen, C.; Merinero, S.; de Cássia Guimarães Mesquita, R.; Meusburger, K.; Meysman, F.J.R.; Michaletz, S.T.; Milbau, A.; Moiseev, D.; Moiseev, P.; Mondoni, A.; Monfries, R.; Montagnani, L.; Moriana-Armendariz, M.; Morra di Cella, U.; Mörsdorf, M.; Mosedale, J.R.; Muffler, L.; Muñoz-Rojas, M.; Myers, J.A.; Myers-Smith, I. H.; Nagy, L.; Nardino, M.; Naujokaitis-Lewis, I.; Newling, E.; Nicklas, L.; Niedrist, G.; Niessner, A.; Nilsson, M. B.; Normand, S.; Nosetto, M.D.; Nouvellon, Y.; Nuñez, M.A.; Ogaya, R.; Ogée, J.; Okello, J.; Olejnik, J.; Eivind Olesen, J.; Opedal, Ø.; Orsenigo, S.; Palaj, A.; Pampuch, T.; Panov, A.V.; Pärtel, M.; Pastor, A.; Pauchard, A.; Pauli, H.; Pavelka, M.; Pearse, W.D.; Peichl, M.; Pellissier, L.; Penczykowski, R.M.; Penuelas, J.; Petit Bon, M.; Petraglia, A.; Phartyal, S.S.; Phoenix, G.K.; Pio, C.; Pitacco, A.; Pitteloud, C.; Plichta, R.; Porro, F.; Portillo-Estrada, M.; Poulenard, J.; Poyatos, R.; Prokushkin, A.S.; Puchalka, R.; Pu?ca?, M. (2022) Global maps of soil temperature, Global Change Biology, 28(9), 3110-3144
  • Awuah, J.; Smith, S.W.; Speed, J.D.M.; Graae, B.J. (2022) Can seasonal fire management reduce the risk of carbon loss from wildfires in a protected Guinea savanna?, Ecosphere, 13(11), Art. E4283
  • Smith, S.W.; Rahman, N.E.B.; Harrison, M.E.; Shiodera, S.; Giesen, W.; Lampela, M.; Wardle, D.A.; Chong, K.Y.; Randi, A.; Wijedasa, L.S.; Teo, P.Y.; Fatimah, Y.A.; Teng, N.T.; Yeo, J.K.Q.; Alam, M.J.; Sintes, P.B.; Darusman, T.; Graham, L.L.B.; Katopp, D.R. (2022) Tree species that ‘live slow, die older’ enhance tropical peat swamp restoration: Evidence from a systematic review, Journal of Applied Ecology, 59(8), 1950-1966
  • Cusack, D.F.; Addo-Danso, S.D.; Agee, E.A.; Andersen, K.M.; Arnaud, M.; Batterman, S.A.; Brearley, F.Q.; Ciochina, M.I.; Cordeiro, A.L.; Dallstream, C.; Diaz-Toribio, M.H.; Dietterich, L.H.; Fisher, J.B.; Fleischer, K.; Fortunel, C.; Fuchslueger, L.; Guerrero-Ramírez, N.R.; Kotowska, M.M.; Lugli, L.F.; Marín, C.; McCulloch, L.A.; Maeght, J.-L.; Metcalfe, D.; Norby, R.J.; Oliveira, R.S.; Powers, J.S.; Reichert, T.; Smith, S.W.; Smith-Martin, C.M.; Soper, F.M.; Toro, L.; Umaña, M.N.; Valverde-Barrantes, O.; Weemstra, M.; Werden, L.K.; Wong, M.; Wright, C.L.; Wright, S.J.; Yaffar, D. (2021) Tradeoffs and Synergies in Tropical Forest Root Traits and Dynamics for Nutrient and Water Acquisition: Field and Modeling Advances, Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 4(161), Art. 704469
  • Wana, D.; Smith, S.W.; Coleman, K.E.R.; Speed, J.D.M. (2021) Proximity to high densities of pastoral settlements reduces grassland regrowth in a protected tropical savanna, Biotropica, 53(5), 1316-1327
  • Guerrero-Ramírez, N.R.; Mommer, L.; Freschet, G.T.; Iversen, C.M.; McCormack, M.L.; Kattge, J.; Poorter, H.; van der Plas, F.; Bergmann, J.; Kuyper, T.W.; York, L.M.; Bruelheide, H.; Laughlin, D.C.; Meier, I.C.; Roumet, C.; Semchenko, M.; Sweeney, C.J.; van Ruijven, J.; Valverde-Barrantes, O.J.; Aubin, I.; Catford, J.A.; Manning, P.; Martin, A.; Milla, R.; Minden, V.; Pausas, J.G.; Smith, S.W.; Soudzilovskaia, N.A.; Ammer, C.; Butterfield, B.; Craine, J.; Cornelissen, J.H.C.; de Vries, F.T.; Isaac, M.E.; Kramer, K.; König, C.; Lamb, E.G.; Onipchenko, V.G.; Peñuelas, J.; Reich, P.B.; Rillig, M.C.; Sack, L.; Shipley, B.; Tedersoo, L.; Valladares, F.; van Bodegom, P.; Weigelt, P.; Wright, J.P.; Weigelt, A. (2021) Global root traits (GRooT) database, Global Ecology and Biogeography, 30(1), 25-37
  • Lembrechts, J.J.; Aalto, J.; Ashcroft, M.B.; De Frenne, P.; Kopecký, M.; Lenoir, J.; Luoto, M.; Maclean, I.M.D.; Roupsard, O.; Fuentes-Lillo, E.; García, R.A.; Pellissier, L.; Pitteloud, C.; Alatalo, J.M.; Smith, S.W.; Björk, R.G.; Muffler, L.; Cesarz, S.; Gottschall, F.; Backes, A.R.; Okello, J.; Urban, J.; Plichta, R.; Svátek, M.; Phartyal, S.S.; Wipf, S.; Eisenhauer, N.; Pu?ca?, M.; Turtureanu, P.D.; Varlagin, A.; Dimarco, R.D.; Jump, A.S.; Randall, K.; Dorrepaal, E.; Larson, K.; Walz, J.; Vitale, L.; Svoboda, M.; Finger Higgens, R.; Halbritter, A.H.; Curasi, S.R.; Klupar, I.; Koontz, A.; Pearse, W.D.; Simpson, E.; Stemkovski, M.; Graae, B.J.; Sørensen, M.V.; Høye, T.T.; Fernández Calzado, M.R.; Lorite, J.; Carbognani, M.; Tomaselli, M.; Forte, T.; Petraglia, A.; Haesen, S.; Somers, B.; Van Meerbeek, K.; Björkman, M.P.; Hylander, K.; Merinero, S.; Gharun, M.; Buchmann, N.; Dolezal, J.; Matula, R.; Thomas, A.D.; Bailey, J.J.; Ghosn, D.; Kazakis, G.; de Pablo, M.A.; Kemppinen, J.; Niittynen, P.; Rew, L.; Seipel, T.; Larson, C.; Speed, J.D.M.; Ardö, J.; Cannone, N.; Guglielmin, M.; Malfasi, F.; Bader, M.Y.; Canessa, R.; Stanisci, A.; Kreyling, J.; Schmeddes, J.; Teuber, L.; Aschero, V.; ?iliak, M.; Máliš, F.; De Smedt, P.; Govaert, S.; Meeussen, C.; Vangansbeke, P.; Gigauri, K.; Lamprecht, A.; Pauli, H.; Steinbauer, K.; Winkler, M.; Ueyama, M.; Nuñez, M.A.; Ursu, T.-M.; Haider, S.; Wedegärtner, R.E.M.; Smiljanic, M.; Trouillier, M.; Wilmking, M.; Altman, J.; Br?na, J.; Hederová, L.; Macek, M.; Man, M.; Wild, J.; Vittoz, P.; Pärtel, M.; Baran?ok, P.; Kanka, R.; Kollár, J.; Palaj, A.; Barros, A.; Mazzolari, A.C.; Bauters, M.; Boeckx, P.; Benito Alonso J.L.; Zong, S.; Di Cecco, V.; Sitková, Z.; Tielbörger, K.; van den Brink, L.; Weigel, R.; Homeier, J.; Dahlberg, C.J.; Medinets, S.; Medinets, V.; De Boeck, H.J.; Portillo-Estrada, M.; Verryckt, L.T.; Milbau, A.; Daskalova, G.N.; Thomas, H.J.D.; Myers-Smith, I.H.; Blonder, B.; Stephan, J.G.; Descombes, P.; Zellweger, F.; Frei, E.R.; Heinesch, B.; Andrews, C.; Dick, J.; Siebicke, L.; Rocha, A.; Senior, R.A.; Rixen, C.; Jimenez, J.J.; Boike, J.; Pauchard, A.; Scholten, T.; Scheffers, B.; Klinges, D.; Basham, E.W.; Zhang, J.; Zhang, Z.; Géron, C.; Fazlioglu, F.; Candan, O.; Bravo, J.S.; Hrbacek, F.; Laska, K.; Cremonese, E.; Haase, P.; Moyano, F.E.; Rossi, C.; Nijs, I. (2020) SoilTemp: a global database of near-surface temperature, Global Change Biology, 26, 6616-6629
  • Smith, S.W.; Graae, B.J.; Bukombe, J.; Hassan, S.N.; Lyamuya, R.D.; Mtweve, P.J.; Treydte, A.C.; Speed, J.D.M. (2020) Savannah trees buffer herbaceous plant biomass against wild and domestic herbivores, Applied Vegetation Science, 23(2), 185-195
  • Sundsdal, A.; Graae, B.J.; Speed, J.D.M.; Bukombe, J.; Mtweve, P.J.; Arneberg, M.K.; Haukenes, V.L.; Grevskott, R.T.; Smith, S.W. (2020) Teatime in the Serengeti: macrodetritivores sustain recalcitrant plant litter decomposition across human-modified tropical savannahs, Plant and Soil, 456(1), 241-258
  • S. W. Smith; J. D. M. Speed; J. Bukombe; S. N. Hassan; R. D. Lyamuya; P. J. Mtweve; A. Sundsdal; B. J. Graae (2019) Litter type and termites regulate root decomposition across contrasting savanna land?uses, Oikos, 128(4), 596-607
  • Smith, S.W.; Ross, K.; Karlsson, S.; Bond, B.; Upson, R.; Davey, A. (2018) Going native, going local: revegetating eroded soils on the Falkland Islands using native seeds and farmland waste, Restoration Ecology, 26(1), 134-144
  • Helsen, K.; Smith, S.W.; Brunet, J.; Cousins, S.A.O.; De Frenne, P.; Kimberley, A.; Kolb, A.; Lenoir, J.; Ma, S.; Michaelis, J.; Plue, J.; Verheyen, K.; Speed, J.D.M.; Graae, B.J. (2018) Impact of an invasive alien plant on litter decomposition along a latitudinal gradient, Ecosphere, 9(1)
  • Cuadros, J.; Cesarano, M.; Dubbin, W.; Smith, S.W.; Davey, A.; Spiro, B.; Burton, R.G.O.; Jungblut, A.D. (2018) Slow weathering of a sandstone-derived Podzol (Falkland Islands) resulting in high content of a non-crystalline silicate, American Mineralogist, 103(1), 109-124
  • S. W. Smith; S. Karlsson (2017) High stocks, but slow recovery, of ecosystem carbon in southern oceanic tussock grasslands, Polar Biology, 40, 1617-1628
  • G. T. Freschet; O. J. Valverde-Barrantes; C. M. Tucker; J. M. Craine; M. L. McCormack; C. Violle; F. Fort; C. B. Blackwood; K. R. Urban-Mead; C. M. Iversen; A. Bonis; L. H. Comas; J. H. C. Cornelissen; M. Dong; D. Guo; S. E. Hobbie; R. J. Holdaway; S. W. Kembel; N. Makita; V. G. Onipchenko; C. Picon-Cochard; P. B. Reich; E. G. de la Riva; S. W. Smith; N. A. Soudzilovskaia; M. G. Tjoelker; D. A. Wardle; C. Roumet (2017) Climate, soil and plant functional types as drivers of global fine-root trait variation, Journal of Ecology, 105(5), 1182-1196
  • J. P. Fisher; G. K. Phoenix; D. Z. Childs; M. C. Press; S. W. Smith; M. G. Pilkington; D. D. Cameron (2013) Parasitic plant litter input: a novel indirect mechanism influencing plant community structure, New Phytologist, 198(1), 222-231

Reports

  • Smith, S.W.; Holland, J. P.; Mitchell, R.J.; Pollock, M. L.; Pakeman, R. J. (2024) Calldown request The James Hutton Institute and Scottish Rural Collegue The biodiversity impacts of grazing Q A, Report to RESAS