Carly is a plant ecologist and soil biogeochemist with an interest in how global change is impacting on our environment. In particular she is interested in how atmospheric nitrogen deposition is impacting on ecosystems and how they function and in limestone pavements.
Published research
Carly’s work includes over 160 peer reviewed journal papers (see link above), including a paper on how atmospheric nitrogen deposition is reducing plant species richness in the UK which was published in Science in 2004 and has been cited more than 1000 times. Since then she has published several other papers in high impact journals such as Science and Nature.
Carly’s research touches on a number of aspects of global change and conservation management with a focus on how ecosystems are impacted.
Carly has received funding for her research from a range of organisations including:
- Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC),
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
Current research
Carly is academic director of the Waitrose Collaborative training partnership. Carly’s current research projects include:
- NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellowship on conserving limestone pavements
- Nutrient Network and DRAGnet
- Soil health and restoration in a Circular Economy for Mineral-based Construction Materials
Roles
Carly is currently:
- associate editor for the British Ecological Society journal Functional Ecology
- a review panel member for NERC
- Trustee for the Ecological Continuity Trust
- A member of the university promotions committee
- University representative on the Morecambe Bay Local Nature Partnership
Teaching
Carly’s teaching includes:
- Leading a field based Masters course on vegetation survey as part of the Master’s level programme
- Ecology Field Skills course for second year undergraduate students
- Contributions to undergraduate modules
