Ecosystems group

The ecosystems group focuses on understanding the impacts of environmental change and management of the goods and services they provide.

The group uses a multifaceted approach, combining field, laboratory, and modelling studies, which integrate with the work of engineers, mathematicians, and social scientists in the wider Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI).

Studies are carried out in ecosystems ranging from coral reefs to urban areas; across taxa ranging from microbes to vertebrates; and across land uses ranging from protected areas to intensive agriculture.

Key issues include understanding the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, the effectiveness of protected areas and the consequences of marine renewable technologies; and the management of post-industrial landscapes, including the effect of mining pollutants on soil microbes and biogeochemical cycling.

This group is based at the ESI and the Camborne School of Mines on the Penryn Campus.

Members of the group include:

Name	Job title / research area
Prof Kevin Gaston	First Director of the ESI and Group Leader.
Dr Chris Bryan	Lecturer in Sustainable Mining and Mineral Resourcing. Researching the management of post-industrial landscapes, including the effect of mining pollutants on soil microbes and biogeochemical cycling.
Prof Bernd Lottermoser	Chair in Environmental Geochemistry. Researching the management of post-industrial landscapes, including the effect of mining pollutants on soil microbes and biogeochemical cycling.
Dr Ilya Maclean	Lecturer in Natural Environment. Research into understanding the ecosystem impacts of climate change.
Dr Matthew Witt	Lecturer in Natural Environment. Researching the effectiveness of protected areas and the consequences of marine renewable technologies.
Dr Gabriel Yvon-Durocher	Lecturer in Natural Environment Research into understanding the ecosystem impacts of climate change.