Long-term carbon storage in a semi-natural British woodland

Atmospheric levels of CO2 are currently 395 ppm (dry air mole fraction measured at Mauna Loa, Hawaii), their highest concentration in 420,000 years. Forests play a major role in the global carbon (C) cycle by taking up inorganic C as CO2 through photosynthesis, converting it to organic compounds (biomass), and either storing it in living and dead organic matter (above and below ground: including trees, dead wood, litter, and soil) or returning it to the atmosphere by respiration, decay or fire. Globally, forests cover around 4.1 billion ha of the Earth’s surface and are estimated to contain up to 80% of all aboveground C and around 40% of all belowground (soils, litter, roots) terrestrial C. Forest C stocks have been reported to be increasing over the past 50 years in Europe and over the past 17 years in the United States. However, national forest inventories used to provide these data are often biased towards managed plantations, thereby leaving a knowledge gap regarding the dynamics of unmanaged, semi-natural forests. There are significant uncertainties about changes in C flux through time and the relative contributions of drivers such as land use, climate and atmospheric CO2. Decomposition of tree root C represents a potentially large C flux and contribution to the soil C sink when the input of dead and decaying root tissue, and root exudates, are greater than the output from respiration of roots, their symbionts, and the soil decomposer organisms. Therefore, quantifying decomposition rates and identifying primary controls of root decomposition are important for evaluating ecosystem function and possible responses to environmental change. This thesis explores long-term C dynamics in Lady Park Wood (LPW), an ancient semi-natural woodland situated in the counties of Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire, UK. We calculated changing tree biomass C stocks in LPW from 1945 to 2010. Separate estimates of tree biomass C, soil C and dead wood C were obtained to verify how C is apportioned among these types of forests. We used the dynamic vegetation model LPJ-GUESS to explore the likely contributions of temperature, CO2 and management to forest C stocks in this region during the last 65 years. A 30 month field experiment was conducted in LPW using oak roots of different diameter classes

Dialogues on Assets in Native Communities: Recording a Native Perspective on the Definition and Benefits of Retaining and Building Assets

Dialogues on Assets in Native Communities: Recording a Native Perspective on the Definition and Benefits of Retaining and Building Asset

Mediation of nitrogen by post-disturbance shelf communities experiencing organic matter enrichment

Microbes and benthic macro-invertebrates interact in sediments to play a major role in the biogeochemical cycling of organic matter, but the extent to which their contributions are modified following natural and anthropogenic changes has received little attention. Here, we investigate how nitrogen transformations, ascertained from changes in archaeal and bacterial N-cycling microbes and water macronutrient concentrations ([NH4–N], [NO2–N], [NO3–N]), in sand and sandy mud sediments differ when macrofaunal communities that have previously experienced contrasting levels of chronic fishing disturbance are exposed to organic matter enrichment. We find that differences in macrofaunal community structure related to differences in fishing activity affect the capacity of the macrofauna to mediate microbial nitrogen cycling in sand, but not in sandy mud environments. Whilst we found no evidence for a change in ammonia oxidiser community structure, we did find an increase in archaeal and bacterial denitrifier (AnirKa, nirS) and anammox (hzo) transcripts in macrofaunal communities characterized by higher ratios of suspension to deposit feeders, and a lower density but higher biomass of sediment-reworking fauna. Our findings suggest that nitrogen transformation in shelf sandy sediments is dependent on the stimulation of specific nitrogen cycling pathways that are associated with differences in the composition and context-dependent expression of the functional traits that belong to the resident bioturbating macrofauna community

Building a Model of Collaboration Between Historically Black and Historically White Universities

Despite increases over the last two decades in the number of degrees awarded to students from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, enhancing diversity in these disciplines remains a challenge. This article describes a strategic approach to this challenge—the development of a collaborative partnership between two universities: the historically Black Elizabeth City State University and the historically White University of New Hampshire. The partnership, a type of learning organization built on three mutually agreed upon principles, strives to enhance opportunities for underrepresented students to pursue careers in the STEM disciplines. This article further describes six promising practices that framed the partnership, which resulted in the submission of nine proposals to federal agencies and the funding of four grants that led to the implementation, research, learning, and evaluation that followed

Identity, place narrative and biophilic urban development: Connecting the past, present and future for sustainable liveable cities

Urbanization presents sustainability challenges for the natural environment, resources and ecological systems, whilst high levels of pollution and disconnect from the natural environment can adversely impact the health and wellbeing of urban residents. Rapid urbanisation can also curtail processes of placemaking, including place attachment and place identity, raising questions around the social sustainability and liveability of cities into the future. With such concerns in mind, cities are increasingly called upon to develop in ways that are environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable. The concept of biophilia has been applied to sustainable urban development, in which nature and green infrastructure are systematically incorporated into cities to reduce adverse impacts to the natural environment while supporting the social, cultural and economic sustainability of communities. This paper explores findings from community focus groups centred on perceptions of a proposed biophilic urban development in Wales, UK. We highlight how community members understand and negotiate possible impacts the development may have on the city by drawing on their own emplaced experiences, as well as their perception of the city in relation to broader contexts of economic crisis and environmental change. We highlight the importance of temporally and spatially situated understandings of innovative building developments, as part of sustainable urban developments, and how such transformative processes should enable community place-making, and as such become valued, and sustained through time

From active houses to active homes: understanding resident experiences of transformational design and social innovation

Active Buildings can contribute to efforts to address decarbonisation and climate change targets, and have the potential to support social aspirations for technical and infrastructural change. Yet achieving such goals is challenging. Active Homes as a type of Active Building represent a particularly interesting prospect; altering how energy is produced, distributed, and consumed, but also how homes are designed, constructed, and lived in are studied. Active Homes are designed with expectations of how residents will engage with them, but residents do not always live in the homes in ways envisaged by developers. Hence, there is a risk that the homes will not be experienced as comfortable living environments, or otherwise perform as anticipated. Thus, understanding resident perspectives is crucial to the successful wider rollout of Active Homes. We draw on social science research with designers, developers, and residents to explore expectations of life in an Active Home. Our longitudinal research design enables us to contrast early expectations with post-occupancy experiences, elucidating what residents consider to be successful aspects of Active Home developments. Our research reveals instances where expectations remain unfulfilled, or where living in the homes has been experienced as challenging or disruptive. In highlighting such insights, we offer recommendations relevant for future development

Transformational innovation in home energy: How developers imagine and engage with future residents of low carbon homes in the United Kingdom

Decarbonisation and climate change targets require multiscale sociotechnical energy transitions that include significant changes to housing stock. In the UK, the development of Active Buildings, which directly seek to be efficient energy producers, have zero carbon emissions and provide grid flexibility, has the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting these targets. Active Homes as a particular type of Active Building represent a potentially transformational innovation by altering how energy is produced, distributed and consumed, in addition to how homes are designed, constructed and then lived in. In this paper we draw on insights from qualitative interviews with stakeholders involved in the development of different Active Homes to consider motivations for development, and their views on how residents will reside in and interact with the homes. We highlight a potential conflict between a desire to prioritise the needs of residents with a belief amongst some that to do so, user engagement with technology should be minimised. This has implications for design decisions, which in turn influence how residents experience and live within the homes. In illuminating these narratives, we indicate the necessity of ongoing engagement with residents to understand how Active Homes – with particular emphasis on the operation and control of technologies – are experienced, in order to inform the successful rollout of current and future developments

Living in an active home: household dynamics and unintended consequences

To meet UK decarbonisation and climate change targets, significant changes to existing and future housing stock will be required. The development of Active Buildings has the potential to contribute to meeting these targets. Active Homes, as a particular type of Active Building, alter how energy is produced, distributed and consumed, as well as how homes are designed, constructed and then lived in. Before occupation, Active Homes are designed and developed around imaginary users, yet residents do not always live in the homes in ways envisaged by developers. This paper draws on data from a qualitative longitudinal study involving in-depth interviews with Active Home inhabitants and developers across five UK case sites. Interviews elucidate how developers envisage future residents and their assumptions about how people will live. As the household is a particularly gendered sphere of society, three qualitative longitudinal case studies are then presented to explore the way gender interweaves with women’s experiences of Active Home residence. Expert visions do not always fully encompass the gendered household dynamics of everyday life. Implications are drawn from how these Active Homes are experienced and lived in: what considerations developers can give to the design, controls and information that are more tailored to residents’ needs