Dr Paul Wood

B.Sc. (Loughborough) Ph.D. (Birmingham)

Reader in Physical Geography

email: P.J.Wood@lboro.ac.uk

Tel : +44 (0)1509 223012
Fax: +44 (0)1509 223930

Room NN.0.13f, Martin Hall Building , East Park

Research Interests

I am a hydroecologist with a particular interest in the response of instream organisms to river flow variability over a range of spatial and temporal scales. My research draws together aspects of hydrology, ecology, geomorphology, environmental management and the conservation of freshwater ecosystems.

My specific research interests are:-

• Responses of instream macroinvertebrate communities to flow variability over varying timescales.

• Hydro-ecology of groundwater dominated ecosystems: i) headwater springs and streams; ii) hyporheic riverine environments; and iii) cave ecosystems.

• Instream responses to disturbances associated with sedimentation within lotic environments.

• Conservation of aquatic habitats.

References

Wood, P.J., Gunn, J. and Rundle, S.D. (In Press). Response of benthic cave invertebrates to organic pollution events. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems.

Monk, W.A., Wood, P.J., Hannah, D.M. and Wilson D.A. (2007). Selection of hydrological indices for the assessment of hydeoecological change. River Research and Applications. 23: 113-122.

Monk, W.A., Wood,P.J., Hannah, D.M., Wilson, D.A., Extence, C.A. and Chadd, R.P. (2006). River flow variability and macroinvertebrate community response within riverine systems. River Research and Applications. 22: 595-615.

Greenwood, M.T., Wood, P.J. and Monk, W.A. (2006). The use of fossil caddisfly assemblages in the reconstruction of flow environments from floodplain paleochannels of the River Trent, England. Journal of Paleolimnology. 35: 747-761.

Wood, P.J., Gunn, J., Smith, H. and Abas-Kutty, A. (2005). Flow permanence and macroinvertebrate community diversity within groundwater-dominated headwater streams and springs. Hydrobiologia. 545: 55-64.

Wood, P.J., Toone, J., Greenwood, M.T. and Armitage, P.D. (2005). The response of four lotic macroinvertebrate taxa to burial by sediments. Archiv für Hydrobiologie. 163: 145-162.

Wood, P.J. and Armitage, P.D. (2004). The response of the macroinvertebrate community to low-flow variability and supra-seasonal drought within a groundwater dominated river. Archiv für Hydrobiologie. 161: 1-20.

Proudlove, G, Wood, P.J., Harding, P.T, Horne, D.J., Gledhill, T. and Knight, L.R.F.D. (2003). A review of the status of the subterranean aquatic Crustacea of Britain and Ireland. Cave and Karst Science. 30: 53-74.

Greenwood, M.T., Agnew, M.D. and Wood, P.J. (2003). The use of caddisfly fauna (Insecta: Trichoptera) to characterise the Late-glaical River Trent, UK. Journal of Quaternary Science. 18: 645-661.

Wood, P.J., Greenwood, M.T. and Agnew, M.D. (2003) Pond landscapes: biodiversity and habitat loss in the UK. Area. 35: 206-216.

Smith, H, Wood, P.J. and Gunn, J. (2003). The influence of habitat structure and flow permanence on invertebrate communities is karst spring systems. Hydrobiologia. 510: 53-66.

Greenwood, M.T. and Wood, P.J. (2003) Effects of seasonal variation in salinity on a population of Enochrus bicolor Fabricius 1792 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) and implication for other beetles of conservation interest. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 13, 21-34.

Wood, P.J. and Dykes, A.P. (2002). Measuring streamflow using the salt dilution (gulp injection) technique: ecological considerations. Water Research. 36: 3044-3052.

Wood, P.J., Gunn, J. and Perkins, J. (2002). The impact of pollution on aquatic invertebrates within a subterranean ecosystem - out of site out of mind. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 152: 223-237.

Wood, P.J., Hannah, D.M., Agnew, M.D. and Petts, G.E. (2001). Scales of hydroecological variability within a groundwater-dominated chalk stream. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management. 17: 347-367.

Wood, P.J. Greenwood, M.T., Barker, S.A. and Gunn, J. (2001). The effects of amenity management for angling on the conservation value of aquatic invertebrate communities in old industrial ponds. Biological Conservation. 102: 17-29.


Current and Recent Research Projects

The response of aquatic invertebrate fauna to supra-seasonal drought and drying in a largely perennial chalk stream (with funding and support  from NERC and the Environment Agency of England and Wales).

This research aims to examine the response of benthic and hyporheic macrioinvertebrates to long-duration supra-seasonal droughts (extending over more than one season). This research combines recent field experiments with a long-term study, undertaken over a 15-year period on the Little Stour River (Kent). It is widely acknowledged that many organisms in areas that experience frequent high or low flows display adaptations to survive the adverse conditions. However, many groundwater-dominated systems have buffered flow-regimes and are widely perceived to be stable. The Little Stour has experienced four supra-seasonal droughts during the last century (1947-1949, 1989-1992, 1995-1997 and 2004-2006). These droughts have resulted in significant changes to the instream macroinvertebrate communities recorded during periods of low flow and desiccation of some previously perennial reaches of the river. Currently the hyporheos is being examined as potential refugia for benthic taxa during drought conditions.

Macroinvertebrate community response to river flow variability (in collaboration with the University of Birmingham and with funding and support from the Environment Agency and Natural England).

This project aims to examine the ways in which river flow influences instream invertebrate communities over varying temporal and spatial resolutions. These projects have drawn together a collaborative team of researches including the Environment Agency of England and Wales and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology to examine long-term macroinvertebrate community change (1990-2000) using a paired dataset (hydrological and ecological) compiled by the Environment Agency. Research has explored the use of ‘ecologically relevant’ hydrologic indices and their potential influence on instream macroinvertebrate communities. This research has also explored the use of the Lotic Index for Flow Evaluation (LIFE) as a palaeoecological indicator of river flow variability and lotic habitat structure.

The ecology of groundwater dominated ecosystems (with funding and support from the Nuffield Foundation and the Environment Agency of England and Wales).

The ecology and biogeography of aquatic organisms within subterranean habitats and their interface (caves, aquifers, springs, and the hypoheic zone of riverine systems) have been poorly studied in the UK compared to other European countries and North America. This work aims to increase our understanding of the ecology of subterranean ecosystems with particular reference to the aquatic invertebrate communities they support. The research is examining the trophic structure of communities, and the inter- and intra specific interactions between species. In addition this research aims to examine the temporal variability of aquatic subterranean communities (both obligate hypogean organisms and epigean taxa) and the environmental characteristics that may influence their distribution.


Recent PhD Completions

• Wendy Monk (2006) Flow variability and instream macroinvertebrate community response in river in England and Wales

• Ahmad Abas-Kutty (2007). Chironomidae biodiversity and community dynamics withinLimestone spring ecosystem’.

• Lynda Howard (2007). The reconstruction of river flow and habitats within the River Trent catchment based on subfossil insect remains.

Current Students

• Patrick Byrne. The impact of mine spoil drainage on water quality, sediment chemistry and macroinvertebrate health of the River Twymyn, Wales.

• Sally Little. The impact of increasing saltwater penetration on river ecology.

• Rachel Stubbington. The responses of macroinvertebrate fauna to flow variability and flow permanence in two limestone rivers.

• Wing Wai Sung. Lake-climate interactions: hydrological forcing and ecological response.

• Julia A. Toone. Ecological implications of geomorphological discontinuities in a mixed bedrock-alluvial channel, River Drôme, France.

Undergraduate Teaching

GYA106 Tutorial

GYA110/112 Applied Physical Geography

GYB328 Physical Geography Field-course

GYB311 River Ecology

GYC200 Conservation: Principles and Practice

GYC410/402 Independent Geographical Essay

GYC400 Dissertation

Postgraduate Teaching

GYP021 Tools for River Management