Dr Eleanor Watson

Eleanor is a researcher at the Moredun Research Institute. Her research focusses on Campylobacter species and other zoonotic pathogens.

Current interests:

  • Quantitative mass spectrometry to characterise bacterial adaptation. 
  • Identification of zoonotic pathogens using MALDI mass spectrometry.
  • Campylobacter jejuni metabolic versatility in relation to host colonisation and disease outcome.
  • Presence and transmission of zoonotic pathogens and AMR genes within wildlife populations.

Eleanor Watson

Moredun
Pentland Science Park
Bush Loan
Penicuik
Midlothian
EH26 0PZ

Mitigating against, and adapting to, the effects of climate change: Grasslands and Crop Genetics

Grasslands, carbon sequestration and greenhouse gases

What are the benefits of grasslands?

Globally, grasslands represent 70% of the agricultural land area. In Scotland the figure is even higher (approximately 80%), due to the contribution from rough grazing on land less favourable for agriculture (LFA).

Long-term warming of the River Spey

River temperature influences biogeochemical processes and aquatic ecology. Sustaining cool river temperatures in Scotland is essential for aquatic ecology (including the habitat and health of Atlantic salmon (Salmo Salar) and brown trout (Salmo trutta). River temperatures are also critical for our economy e.g. sport fishing contributes around £113 million per year to Scottish rural economy and our food and drink industry e.g. whisky production.

Dr Allan Lilly

Allan is a soil hydrologist at the James Hutton Institute with over 40 years experience in soil hydrology, soil survey and soil mapping. A key aspect of Allan's work is in interpreting soils data for a range of purposes and to make it more readily accessible to a wide range of users. His current focus is on estimating and quantifying soil carbon stocks.  Allan is the curator of the National Soils Archive and the lead on the Research Deliverable Soil Management (1.1.4).

Allan Lilly

The James Hutton Institute
Craigiebuckler
Aberdeen AB15 8QH
Scotland UK

What we eat, and meeting our climate change commitments

Background

The dietary choices and habits of a person cannot be divorced from climate change, biodiversity and ecosystems, or the more common focus, the prevalence of diet-related diseases (e.g. obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer).

As regards climate change, it has been estimated that the food system (including e.g. agricultural production, processing, distribution, retail, cooking and waste) accounts for 20-30% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

Learning By Doing: Understanding and Managing for Ecological Resilience

Our natural environment is facing threats from a range of environmental drivers, including climate change, invasive non-native species, novel pests and diseases, over-exploitation, and pollution. It is difficult to predict exactly how nature will respond to these drivers and to tailor management solutions precisely to each threat. An alternative approach is to try to understand what makes species and ecosystems generally more resilient, and to develop management plans which aim to enhance resilience.

Professor Davy McCracken

Davy is Head of Department of Integrated Land Management and Head of Hill & Mountain research centre at SRUC. Davy is involved in a range of research and demonstration projects investigating the economic, social and environmental resilience of upland livestock systems and seeking to understand the trade-offs associated with changes to those systems. 

Davy McCracken

Scotland’s Rural College
Peter Wilson Building, The King's Buildings
West Mains Road
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG

Dr Christopher Ellis

Christopher is head of Cryptogamic Plants and Fungi at the Royal Botanical Garden in Edinburgh, using his research to understand how habitat management can offset negative impacts of global change. He co-ordinates RBGE's Scottish biodiversity science, including activities contributing to the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy (2020 Route Map) and the Scottish Government’s Strategic Research Programme (Theme 1 - Natural Assets).

Christopher Ellis

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Arboretum Pl
Edinburgh
EH3 5NZ