我要吃瓜

Professor Nigel Willby

Professor & Associate Dean of Research

Biological and Environmental Sciences 我要吃瓜, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor Nigel Willby

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我要吃瓜 me

I am a Professor specialising in freshwater sciences. My interests are mainly in how we can manage, restore and assess freshwater ecosystems to promote their sustainable use and ecological resilience. I have particular interests in rewilding as a passive management approach and the role of beavers as ecological engineers and a nature-based solution.

Brief Biography

  • Associate Dean for Research: 2021 -
  • Professor (Freshwater Science): 2016 -
  • Associate Professor: 2014 - 2016
  • Senior Lecturer: 2005 - 2014
  • Lecturer: 2002 - 2005
  • NERC Independent Fellow (Stirling): 1999 - 2002
  • PDRA (Glasgow): 1997 - 1999
  • Freshwater Botanist (SNH): 1996-1997
  • PDRA (Glasgow): 1994 - 1996
  • PhD (Liverpool): 1989 - 1994

Research (17)

My research is in the field of ecology and management of freshwater ecosystems, principally in the areas of biomonitoring, ecosystem restoration, ecosystem processes and macroecology. Funding sources have included NERC, Environment Agency, SEPA, SNIFFER, SNH, British Waterways and Scottish Water. Research covers a number of interlinked themes:

Trait and functional group approaches to species-environment relationships Macroecology of aquatic vegetation Evaluating biomonitoring techniques based on aquatic plants, designing WFD classification tools Assessment and impacts of invasive species Application of remote sensing to early detection of environmental change in freshwaters Regenerative behaviour of riverine vegetation in relation to landscape connectivity and disturbance. Plant palatability and tissue element concentrations in relation to grazing Ecological effects of European beaver reintroduction

Projects

Maximising synergies of Ecological Restoration in a Landscape context: INnovation, upscaling and transformation
PI: Professor Peter Hunter
Funded by: European Commission (Horizon 2020)

Hydro-ecological consequences of beaver reintroduction
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Natural Environment Research Council

Design of a lakes surveillance network for England
PI: Dr Daniel Chapman
Funded by: Environment Agency

DEVELOPMENT OF AN eDNA DATA SET TO PRODUCE A WFD COMPATIBLE CLASSIFICATION TOOL FOR LAKE FISH IN SCOTLAND
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Identifying drivers of aquatic plant invasions to quantify their risk to food security
PI:
Funded by: The Carnegie Trust

Nutrient pressures and their impacts on Aquatic Ecology
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Environment Agency

Freshwater Bio-assessment and its application in catchment management
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Natural Environment Research Council

Dispersal and biodiversity impacts on community assembly and ecosystem services
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Natural Environment Research Council

A review of Broads restoration and management: history, current condition and future recommendations and restoration feasibility studies for three broads.
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Broads Authority

Monitoring of Aquatic and Semi Aquatic macrophytes of the lochs, fluvial geomorphology, river habitat and hydrology
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: NatureScot (Formerly Scottish Natural Heritage)

Recycling Biomass to Agricultural LANd: Capitalizing on Eutrophication
PI: Professor David Oliver
Funded by: Natural Environment Research Council

NEA Lakes Pilot Project
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Environment Agency

DARLEQ for Lakes and Rivers
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Bowburn Consultancy

Blue Skies PhD Support V Milner Geomorphological & biological validation of river typing
PI:
Funded by: Natural Environment Research Council and Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Further Development of River Macrophyte WFD Tool - River Variability Module
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Environment Agency

A Functional Perspective on Long Term Changes in Macrophyte Communities in British Lakes
PI: Professor Nigel Willby
Funded by: Broads Authority, Environment Agency and Natural England

Studentship - Research based monitoring of the channel morphology & stream ecology of the River Nith rediversion at House of Water Open Coast Coal Site near New Cumnock,
PI:
Funded by: Scottish Coal Ltd

Outputs (89)

Outputs

Article

Sellers GS, Jerde CL, Harper LR, Benucci M, Di Muri C, Li J, Peirson G, Walsh K, Hatton-Ellis T, Duncan W, Duguid A, Ottewell D, Willby N, Law A & Bean CW (2024) Optimising species detection probability and sampling effort in lake fish eDNA surveys. Metabarcoding and Metagenomics, 8, Art. No.: e104655. https://doi.org/10.3897/mbmg.8.104655


Article

Stevenson EA, Robertson P, Hickinbotham E, Mair L, Willby NJ, Mill A, Booy O, Witts K & Pattison Z (2023) Synthesising 35?years of invasive non-native species research. Biological Invasions, 25 (8), pp. 2423-2438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-023-03067-7


Article

Hill MJ, Greaves HM, Sayer CD, Hassall C, Milin M, Milner VS, Marazzi L, Hall R, Harper LR, Thornhill I, Walton R, Biggs J, Ewald N, Law A & Willby N (2021) Pond ecology and conservation: research priorities and knowledge gaps. Ecosphere, 12 (12), Art. No.: e03853. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3853


Book Chapter

Fletcher J, Willby NJ, Oliver DM & Quilliam RS (2020) Phytoremediation using Aquatic Plants. In: Shmaefsky BR (ed.) Phytoremediation – In-Situ Applications. Concepts and Strategies in Plant Sciences. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00099-8_7


Article

Wilson K, Law A, Gaywood M, Ramsay P & Willby N (2020) Beavers: The original engineers of Britain's fresh waters. British Wildlife, 31 (6), pp. 403-411. https://www.britishwildlife.com/article/volume-31-number-6-page-403-411


Article

Birk S, Chapman D, Carvalho L, Spears BM, Andersen HE, Argillier C, Auer S, Baattrup-Pedersen A, Banin L, Beklio?lu M, Bondar-Kunze E, Borja A, Branco P, Phillips G & Willby N (2020) Impacts of multiple stressors on freshwater biota across spatial scales and ecosystems. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 4 (8), p. 1060–1068. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1216-4


Article

O'Hare MT, Aguiar FC, Asaeda T, Bakker ES, Chambers PA, Clayton J, Elger A, Ferreira TM, Gross EM, Gunn IDM, Gurnell AM, Hellsten S, Hofstra DE, Li W, Mohr S, Puijalon S, Szoszkiewicz K, Willby N & Wood KA (2018) Plants in aquatic ecosystems: current trends and future directions. Hydrobiologia, 812 (1), pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3190-7


Article

Hilt S, Nunez MMA, Bakker ES, Blindow I, Davidson TA, Gillefalk M, Hansson L, Janse JH, Janssen ABG, Jeppesen E, Kabus T, Kelly A, Kohler J, Lauridsen TL & Willby N (2018) Response of Submerged Macrophyte Communities to External and Internal Restoration Measures in North Temperate Shallow Lakes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, Art. No.: 194. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.00194


Article

Alahuhta J, Kosten S, Akasaka M, Auderset D, Azzella M, Bolpagni R, Bove CP, Chambers PA, Chappuis E, Ilg C, Clayton J, de Winston M, Ecke F, Gacia E & Willby N (2017) Global variation in the beta diversity of lake macrophytes is driven by environmental heterogeneity rather than latitude. Journal of Biogeography, 44 (8), pp. 1758-1769. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12978


Technical Report

Willby N, Birk S, Poikane S & van de Bund W (2014) Water Framework Directive Intercalibration Manual: Procedure to fit new or updated classification methods to the results of a completed intercalibration. European Commission. JRC Technical Reports. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. http://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/111111111/31100


Technical Report

Portielje R, Bertrin V, Denys L, Grinberga L, Karottki I, Kolada A, Krasovskiene J, Leipute G, Maemets H, Ott I, Phillips G, Pot R, Schaumburg J, Schranz C & Willby N (2014) Water Framework Directive Intercalibration Technical Report: Central Baltic Lake Macrophyte ecological assessment methods. European Commission. JRC Technical Reports. Publications Office of the European Union. http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/water-framework-directive-intercalibration-technical-report-pbLBNA26514/


Article

Lyche-Solheim A, Feld CK, Birk S, Phillips G, Carvalho L, Morabito G, Mischke U, Willby N, Sondergaard M, Hellsten S, Kolada A, Mjelde M, Bohmer J, Miler O & Pusch MT (2013) Ecological status assessment of European lakes: A comparison of metrics for phytoplankton, macrophytes, benthic invertebrates and fish. Hydrobiologia, 704 (1), pp. 57-74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1436-y


Book Chapter

Wood PJ, Gilvear D, Willby N, Robertson AL, Gledhill T & Boon P (2012) Improvements in Understanding the Contribution of Hyporheic Zones to Biodiversity and Ecological Functioning of UK Rivers. In: Boon P & Raven P (eds.) River Conservation and Management. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 159-173. http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470682086.html; https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119961819.ch13


Article

Jones K, Gilvear D, Willby N & Gaywood M (2009) Willow (Salix spp.) and aspen (Populus tremula) regrowth after felling by the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber): implications for riparian woodland conservation in Scotland. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 19 (1), pp. 75-87. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.981


Article

Hunter P, Tyler A, Willby N & Gilvear D (2008) The spatial dynamics of vertical migration by Microcystis aeruginosa in a eutrophic shallow lake: A case study using high spatial resolution time-series airborne remote sensing. Limnology and Oceanography, 53 (6), pp. 2391-2406. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2008.53.6.2391


Book Chapter

Gilvear D, Francis R, Willby N & Gurnell A (2007) Gravel bars: a key habitat of gravel-bed rivers for vegetation. In: Habersack H, Piegay H & Rinaldi M (eds.) Gravel-Bed Rivers VI: From Process Understanding to River Restoration. Developments in Earth Surface Processes, 11. Elsevier, pp. 677-700. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0928-2025%2807%2911154-8


Book Chapter

Elger A, Barrat-Segretain M & Willby N (2006) Seasonal variability in the palatability of freshwater macrophytes: a case study. In: Caffrey J, Dutarte A A, Haury J, Murphy K & Wade P (eds.) Macrophytes in Aquatic Ecosystems: From Biology to Management: Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Aquatic Weeds, European Weed Research Society. Developments in Hydrobiology, 190. Amsterdam: Springer, pp. 89-93. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-5390-0_13#


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