Research

My research focusses on biogeochemistry, or how nutrients such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and iron are moved through, and interact with the environment. This is a highly inderisciplanary field of research, with aspects of environmental science, chemistry, biology, engineering and computational modelling. In particular, I have three major interests:

1. Fermentation in coastal sands

We have recently discovered that when oxygen is not available, microbial communities in coastal sands tend to use fermentation as their major metabolism. Here we are investigation the implications of this effect, such as reducing the ability of coral reefs to withstand ocean acidifcation.

2. The balance between nitrogen removal and nitrogen recycling

In this project we are investigating what chemical, biological and physical factors control the fate of nitrogen, especially in estuaries. 

3. Response of irrigating fauna to hypoxia

Both the behaviour of burrowing animals (e.g. worms) and the chemical reactions that happen in sediments are to a large part controlled by oxygen availability, and burrowing in itself affects the transport of oxygen into the sediment. This project is investigating the interplay between these factors.

Teaching

I am currently teaching in the following units in the School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment.

• EAE3342 Environmental cycles on our living planet
• EAE2322 Environmental earth sciences