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Research group

Landscape Dynamics and Ecology

Hill sides

We use multi-proxy environmental data, and model past and present environments to further our understanding of environmental change.

Part of Geography and environmental science

About

Our research often involves the application of new methodological approaches that integrate high-resolution field and laboratory data acquisition with numerical and physical modelling.

Our main research priorities include:

  • geomorphic processes in aeolian, coastal, fluvial and shallow marine, glacial and periglacial environments
  • changes in environmental systems in response to climate change, in fluvial, glacial and coastal environments
  • the effects of extreme events on society, including catchment management, flooding, coastal changes and ecosystem responses
  • reconstructing climate change during the quaternary (Europe, the Americas, Arctic and South Pacific
  • understanding the process, timing and forcing of human migration into the tropical South Pacific
  • exploring what makes small islands vulnerable to multiple hazards

Research highlights

An aerial map coloured to show population distribution over a geographical area.

Population mapping saves lives

AI, big data and analytics
Future societies and communities
Health and wellbeing
A University of Southampton research group is using new ways of mapping and counting populations to help developing countries. WorldPop's datasets have helped to eradicate polio in Nigeria and assist earthquake victims in Nepal.

People, projects and publications

People

Dr Ash Abrook

Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Climate variability (long and short term)
  • Abrupt climate and environmental change
  • Palaeoecology
Connect with Ash

Email: A.Abrook@soton.ac.uk

Google Scholar
ORCID
Twitter

Dr Ben Pears

Research Fellow
Connect with Ben

Email: B.R.Pears@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +000

Dr Christopher Tomsett

Senior Environmental Sensing Technician

Research interests

  • Autonomous surveying techniques (UAVs, USVs)
  • Eco-geomorphology
  • Geospatial modelling
Connect with Christopher

Email: C.G.Tomsett@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 8851

ORCID

Professor David Sear

Professor
Connect with David

Email: D.Sear@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4614

ORCID

Dr Eli Lazarus

Associate Professor

Research interests

  • coastal and fluvial dynamics
  • geomorphology
  • human-environmental coupled systems

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Eli

Email: E.D.Lazarus@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 3260

Google Scholar
ORCID
Twitter

Dr Hal Voepel PhD, MS, BSE, BS

Senior Research Fellow

Research interests

  • Hydrological and sediment processes in watersheds and rivers
  • Contaminant transport throughout hydrologic systems
  • Water and sediment impact on human development
Connect with Hal

Email: H.E.Voepel@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 7432193404

ORCID

Professor Jane Hart

Professor of Geography

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Jane

Email: J.K.Hart@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4615

Google Scholar
ORCID

Professor Jo Nield

Professor

Research interests

  • Dune Processes
  • Salt pan dynamics
  • Dust emissive surfaces

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Jo

Email: J.Nield@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 4749

Google Scholar
ORCID
Twitter

Professor Julian Leyland

Professor

Research interests

  • Fluvial and Intertidal Geomorphology
  • Remote Environmental Sensing
  • UAVs, USVs and Autonomy in Geoscience

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Julian

Email: J.Leyland@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 2285

Google Scholar
ORCID
Twitter

Dr Kate Parks

Principal Teaching Fellow
Connect with Kate

Email: K.E.Parks@soton.ac.uk

Tel: +44 23 8059 3871

My research is centred on large-scale hydrology and its interactions with climate variability and change.
Professor Justin Sheffield
Head of School