Dr Richard Pywell

Dr Richard Pywell

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Maclean Building
Benson Lane
Crowmarsh Gifford
Wallingford
Oxfordshire
OX10 8BB
T: +44 (0)1491 838800
F: +44 (0)1491 692424
E-mail: Dr Richard Pywell
 

Research interests

Anthropogenic threats to global biodiversity (e.g. habitat loss, fragmentation, pollution; exploitation, alien introductions and climate change) are increasingly affecting species and populations, and altering the integrity and function of ecosystems at a range of scales. This can have critical impacts on the services ecosystems provide to society. Detection and interpretation of the relative effects of natural and anthropogenic drivers on ecosystems, communities and populations is essential if we are to form effective policies to conserve and, where necessary, restore biodiversity.

My research focuses on the science underpinning the conservation and restoration of biodiversity in three important biotopes, namely heathland, grassland and arable farmland. In particular, I am interested in the processes controlling community assembly, structure and dynamics:

  • the ecological processes (competition, predation, parasitism, dispersal) responsible for community assembly and maintenance of stability over time
    the role of keystone species in determining community structure and function;
  • the key factors constraining restoration success and resemblance to target ecosystems;
  • the development of novel methods to restore fully-functioning examples of a wide range of ecosystems.
  • The results of my research helps to formulate effective policies and prescriptions to restore and enhance ecosystems.

 

Brief CV

  • 2003- Head of Ecological Processes and Modelling Section, CEH at Monks Wood
  • 1999-2003 Head of Biodiversity, Restoration and Management Group, CEH Monks Wood
  • 1993- 1999 Ecological Processes & Management Section, CEH Monks Wood
  • 1993 Consultant ecologist, Dorset
  • 1989-1992 PhD 'Restoration of heathland on farmland in Dorset’ University of Liverpool / ITE Furzebrook
  • 1985-1988 BSc (Hons) Natural Environmental Science, University of Sheffield

Selected publications

NERC Open Research Archive.

2004 and Earlier

Arable Ecology

Pywell, R.F., James, L.K., Herbert, I., Meek, W.R., Carvell, C., Bell, D., & Sparks, T.H. (in press) Determinants of overwintering habitat quality for beetles and spiders on arable farmland. Biological Conservation.

Pywell, R.F., Warman, E.A., Carvell, C., Sparks, T.H., Dicks, L.V., Bennett, D., Wright, A., Critchley, C.N.R. & Sherwood, A. (2005) Providing foraging resources for bumblebees in intensively farmed landscapes. Biological Conservation, 121, 479-494.

Pywell, R.F., Warman, E.A., Sparks, T.H., Greatorex-Davis, J.N., Walker, K.J., Meek, W.R., Carvell, C., Petit, S. & Firbank, L.G. (2004) Assessing habitat quality for butterflies on intensively managed farmland. Biological Conservation, 118, 313-325.

Chamberlain, D.E., Gough, S., Vickery, J.A., Firbank L.G., Petit S., Pywell R.F., Bradbury, R.B. (2004) Rule-based predictive models are not cost-effective alternatives to bird monitoring on farmland. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 101, 1-8.

Carvell, C., Meek., W.R., Pywell., R.F. & Nowakowski, M. (2004) The response of foraging bumblebees to successional change in newly created arable field margins. Biological Conservation, 118, 327-339.

Grassland Ecology

Pywell, R.F., Bullock, J.M., Walker, K.J., Coulson, S.J., Gregory, S.J. & Stevenson, M.J. (2004) Facilitating grassland diversification using the hemiparasitic plant Rhinanthus minor. Journal of Applied Ecology, 41, 880-887.

Walker, K.J., Stevens, P.A., Stevens, D.P., Mountford, J.O., Manchester, S.J. & Pywell, R.F. (2004) The restoration and re-creation of species-rich lowland grassland on land managed for intensive agriculture in the UK. Biological Conservation, 119, 1-18.

Pywell, R.F., Bullock, J.M., Roy, D.B., Warman, E.A. & Rothery, P. (2003) Plant traits as predictors of performance in ecological restoration schemes. Journal of Applied Ecology, 40, 65-77.

Pywell, R.F., Bullock, J.M., Hopkins, A., Walker, K.J., Sparks, T.H., Burke, M.J.W., & Peel, S. (2002) Restoration of species-rich grassland on arable land: assessing the limiting processes using a multi-site experiment. Journal of Applied Ecology, 39, 294-309.

Heathland Ecology

Walker, K.J., Pywell, R.F., Warman, E.A., Fowbert, J.A., Bhogal, A. & Chambers, B.J. (2004) The importance of former land use in determining successful re-creation of lowland heath in southern England. Biological Conservation, 116, 289-303.

Pywell, R.F., Pakeman, R.J., Allchin, E.A., Bourn, N.A.D., Warman, E.A. & Walker, K.J. (2002) The potential for lowland heath regeneration following plantation removal. Biological Conservation, 108, 247-258.