Dr Paul Scholefield

Large Scale Ecosystem Modeller

Research interests

My role at CEH requires expertise in the preparation, handling and statistical analysis of temporal and spatial data, in order to aid the provision of answers to a wide range of ecological questions. I have a broad overview of the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles through my work on biospheric trace gas emissions (Lancaster University), soil and crop nitrogen modelling (ADAS), and diffuse pollution research (Centre for Sustainable Water Management, Lancaster). I have over 10 years experience of using GIS and database management software, and a working knowledge of Matlab, FME and SAS. I have led the development of a major research platform in the Ribble and Wyre catchments, one of four CEH Source-to-Sea Observatories. I was actively involved in the Countryside Survey 2007 Integrated Assessment, led the development of the Defra habitat connectivity indicator for CEH and I am developing projects on ecosystem services for water quality and aquatic habitats.

I currently lead the Defra Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory project on behalf of CEH, the aim of the project being to improve the delivery of the UK Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Inventory. CEH (in collaboration with the other project partners) will contribute to the development of a more detailed reporting methodology through an intensive period of coordinated exploration, synthesis and modelling of existing data from across the scientific community and industry data holders.

Brief CV

• 2008 onwards - Centre for Ecology & Hydrology at Lancaster
• 2005 - 2008: Research Associate, Centre for Sustainable Water Management, Lancaster University
• 2002 - 2005: Environmental Consultant, ADAS
• 2000-2002, Research Associate, Lancaster, University
• 1995 - 2000: University of Lancaster, (PhD)

Selected publications

See also the NERC Open Research Archive

Neal, Colin; Rowland, Philip; Neal, Margaret; Jarvie, Helen P.; Lawlor, Alan; Sleep, Darren; Scholefield, Paul. 2011 Aluminium in UK rivers: a need for integrated research related to kinetic factors, colloidal transport, carbon and habitat. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 13 (8). 2153-2164. 10.1039/c1em10362h

Rowland, Phil; Neal, Colin; Sleep, Darren; Vincent, Colin; Scholefield, Paul. 2011 Chemical Quality Status of Rivers for the Water Framework Directive: A Case Study of Toxic Metals in North West England. Water, 3. 649-669. 10.3390/w3020650

Scholefield, Paul; Firbank, Les; Butler, Simon; Norris, Ken; Jones, Laurence M.; Petit, Sandrine. 2011 Modelling the European Farmland Bird Indicator in response to forecast land-use change in Europe. Ecological Indicators, 11 (Special Issue : Impact Assessment of Land Use Change). 46-51. 10.1016/j.ecolind.2009.09.008

Neal, Colin; Rowland, Phil; Scholefield, Paul; Vincent, Colin; Woods, Clive; Sleep, Darren. 2011 The Ribble/Wyre observatory: Major, minor and trace elements in rivers draining from rural headwaters to the heartlands of the NW England historic industrial base. Science of the Total Environment, 409 (8). 1516-1529. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.01.018

Rothwell, J.J.; Dise, N.B.; Taylor, K.G.; Allott, T.E.H.; Scholefield, P.; Davies, H.; Neal, C.. 2010 A spatial and seasonal assessment of river water chemistry across North West England. Science Of The Total Environment, 408 (4). 841-855. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.10.041

Rowland, A.P.; Neal, C.; Scholefield, P.; Halford, A.P.; Vincent, C.D.; Hockenhull, K.. 2010 Mercury in rivers in NW England: from rural headwaters to the heartlands of the historic industrial base. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 12. 2299-2306. 10.1039/C0EM00398K

Rothwell, J.J.; Dise, N.B.; Taylor, K.G.; Allott, T.E.H.; Scholefield, P.; Davies, H.; Neal, C.. 2010 Predicting river water quality across North West England using catchment characteristics. Journal of Hydrology, 395. 153-162. 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.10.015