Dr Gina Mills

Dr Gina Mills

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Environment Centre Wales
Deiniol Road
Bangor
Gwynedd
LL57 2UW
T: +44 (0)1248 374500
F: +44 (0)1248 362133
E-mail: Dr Gina Mills
 

Current work and research interests

Trained as a plant ecophysiologist, I have 25 years of post-doctoral experience as an applied plant physiologist concentrating on the effects of air pollution on vegetation. Working within  the Emmett Section at CEH Bangor, my research contributes primarily to Topic 1 and Topic 3 of the CEH Biogeochemistry Programme. I lead a group of three CEH scientists and three PhD students, and am a member of the CEH Bangor Science Management Team.

My research work involves two main themes. Firstly, I am the Head of the Coordination Centre of an international programme (ICP Vegetation) that reports to the United Nations on the impacts of air pollutants on vegetation across Europe and North America and involves over 200 participants from 35 countries. This involves (i) coordinating research on the impacts of ozone on vegetation (vegetation at risk, ozone flux-effect modelling, economic impacts), heavy metal deposition to mosses, and impacts of nitrogen deposition on semi-natural vegetation; (ii) synthesising current knowledge; and (iii) contributing to international policy development for these pollutants.  

Secondly, my research involves experimental studies of the impacts of ozone on vegetation using the CEH solardome facility (eight dome-shaped greenhouses with finely-controlled ozone exposure). Current research includes the effects of ozone on inter-species competition in acid and calcareous grasslands, carbon fluxes in wetlands, and interactions with drought, including mechanistic studies in collaboration with Lancaster University. I have written over 50 papers, 10 book chapters, 60 conference papers and numerous international policy documents on the impacts of pollutants on vegetation.

Brief CV

  • 1998: Plant Ecophysiologist, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bangor
  • 1991-1998: Senior Lecturer in Plant Sciences, Nottingham Trent University
  • 1986-1991: Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Nottingham
  • 1984-1986: Post-Doctoral Research Assistant at Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham
  • 1984: PhD, Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham
  • 1981: BSc Honours, Biology, University of Nottingham

 

Selected publications

See also the NERC Open Research Archive.

Mills, G., Hayes, F., Wilkinson, S., and Davies, W. (2009).  Chronic exposure to increasing background ozone impairs stomatal functioning in grassland species. Global Change Biology, 15, 1522-1533.

Emberson, L. D; Bueker, P; Ashmore, M. R; Mills, G; Jackson, L. S; Agrawal, M; Atikuzzaman, M. D; Cinderby, S; Engardt, M; Jamir, C; Kobayashi, K; Oanh, N. T. K; Quadir, F; Wahid, A.. 2009. A comparison of North American and Asian exposure-response data for ozone effects on crop yields. Atmospheric Environment, 43 (12). 1945-1953. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.01.005

Hayes, F; Mills, G; Ashmore, M. 2009. Effects of ozone on inter- and intra-species competition and photosynthesis in mesocosms of Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens. Environmental Pollution, 157 (1). 208-214. 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.07.002

Dawnay, Louise; Mills, Gina. 2009. Relative effects of elevated background ozone concentrations and peak episodes on senescence and above-ground growth in four populations of Anthoxanthum odoratum L. Environmental Pollution, 157 (2). 503-510. 101016/j.envpol.2008.09.003

Mills, G; Hayes, F; Jones, M.L.M; Cinderby, S. 2007. Identifying ozone-sensitive communities of (semi-)natural vegetation suitable for mapping exceedance of critical levels. Environmental Pollution, 146 (3). 736-743. 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.04.005

Harmens, Harry; Mills, Gina; Emberson, Lisa D; Ashmore, Mike R. 2007. Implications of climate change for the stomatal flux of ozone: a case study for winter wheat. Environmental Pollution, 146 (3). 763-770. 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.05.018

Hayes, F; Jones, M.L.M; Mills, G; Ashmore, M. 2007. Meta-analysis of the relative sensitivity of semi-natural vegetation species to ozone. Environmental Pollution, 146 (3). 754-762. 10.1016/j.envpol.2006.06.011

Pleijel, H; Danielsson, H; Emberson, L; Ashmore, M. R; Mills, G. 2007. Ozone risk assessment for agricultural crops in Europe: Further development of stomatal and flux-response relationships for European wheat and potato. Atmospheric Environment, 41. 3022-3040. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.12.002

Mills, G; Buse, A; Gimeno, B; Bermejo, V; Holland, M; Emberson, L; Pleijel, H. 2007. A synthesis of AOT40-based response functions and critical levels for agricultural and horticultural crops. Atmospheric Environment, 41 (12). 2630-2643. 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2006.11.016

Hayes, Felicity; Mills, Gina; Harmens, Harry; Norris, David. 2007. Evidence of widespread ozone damage to vegetation in Europe (1990-2006). ICP Vegetation Programme Coordination Centre, CEH Bangor, UK, 58pp. (CEH Project No: C03077)