Prof Brian Reynolds

Catchment Biogeochemist

Career outline

Research interests

I have a long-standing interest in the processes controlling chemical fluxes to catchments both externally from atmospheric sources and internally from mineral weathering. I have undertaken research into how these processes and fluxes interact with the biogeochemical cycles operating within catchments and into what controls the leaching of chemicals from a range of upland ecosystems to freshwaters.

I am particularly interested in how drivers of change such as climate, atmospheric nitrogen and sulphur deposition and land management affect the links between terrestrial catchment biogeochemistry and upland water quality. A significant element of my recent work has involved the interpretation of research results to policy makers in the form of strategy documents and policy related scoping studies for the Welsh Assembly Government. These have included scoping studies for an Acid Waters Strategy for Wales, a Soils Strategy for Wales, a study of the potential impacts of climate change in Wales and an audit of baseline environmental monitoring in Wales.

Selected publications

See also the NERC Open Research Archive.

Chapman, P.J., Clark, J.M., Reynolds, B., and Adamson, J.K. (2008) The influence of organic acids in relation to acid deposition in controlling the acidity of soil and stream waters on a seasonal basis. Environmental  Pollution, 151, 110-120.

Lapworth, D.L., Shand, P., Abesser, C., Darling, W.G., Haria, A.H., Evans, C. and Reynolds, B. (2008) Groundwater nitrogen composition and transformation within a moorland catchment, mid-Wales. Science of the Total Environment, 390, 241-254.

Hall, J., Ullyett, J., Wadsworth, R.A., Reynolds, B. 2007.  The applicability of national critical loads data in assessing designated sites. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 7, 413-419.

Fenner, Nathalie, Ostle, Nicholas J., McNamara, Niall, Sparks, Timothy, Harmens, Harry, Reynolds, Brian, Freeman, Christopher. (2007) Elevated CO2 effects on peatland plant commumity carbon dynamics and DOC production. Ecosystems, 10. 635-647. doi:10.1007/s10021-007-9051-x.

Helliwell, R.C., Davies, J.J.L., Evans, C.D., Jenkins, A., Coull, M.C., Reynolds, B., Norris, D. and ferrier, R.C.(2007)  Spatial and seasonal variations in nitrogen leaching and acidity across four acid-impacted regions in the UK. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 185, 3-19.

Fenner N., Freeman, C., Lock, M.A., Harmens, H., Reynolds, B., and Sparks, T. (2007) Interactions between elevated CO2 and warming could amplify DOC exports from peatland catchments. Environmental Science and Technology, 41, 3146-3152.

Evans, C. D., C. Freeman, L. G. Cork, D. N. Thomas, B. Reynolds, M. F. Billett, M. H. Garnett, and D. Norris. (2007)  Evidence against recent climate-induced destabilisation of soil carbon from 14C analysis of riverine dissolved organic matter, Geophysical Research Letters, 34, L07407, doi:10.1029/2007GL029431.

Heywood, L., Skeffington, R., Whitehead, P. and Reynolds, B. (2007) Comparison of critical load exceedance and its uncertainty based on national and site-specific data. Water Air and Soil Pollution: Focus: 7, 391-397.

Lewis, B.R., Juttner, I., Reynolds, R. and Ormerod, S.J.  (2006) Comparative assessment of stream acidity using diatoms and macroinvertebrates: implications for river management and conservation. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 17(5), 502-519.

Reynolds, B. (2007) Implications of changing from grazed or semi-natural vegetation to forestry for carbon stores and fluxes in upland organo-mineral soils in the UK. Hydrology and Earth System Science, 11(1), 61-76.

Helliwell, R.C., Coull, M.C., Davies, J.J.L., Evans, C.D., Norris, D., Ferrier, R.C., Jenkins, A. and Reynolds, B. (2007) The role of catchment characteristics in determining surface water nitrogen in four upland regions in the UK.  Hydrology and Earth System Science, 11(1), 356-371.

Dowrick, D.J., Freeman, C., Lock, M.A. and Reynolds, B.  (2006) Sulphate reduction and the suppression of peatland methane emissions following summer drought. Geoderma, 132, 384-390.

Shackle, V., Freeman, C. and Reynolds, B. (2006) Exogenous enzyme supplements to promote treatment efficiency in constructed wetlands. Science of the Total Environment, 361, 18-24.

Curtis, C.J., Emmett, B.A., Reynolds, B. and Shilland, J.  (2006) How important is N2O production in removing atmospherically deposited nitrogen from UK moorland catchments? Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 38, 2081-2091.

Rowe, E.C., Evans, C.D., Emmett, B.A., Reynolds, B., Helliwell, R.C., Coull, M.C., and Curtis, C.J. (2006) Vegetation type affects the relationship between soil carbon to nitrogen ratio and nitrogen leaching. Water Air and Soil Pollution, 177, 335-347.

Jones, M.L.M., Reynolds, B., Brittain, S.A., Norris, D.A., Rhind, P.M. and Jones, R.E. (2006) Complex hydrological controls on wet sand dune slacks: The importance of local variability. Science of the Total Environment, 372, 266-277.

Evans, C.D., Reynolds, B., Jenkins, A., Helliwell, R.C., Curtis, C.J., Ferrier, R.C., Goodale, C.L., Emmett, B.A., Pilkington, M., Caporn, S.J.M., Carroll, J.A., Norris, D., Davies, J., & Coull, M.C. (2006) Evidence that soil carbon pool determines susceptibility of semi-natural ecosystems to nitrogen saturation. Ecosystems, 9(3), 453-462.

Heywood, E., Hall, J. and Reynolds, B. (2006) A review of uncertainties in the inputs to critical loads of acidity and nutrient nitrogen for woodland habitats. Environmental Science and Policy, 9, 78-88.