Professor Gary Bending
Professor of Environmental Microbiology
Deputy Head of School (Academic)
Email: Gary.Bending@warwick.ac.uk
Phone: 024 765 75057
Office: B117
Twitter: @garybending
Research Clusters
Plant and Agricultural Biosciences
Warwick Centres and GRPs
Warwick Environmental Systems Interdisciplinary Centre (WESIC)
Vacancies and Opportunities
For PhD and postdoctoral opportunities, and interest in potential collaborations, please contact me at the above email address.
Research Interests
My research group studies the diversity and roles of microbial communities inhabiting plants, soil and water. We work across a range of natural and agricultural systems. We take a broad approach to studying the biodiversity of microbiomes, with expertise in studying virus, bacterial, fungal, protist and nematode communities. We investigate the processes which control how complex microbial communities assemble, and the way this is influenced by factors such as plant species/ genotype, soil characteristics and climatic variables. A particular focus is unravelling how microbes interact with plants and the wider environment, including their contributions to plant health and the cycling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in soil.
We work with industry on a range of projects, including studying the environmental fate of chemicals such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals, and the way in which plant-associated microbial communities affect crop growth. We collaborate widely with researchers in the UK, Australia, Ireland and Sweden.
Research: Technical Summary
Several current research projects investigate the diversity and functioning of the rhizosphere microbiome. We take a holistic approach to understanding these communities, and have expertise in unravelling the interactions of viral, bacterial, fungal, protist and nematode communities with plants and the wider environment.
We are particularly interested in the ecology and functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses, including the recently discovered Mucoromycotinian arbuscular symbiosis which form characteristic fine root morphology within plant roots. Recently we have begun studying other plant endophytic fungal groups which may benefit plant health including Tetracladium spp.
Projects also investigate interactions between climate change and microbial communities which inhabit soil. This includes studying microbial communities which assemble at the soil surface and their role in protecting soil against erosion caused by extreme weather. We also study climate feedbacks associated with the effect of extreme weather on microbiota, including ectomycorrhizal fungi in forest soils.
Work with industry investigates factors which influence the environmental fate of chemicals such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals in the environment. This work focuses on improving the environmental realism of regulatory chemical testing regimes.
Work with collaborators at Warwick includes development of low cost environmental sensors for measuring greenhouse gas fluxes, identifying the fate of microplastics in streams, the stabilisation of engineered soils using microbiota, and microbial transformation of pollutants, including carbon monoxide, in the phyllosphere.
Since 2023: NERC Peer Review College Chair
Since 2021: Deputy Head (Academic), School of Life Sciences
Since 2021: Director, Warwick Environmental Systems Interdisciplinary Centre
Since 2021: Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment
Since 2014: Associate Editor, Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Since 2012: Member, NERC Peer Review College
2013-2018: Member, UK Government's Expert Committee on Pesticides
2011-2016: Member, BBSRC Pool of Experts
PhD Plant-Soil-Microbe Interactions, University of Sheffield
BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, University of Exeter
Bending, Gary D., Newman, Amy, Picot, Emma, Mushinski, Ryan M., Jones, Davey L. and Carré, Isabelle A. (2024) Diurnal rhythmicity in the rhizosphere microbiome — mechanistic insights and significance for rhizosphere function. Plant, Cell & Environment . doi:10.1111/pce.15283 ISSN 0140-7791. (In Press)
Lazar, Anna, Phillips, Richard P., Kivlin, Stephanie, Bending, Gary D. and Mushinski, Ryan M. (2024) Understanding the ecological versatility of Tetracladium species in temperate forest soils. Environmental Microbiology, 26 (11). e70001. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.70001 ISSN 1462-2912.
Seeliger, Mirjam, Hilton, Sally, Muscatt, George, Walker, Christopher, Bass, David, Albornoz, Felipe, Standish, Rachel J., Gray, Neil D., Mercy, Louis, Rempelos, Leonidas, Schneider, Carolin, Ryan, Megan H., Bilsborrow, Paul E. and Bending, Gary D. (2024) New fungal primers reveal the diversity of Mucoromycotinian arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and their response to nitrogen application. Environmental Microbiome, 19 (1). 71. doi:10.1186/s40793-024-00617-x ISSN 2524-6372.
Stride, Ben, Abolfathi, Soroush, Bending, Gary D. and Pearson, Jonathan M. (2024) Quantifying microplastic dispersion due to density effects. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 466 . 133440. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133440 ISSN 0304-3894.
Liu, Zihao, Fang, Jie, He, Yucheng, Bending, Gary D., Song, Bin, Guo, Yaping, Wang, Xiaojie, Fang, Zemin and Adams, Jonathan M. (2024) Distinct biogeographic patterns in Glomeromycotinian and Mucoromycotinian arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi across China : a meta-analysis. Science of The Total Environment, 912 . 168907. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168907 ISSN 0048-9697.
Muscatt, George, Cook, Ryan, Millard, Andrew, Bending, Gary D. and Jameson, Eleanor (2023) Viral metagenomics reveals diverse virus-host interactions throughout the soil depth profile. mBio, 14 (6). e02246. doi:10.1128/mbio.02246-23 ISSN 2150-7511.
Stride, Ben, Dykes, Charlotte, Abolfathi, Soroush, Jimoh, Modupe, Bending, Gary D. and Pearson, Jonathan M. (2023) Microplastic transport dynamics in surcharging and overflowing manholes. Science of The Total Environment, 899 . 165683. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165683 ISSN 0048-9697.
Purchase, Megan L., Bending, Gary D. and Mushinski, Ryan M. (2023) Spatiotemporal variations of soil reactive nitrogen oxide fluxes across the anthropogenic landscape. Environmental Science & Technology, 57 (43). pp. 16348-16360. doi:10.1021/acs.est.3c05849 ISSN 0013-936X.
Stride, Ben, Dykes, Charlotte, Abolfathi, Soroush, Jimoh, Modupe, Bending, Gary D. and Pearson, Jonathan M. (2023) Datasets to support: 'Microplastic transport dynamics in surcharging and overflowing manholes'. [Dataset]
Southwell, Rebecca V., Hilton, Sally L., Pearson, Jonathan M., Hand, Laurence H. and Bending, Gary D. (2023) Water flow plays a key role in determining chemical biodegradation in water-sediment systems. Science of The Total Environment, 880 . 163282. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163282 ISSN 0048-9697.
Mansfield, Thomas M., Albornoz, Felipe E., Ryan, Megan H., Bending, Gary D. and Standish, Rachel J. (2023) Niche differentiation of Mucoromycotinian and Glomeromycotinian arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi along a 2-million-year soil chronosequence. Mycorrhiza, 33 . pp. 139-152. doi:10.1007/s00572-023-01111-x ISSN 0940-6360.
Stride, Ben, Abolfathi, Soroush, Odara, M. G. N., Bending, Gary D. and Pearson, Jonathan M. (2023) Modeling microplastic and solute transport in vegetated flows. Water Resources Research, 59 (5). e2023WR034653.. doi:10.1029/2023WR034653 ISSN 0043-1397.
Hassan, Sammy S., Mushinski, Ryan M., Amede, Tilahun, Bending, Gary D. and Covington, James A. (2023) Integrated probe system for measuring soil carbon dioxide concentrations. Sensors, 23 (5). 2580. doi:10.3390/s23052580 ISSN 1424-8220.
Hassan, Sammy S., Mushinski, Ryan M., Amede, Tilahun, Covington, James A. and Bending, Gary D. (2023) Data for Integrated probe system for measuring soil carbon dioxide concentrations. [Dataset]
Stride, Ben, Abolfathi, Soroush , Odara, N. O. M., Bending, Gary D. and Pearson, Jonathan M. (2023) Modelling microplastic and solute transport in vegetated flows. Water Resources Research . (Submitted)
Muscatt, George, Hilton, Sally, Raguideau, Sébastien, Teakle, Graham R., Lidbury, Ian, Wellington, Elizabeth M. H., Quince, Christopher, Millard, Andrew D., Bending, Gary D. and Jameson, Eleanor (2022) Crop management shapes the diversity and activity of DNA and RNA viruses in the rhizosphere. Microbiome, 10 (1). 181. doi:10.1186/s40168-022-01371-3 ISSN 2049-2618.
Newman, Amy, Picot, Emma, Davies, Sian, Hilton, Sally, Carré, Isabelle A. and Bending, Gary D. (2022) Circadian rhythms in the plant host influence rhythmicity of rhizosphere microbiota. BMC Biology, 20 (1). 235. doi:10.1186/s12915-022-01430-z ISSN 1741-7007.
Brown, Robert W., Chadwick, David R., Bending, Gary D., Collins, Chris D., Whelton, Helen L., Daulton, Emma, Covington, James A., Bull, Ian D. and Jones, Davey L. (2022) Nutrient (C, N and P) enrichment induces significant changes in the soil metabolite profile and microbial carbon partitioning. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 172 . 108779. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108779 ISSN 0038-0717.
Lidbury, Ian, Raguideau, Sébastien, Borsetto, Chiara, Murphy, Andrew R. J., Bottrill, Andrew R., Liu, Senlin, Stark, Richard Jan, Fraser, Tandra, Goodall, Andrew, Jones, Alexandra M., Bending, Gary D., Tibbetts, Mark, Hammond, John P., Quince, Chris, Scanlan, David J. , Pandhal, Jagroop and Wellington, Elizabeth M. H. (2022) Stimulation of distinct rhizosphere bacteria drives phosphorus and nitrogen mineralization in oilseed rape under field conditions. mSystems, 7 (4). doi:10.1128/msystems.00025-22 ISSN 2379-5077.
Lazar, Anna, Mushinski, Ryan and Bending, G. D. (2022) Landscape scale ecology of Tetracladium spp. fungal root endophytes. Environmental Microbiome, 17 . doi:10.1186/s40793-022-00431-3 ISSN 2524-6372.
Hallett, Paul D., Marin, Maria, Bending, G. D., George, Timothy S., Collins, Chris D. and Otten, Wilfred (2022) Building soil sustainability from root–soil interface traits. Trends in Plant Science, 27 (7). pp. 688-698. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2022.01.010 ISSN 1360-1385.
Murphy, Andrew, Scanlan, David J. , Chen, Yin, Bending, G. D., Hammond, John P., Wellington, Elizabeth M. H. and Lidbury, Ian (2022) 2-Aminoethylphosphonate utilization in pseudomonas putida BIRD-1 is controlled by multiple master regulators. Environmental Microbiology, 24 (4). pp. 1902-1917. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15959 ISSN 1462-2912.
Kirkman, Eleanor R., Hilton, Sally, Sethuraman, Gomathy, Elias, Dafydd M. O., Taylor, Andrew, Clarkson, John P., Soh, Aik Chin, Bass, David, Ooi, Gin Teng, McNamara, Niall P. and Bending, G. D. (2022) Diversity and ecological guild analysis of the oil palm fungal microbiome across root, rhizosphere, and soil compartments. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13 . 792928. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.792928 ISSN 1664-302X.
Albornoz, Felipe E., Ryan, Megan H., Bending, G. D., Hilton, Sally, Dickie, Ian A., Gleeson, Deirdre B. and Standish, Rachel J. (2022) Agricultural land-use favours Mucoromycotinian, but not Glomeromycotinian, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi across ten biomes. The New Phytologist, 233 (3). pp. 1369-1382. doi:10.1111/nph.17780 ISSN 1469-8137.
Gleeson, Deirdre B., Martin, Belinda C., Lardner, Tim, Ball, Andrew S., Grice, Kliti, Holman, Alex I., Trolove, Alastair, Manix, Megan, Tibbett, Mark, Bending, G. D., Hilton, Sally and Ryan, Megan H. (2021) Natural attenuation of legacy hydrocarbon spills in pristine soils is feasible despite difficult environmental conditions in the monsoon tropics. Science of The Total Environment, 799 . 149335. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149335 ISSN 0048-9697.
Palmer, Jess, Hilton, Sally, Picot, Emma, Bending, G. D. and Schäfer, Hendrik (2021) Tree phyllospheres are a habitat for diverse populations of CO-oxidizing bacteria. Environmental Microbiology, 23 (10). pp. 6309-6327. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15770 ISSN 1462-2912.
Murphy, Andrew, Scanlan, David J. , Chen, Yin, Adams, Nathan B. P., Cadman, William A., Bottrill, Andrew R., Bending, G. D., Hammond, John P., Hitchcock, Andrew, Wellington, Elizabeth M. H. and Lidbury, Ian D. E. A. (2021) Transporter characterisation reveals aminoethylphosphonate mineralisation as a key step in the marine phosphorus redox cycle. Nature Communications, 12 (1). 4554. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-24646-z ISSN 2041-1723.
Albornoz, Felipe E., Orchard, Suzanne, Standish, Rachel J., Dickie, Ian A., Bending, G. D., Hilton, Sally, Lardner, Tim, Foster, Kevin J., Gleeson, Deirdre B., Bougoure, Jeremy, Barbetti, Martin J., You, Ming Pei and Ryan, Megan H. (2021) Evidence for niche differentiation in the environmental responses of co-occurring mucoromycotinian fine root endophytes and glomeromycotinian arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Microbial Ecology, 81 . pp. 864-873. doi:10.1007/s00248-020-01628-0 ISSN 0095-3628.
Picot, Emma, Hale, Chris C., Hilton, Sally, Teakle, Graham R., Schäfer, Hendrik, Huang, Yong-Ju, Perryman, Sarah, West, Jon S. and Bending, G. D. (2021) Contrasting responses of rhizosphere bacterial, fungal, protist, and nematode communities to nitrogen fertilization and crop genotype in field grown oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5 . 613269. doi:10.3389/fsufs.2021.613269 ISSN 2571-581X.
Lidbury, Ian, Borsetto, Chiara, Murphy, Andrew, Bottrill, Andrew R., Jones, Alexandra M., Bending, G. D., Hammond, John P., Chen, Yin, Wellington, Elizabeth M. H. and Scanlan, David J. (2021) Niche-adaptation in plant-associated Bacteroidetes favours specialisation in organic phosphorus mineralisation. ISME Journal, 15 . pp. 1040-1055. doi:10.1038/s41396-020-00829-2 ISSN 1751-7362.
Hilton, Sally, Picot, Emma, Schreiter, Susanne, Bass, David, Norman, Keith, Oliver, Anna E., Moore, Jonathan D., Mauchline, Tim H., Mills, Peter R., Teakle, Graham R., Clark, Ian. M., Hirsch, Penny. R., van der Gast, Christopher J. and Bending, G. D. (2021) Identification of microbial signatures linked to oilseed rape yield decline at the landscape scale. Microbiome, 9 . 19. doi:10.1186/s40168-020-00972-0 ISSN 2049-2618.
Durr, Julius, Reyt, Guilhem, Spaepen, Stijn, Hilton, Sally, Meehan, Cathal, Qi, Wu, Kamiya, Takehiro, Flis, Paulina, Dickinson, Hugh G., Feher, Attila, Shivshankar, Umashankar, Pavagadhi, Shruti, Swarup, Sanjay, Salter, David, Bending, G. D. and Gutierrez-Marcos, José F. (2021) A novel signaling pathway required for Arabidopsis endodermal root organization shapes the Rhizosphere microbiome. Plant and Cell Physiology, 62 (2). pp. 248-261. doi:10.1093/pcp/pcaa170 ISSN 1471-9053.
Cook, Sarah, Price, Oliver, King, Andrew, Finnegan, Chris, van Egmond, Roger, Schäfer, Hendrik, Pearson, Jonathan M., Abolfathi, Soroush and Bending, G. D. (2020) Bedform characteristics and biofilm community development interact to modify hyporheic exchange. Science of The Total Environment, 749 . 141397. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141397 ISSN 0048-9697.
Albornoz, Felipe E., Hayes, Patrick E., Orchard, Suzanne, Clode, Peta L., Nazeri, Nazanin, Standish, Rachel J., Dickie, Ian A., Bending, G. D., Hilton, Sally and Ryan, Megan H. (2020) First cryo-scanning electron microscopy images and X-ray microanalyses of mucoromycotinian fine root endophytes in vascular plants. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11 . 2018. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2020.02018 ISSN 1664-302X.
Southwell, Rebecca V., Hilton, Sally L., Pearson, Jonathan M., Hand, Laurence H. and Bending, G. D. (2020) Inclusion of seasonal variation in river system microbial communities and phototroph activity increases environmental relevance of laboratory chemical persistence tests. Science of The Total Environment, 733 . 139070. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139070 ISSN 0048-9697.
Cook, Sarah, Chan, Hui-Ling, Abolfathi, Soroush, Bending, G. D., Schäfer, Hendrik and Pearson, Jonathan M. (2020) Data for Longitudinal dispersion of microplastics in aquatic flows using fluorometric techniques. [Dataset]
Cook, Sarah, Chan, Hui-Ling, Abolfathi, Soroush, Bending, G. D., Schäfer, Hendrik and Pearson, Jonathan M. (2020) Longitudinal dispersion of microplastics in aquatic flows using fluorometric techniques. Water Research, 170 . 115337. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2019.115337 ISSN 0043-1354.
Jamy, Mahwash, Foster, Rachel, Barbera, Pierre, Czech, Lucas, Kozlov, Alexey, Stamatakis, Alexandros, Bending, G. D., Hilton, Sally, Bass, David and Burki, Fabien (2020) Long-read metabarcoding of the eukaryotic rDNA operon to phylogenetically and taxonomically resolve environmental diversity. Molecular Ecology Resources, 20 (2). pp. 429-443. doi:10.1111/1755-0998.13117 ISSN 1755-098X.
Bennett, Amanda J., Hilton, Sally, Chandler, Dave, Mills, Peter and Bending, G. D. (2020) Relationships between yield, rotation length, and abundance of Olpidium brassicae and Pyrenochaeta sp. in the rhizosphere of oilseed rape. Applied Soil Ecology, 147 . p. 103433. doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.103433 ISSN 0929-1393.
Norton, Briony A., Bending, G. D., Clark, Rachel, Corstanje, Ron, Dunnett, Nigel, Evans, Karl L., Grafius, Darren R., Gravestock, Emily, Grice, Samuel M., Harris, Jim A., Hilton, Sally, Hoyle, Helen, Lim, Edward, Mercer, Theresa G., Pawlett, Mark, Pescott, Oliver L., Richards, J. Paul, Southon, Georgina E. and Warren, Philip H. (2019) Urban meadows as an alternative to short mown grassland : effects of composition and height on biodiversity. Ecological Applications, 29 (6). e01946. doi:10.1002/eap.1946 ISSN 1939-5582.
Barnes, Christopher J., van der Gast, Christopher J., McNamara, Niall P., Rowe, Rebecca and Bending, G. D. (2018) Extreme rainfall affects assembly of the root-associated fungal community. New Phytologist, 220 (4). pp. 1172-1184. doi:10.1111/nph.14990 ISSN 0028-646X.
Wibowo, Anjar, Becker, Claude, Durr, Julius, Price, Jonathan, Spaepen, Stijn, Hilton, Sally, Putra, Hadi, Papareddy, Ranjith, Saintain, Quentin, Harvey, Sarah, Bending, G. D., Schulze-Lefert, Paul, Weigel, Detlef and Gutierrez-Marcos, José F. (2018) Partial maintenance of organ-specific epigenetic marks during plant asexual reproduction leads to heritable phenotypic variation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (39). E9145-E9152. doi:10.1073/pnas.1805371115 ISSN 0027-8424.
Hilton, Sally, Bennett, Amanda J., Chandler, Dave, Mills, P. R. and Bending, G. D. (2018) Preceding crop and seasonal effects influence fungal, bacterial and nematode diversity in wheat and oilseed rape rhizosphere and soil. Applied Soil Ecology, 126 . pp. 34-46. doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2018.02.007 ISSN 0929-1393.
Bass, David, van der Gast, Christopher, Thomson, Serena K., Neuhauser, Sigrid, Hilton, Sally and Bending, G. D. (2018) Plant rhizosphere selection of plasmodiophorid lineages from bulk soil : the importance of “hidden” diversity. Frontiers in Microbiology, 9 . 168. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2018.00168 ISSN 1664-302X.
Gosling, Paul, van der Gast, Christopher J. and Bending, G. D. (2017) Converting highly productive arable cropland in Europe to grassland : – a poor candidate for carbon sequestration. Scientific Reports, 7 (1). 10493. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-11083-6 ISSN 2045-2322.
Elias, Dafydd M. O., Rowe, Rebecca L., Pereira, M. Glória, Stott, Andrew W., Barnes, Christopher J., Bending, G. D. and McNamara, Niall P. (2017) Functional differences in the microbial processing of recent assimilates under two contrasting perennial bioenergy plantations. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 114 . pp. 248-262. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.07.026 ISSN 0038-0717.
Lidbury, Ian, Fraser, Tandra, Murphy, Andrew, Scanlan, David J., Bending, G. D., Jones, Alexandra M., Moore, Jonathan D., Goodall, Andrew, Tibbett, Mark, Hammond, John P. and Wellington, E. M. H. (2017) The ‘known’ genetic potential for microbial communities to degrade organic phosphorus is reduced in low-pH soils. MicrobiologyOpen . e00474. doi:10.1002/mbo3.474 ISSN 2045-8827.
Lidbury, Ian, Murphy, Andrew, Fraser, Tandra D., Bending, G. D., Jones, Alexandra M., Moore, Jonathan D., Goodall, Andrew, Tibbetts, Mark, Hammond, John P., Scanlan, David J. and Wellington, E. M. H. (2017) Identification of extracellular glycerophosphodiesterases in Pseudomonas and their role in soil organic phosphorus remineralisation. Scientific Reports, 7 (1). 2179. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-02327-6 ISSN 2045-2322.
Orchard, Suzanne, Hilton, Sally, Bending, G. D., Dickie, Ian A., Standish, Rachel J., Gleeson, Deirdre B., Jeffery, Robert P., Powell, Jeff R., Walker, Christopher, Bass, David, Monk, Jana, Simonin, Anna and Ryan, Megan H. (2017) Fine endophytes (Glomus tenue) are related to Mucoromycotina, not Glomeromycota. New Phytologist, 213 (2). pp. 481-486. doi:10.1111/nph.14268 ISSN 0028-646X.
Kowalczyk, Agnieszka, Price, Oliver R., van der Gast, Christopher J., Finnegan, Christopher J., van Egmond, Roger A., Schäfer, Hendrik and Bending, G. D. (2016) Spatial and temporal variability in the potential of river water biofilms to degrade p-nitrophenol. Chemosphere, 164 . pp. 355-362. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.08.095 ISSN 0045-6535.
Álvarez-Martín, Alba, Hilton, Sally, Bending, G. D., Rodríguez-Cruz, M. Sonia and Sánchez-Martín, M. Jesús (2016) Changes in activity and structure of the soil microbial community after application of azoxystrobin or pirimicarb and an organic amendment to an agricultural soil. Applied Soil Ecology, 106 . pp. 47-57. doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.05.005 ISSN 0929-1393.
Lidbury, Ian, Murphy, Andrew, Scanlan, David J., Bending, G. D., Jones, Alexandra M., Moore, Jonathan D., Goodall, Amanda, Hammond, John P. and Wellington, E. M. H. (2016) Comparative genomic, proteomic and exoproteomic analyses of three Pseudomonas strains reveals novel insights into the phosphorus scavenging capabilities of soil bacteria. Environmental Microbiology, 18 (10). pp. 3535-3549. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.13390 ISSN 1462-2912.
Barnes, Christopher J., Burns, Caitlin A., van der Gast, Christopher J., McNamara, Niall P. and Bending, G. D. (2016) Spatio-temporal variation of core and satellite arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus communities in Miscanthus giganteus. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7 . 1278. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.01278 ISSN 1664-302X.
McClean, Gary J., Meredith, Will, Cross, Andrew, Heal, Kate V., Bending, G. D. and Sohi, Saran P. (2016) The priming potential of environmentally weathered pyrogenic carbon during land-use transition to biomass crop production. GCB Bioenergy, 8 (4). pp. 805-817. doi:10.1111/gcbb.12293 ISSN 17571693.
Barnes, Christopher J., van der Gast, Christopher J., Burns, Caitlin A., McNamara, Niall P. and Bending, G. D. (2016) Temporally variable geographical distance effects contribute to the assembly of root-associated fungal communities. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7 . pp. 1-13. 195. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00195 ISSN 1664-302X.
Gosling, Paul, Jones, Julie and Bending, G. D. (2016) Evidence for functional redundancy in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and implications for agroecosystem management. Mycorrhiza, 26 (1). pp. 77-83. doi:10.1007/s00572-015-0651-6 ISSN 0940-6360.
McClean, Gary J., Rowe, Rebecca L., Heal, Kate V., Cross, Andrew, Bending, G. D. and Sohi, Saran P. (2015) An empirical model approach for assessing soil organic carbon stock changes following biomass crop establishment in Britain. Biomass and Bioenergy, 83 . pp. 141-151. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2015.09.005 ISSN 0961-9534.
Kowalczyk, Agnieszka, Eyice, Özge, Schäfer, Hendrik, Price, Oliver R, Finnegan, Christopher J., van Egmond, Roger A., Shaw, Liz J., Barrett, Glyn and Bending, G. D. (2015) Characterization of para-nitrophenol degrading bacterial communities in river water using functional markers and stable isotope probing. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 81 (19). pp. 6890-6900. AEM.01794-15. doi:10.1128/AEM.01794-15 ISSN 0099-2240.
Taylor, Andrew, Pereira, Nicole, Thomas, Brian, Pink, David A. C., Jones, Julie and Bending, G. D. (2015) Growth and nutritional responses to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are dependent on onion genotype and fungal species. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 51 (7). pp. 801-813. doi:10.1007/s00374-015-1027-y ISSN 0178-2762.
Kowalczyk, Agnieszka, Martin, Timothy James, Price, Oliver Richard, Snape, Jason, van Egmond, Roger Albert, Finnegan, Christopher James, Schäfer, Hendrik, Davenport, Russell James and Bending, G. D. (2015) Refinement of biodegradation tests methodologies and the proposed utility of new microbial ecology techniques. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 111 . pp. 9-22. doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.09.021 ISSN 0147-6513.
Perez-Brandan, Carolina, Arzeno, Jose Luis, Huidobro, Jorgelina, Conforto, Cinthia, Grumberg, Betiana, Hilton, Sally, Bending, G. D., Meriles, Jose Manuel and Vargas-Gil, Silvina (2015) The effect of crop sequences on soil microbial, chemical and physical indicators and its relationship with soybean sudden death syndrome (complex of Fusarium species). Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research , Volume 12 (Number 1). p. 252. doi:10.5424/sjar/2014121-4654 ISSN 1695-971X.
Bennett, Amanda J., Hilton, Sally, Bending, G. D., Chandler, Dave and Mills, P. R. (2014) Impact of fresh root material and mature crop residues of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) on microbial communities associated with subsequent oilseed rape. Biology and Fertility of Soils, Volume 50 (Number 8). pp. 1267-1279. doi:10.1007/s00374-014-0934-7 ISSN 0178-2762.
Howell, Christopher Carl, Hilton, Sally, Semple, Kirk T. and Bending, G. D. (2014) Resistance and resilience responses of a range of soil eukaryote and bacterial taxa to fungicide application. Chemosphere, Volume 112 . pp. 194-202. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.03.031 ISSN 0045-6535.
Hazard, Christina, Boots, Bas, Keith, Aidan M., Mitchell, Derek T., Schmidt, Olaf, Doohan, Fiona M. and Bending, G. D. (2014) Temporal variation outweighs effects of biosolids applications in shaping arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities on plants grown in pasture and arable soils. Applied Soil Ecology, Volume 82 . pp. 52-60. doi:10.1016/j.apsoil.2014.05.007 ISSN 0929-1393.
Prayogo, Cahyo, Jones, Julie, Baeyens, Jan and Bending, G. D. (2014) Impact of biochar on mineralisation of C and N from soil and willow litter and its relationship with microbial community biomass and structure. Biology and Fertility of Soils, Volume 50 (Number 4). pp. 695-702. doi:10.1007/s00374-013-0884-5 ISSN 0178-2762.
Hazard, Christina, Gosling, Paul, Mitchell, Derek T., Doohan, Fiona M. and Bending, G. D. (2014) Diversity of fungi associated with hair roots of ericaceous plants is affected by land use. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Volume 87 (Number 3). pp. 586-600. doi:10.1111/1574-6941.12247 ISSN 0168-6496.
Hunter, Paul J., Teakle, Graham R. and Bending, G. D. (2014) Root traits and microbial community interactions in relation to phosphorus availability and acquisition, with particular reference to Brassica. Frontiers in Plant Science, Volume 5 . doi:10.3389/fpls.2014.00027 ISSN 1664-462X.
Taylor, Andrew, Walker, Christopher and Bending, G. D. (2014) Dimorphic spore production in the genus Acaulospora. Mycoscience, Volume 55 (Number 1). pp. 1-4. doi:10.1016/j.myc.2013.03.001 ISSN 13403540.
Howell, Christopher Carl, Semple, Kirk T. and Bending, G. D. (2014) Isolation and characterisation of azoxystrobin degrading bacteria from soil. Chemosphere, Volume 95 . pp. 370-378. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.09.048 ISSN 0045-6535.
Davies, Lawrence O., Bramke, Irene, France, Emma, Marshall, Samantha, Oliver, Robin, Nichols, Carol, Schäfer, Hendrik and Bending, G. D. (2013) Non-UV light influences the degradation rate of crop protection products. Environmental Science & Technology, Volume 47 (Number 15). p. 130712083104003. doi:10.1021/es402139x ISSN 0013-936X.
Aspray, T. J., Jones, E. Eirian, Davies, M. W, Shipman, Michael and Bending, G. D. (2013) Increased hyphal branching and growth of ectomycorrhizal fungus Lactarius rufus by the helper bacterium Paenibacillus sp. Mycorrhiza, Volume 23 (Number 5). pp. 403-410. doi:10.1007/s00572-013-0483-1 ISSN 0940-6360.
Sopena-Vazquez, Fatima and Bending, G. D. (2013) Impacts of biochar on bioavailability of the fungicide azoxystrobin : a comparison of the effect on biodegradation rate and toxicity to the fungal community. Chemosphere, Volume 91 (Number 11). pp. 1525-1533. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.12.031 ISSN 0045-6535.
Gosling, Paul, Parsons, Nicholas R. and Bending, G. D. (2013) What are the primary factors controlling the light fraction and particulate soil organic matter content of agricultural soils? Biology and Fertility of Soils, Volume 49 (Number 8). pp. 1001-1014. doi:10.1007/s00374-013-0791-9 ISSN 0178-2762.
Hilton, Sally, Bennett, Amanda J., Keane, Gary, Bending, G. D., Chandler, David, Stobart, Ron and Mills, P. R. (2013) Impact of shortened crop rotation of oilseed rape on soil and rhizosphere microbial diversity in relation to yield decline. PLoS One, Volume 8 (Number 4). e59859. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0059859 ISSN 1932-6203.
Gosling, Paul, Mead, A. (Andrew), Proctor, Maude, Hammond, John P. and Bending, G. D. (2013) Contrasting arbuscular mycorrhizal communities colonizing different host plants show a similar response to a soil phosphorus concentration gradient. New Phytologist, Volume 198 (Number 2). pp. 546-556. doi:10.1111/nph.12169 ISSN 0028-646X.
Hazard, Christina, Gosling, Paul, van der Gast, Christopher J., Mitchell, Derek T., Doohan, Fiona M. and Bending, G. D. (2013) The role of local environment and geographical distance in determining community composition of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at the landscape scale. The ISME Journal, Volume 7 (Number 3). pp. 498-508. doi:10.1038/ismej.2012.127 ISSN 1751-7362.
Gosling, Paul, Proctor, Maude, Jones, Julie and Bending, G. D. (2013) Distribution and diversity of Paraglomus spp. in tilled agricultural soils. Mycorrhiza, Volume 24 (Number 1). pp. 1-11. doi:10.1007/s00572-013-0505-z ISSN 0940-6360.
Semple, Kirk T., Riding, Matthew J., McAllister, Laura E., Sopena-Vazquez, Fatima and Bending, G. D. (2013) Impact of black carbon on the bioaccessibility of organic contaminants in soil. Journal of Hazardous Materials, Volume 261 . pp. 808-816. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2013.03.032 ISSN 0304-3894.
Davies, Lawrence O., Schäfer, Hendrik, Marshall, Samantha, Bramke, Irene, Oliver, Robin G. and Bending, G. D. (2013) Light structures phototroph, bacterial and fungal communities at the soil surface. PLoS One, Volume 8 (Number 7). Article number e69048. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069048 ISSN 1932-6203.
Perez-Brandán, Carolina, Arzeno, José L., Huidobro, Jorgelina, Grümberg, Betiana, Conforto, Cinthia, Hilton, Sally, Bending, G. D., Meriles, José M. and Vargas-Gil, Silvina (2012) Long-term effect of tillage systems on soil microbiological, chemical and physical parameters and the incidence of charcoal rot by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid in soybean. Crop Protection, Volume 40 . pp. 73-82. doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2012.04.018 ISSN 02612194.
Sopeña, Fatima, Semple, Kirk, Sohi, Saran and Bending, G. D. (2012) Assessing the chemical and biological accessibility of the herbicide isoproturon in soil amended with biochar. Chemosphere, Vol.88 (No.1). pp. 77-83. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.02.066 ISSN 0045-6535.
Keith, Aidan. M., Boots, Bas, Hazard, Christina, Niechoj, Robin, Arroyo, Julio, Bending, G. D., Bolger, Tom, Breen, John, Clipson, Nicholas, Doohan, Fiona M., Griffin, Christine T. and Schmidt, Olaf (2012) Cross-taxa congruence, indicators and environmental gradients in soils under agricultural and extensive land management. European Journal of Soil Biology, Vol.49 . pp. 55-62. doi:10.1016/j.ejsobi.2011.08.002 ISSN 1164-5563.
Rooney, D.C., Prosser, J.I., Bending, G. D., Baggs, E.M., Killham, K. and Hodge, A. (2011) Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonisation on the growth and phosphorus nutrition of populus euramericana c.v. ghoy. Biomass and Bioenergy, 35 (11). pp. 4605-4612. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.08.015 ISSN 0961-9534.
España, Mingrelia, Rasche, Frank, Kandeler, Ellen, Brune, Thomas, Rodriguez, Belkys, Bending, G. D. and Cadisch, G. (Georg) (2011) Assessing the effect of organic residue quality on active decomposing fungi in a tropical Vertisol using 15N-DNA stable isotope probing. Fungal Ecology, Vol.4 (No.1). pp. 115-119. doi:10.1016/j.funeco.2010.09.005 ISSN 1754-5048.
van der Gast, Christopher J., Gosling, Paul, Tiwari, Bela and Bending, G. D. (2011) Spatial scaling of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity is affected by farming practice. Environmental Microbiology, Vol.13 (No.1). pp. 241-249. doi:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2010.02326.x ISSN 14622912.
España, Mingrelia, Rasche, Frank, Kandeler, Ellen, Brune, Thomas, Rodriguez, Belkis, Bending, G. D. and Cadisch, G. (Georg) (2011) Identification of active bacteria involved in decomposition of complex maize and soybean residues in a tropical Vertisol using 15N-DNA stable isotope probing. Pedobiologia, Vol.54 (No.3). pp. 187-193. doi:10.1016/j.pedobi.2011.03.001 ISSN 0031-4056.
Bennett, Amanda J., Bending, G. D., Chandler, Dave, Hilton, Sally and Mills, P. R. (2011) Meeting the demand for crop production : the challenge of yield decline in crops grown in short rotations. Biological Reviews, Vol.87 (No.1). pp. 52-71. doi:10.1111/j.1469-185X.2011.00184.x ISSN 1464-7931.
Hunter, Paul J., Hand, Paul, Pink, David, Whipps, John M. and Bending, G. D. (2010) Both leaf properties and microbe-microbe interactions influence within-species variation in bacterial population diversity and structure in the lettuce (lactuca species) phyllosphere. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol.76 (No.24). pp. 8117-8125. doi:10.1128/AEM.01321-10 ISSN 0099-2240.
Gosling, Paul, Ozaki, Ayako, Jones, Julie, Turner, Mary, Rayns, Francis and Bending, G. D. (2010) Organic management of tilled agricultural soils results in a rapid increase in colonisation potential and spore populations of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Vol.139 (No.1-2). pp. 273-279. doi:10.1016/j.agee.2010.08.013 ISSN 0167-8809.
Ahmad, Mark, Taylor, C. R. (Charles R.), Pink, David, Burton, Kerry S., Eastwood, Daniel C., Bending, G. D. and Bugg, Tim (2010) Development of novel assays for lignin degradation : comparative analysis of bacterial and fungal lignin degraders. Molecular BioSystems, Vol.6 (No.5). pp. 815-821. doi:10.1039/b908966g ISSN 1742-206X.
Rodríguez Cruz, M. Sonia , Baelum, Jacob, Shaw, Liz J., Sørensen, Sebastian R., Shi, Shengjing, Aspray, Thomas J., Jacobsen, Carsten S. and Bending, G. D. (2010) Biodegradation of the herbicide mecoprop-p with soil depth and its relationship with class III tfdA genes. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, Vol.42 (No.1). pp. 32-39. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.09.018 ISSN 0038-0717.
Rooney, Deirdre C., Killham, Ken, Bending, G. D., Baggs, Elizabeth, Weih, Martin and Hodge, Angela (2009) Mycorrhizas and biomass crops: opportunities for future sustainable development. Trends in Plant Science, Vol.14 (No.10). pp. 542-549. doi:10.1016/j.tplants.2009.08.004 ISSN 1360-1385.
Rahn, C. (Clive), Bending, G. D., Lillywhite, Robert and Turner, Mary K. (2009) Co-incorporation of biodegradable wastes with crop residues to reduce nitrate pollution of groundwater and decrease waste disposal to landfill. Soil Use and Management, Vol.25 (No.2). pp. 113-123. doi:10.1111/j.1475-2743.2009.00201.x ISSN 0266-0032.
Thakuria, Dwipendra, Talukdar, Narayan C. , Goswami, Chandan, Hazarika, Samarendra, Kalita, Mohan C. and Bending, G. D. (2009) Evaluation of rice–legume–rice cropping system on grain yield, nutrient uptake, nitrogen fixation, and chemical, physical, and biological properties of soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils , Vol.45 (No.3). doi:10.1007/s00374-008-0320-4 ISSN 0178-2762.
Bending, G. D. and Turner, Mary K. (2009) Incorporation of nitrogen from crop residues into light fraction organic matter in soils with contrasting management histories. Biology and Fertility of Soils, Vol.45 (No.3). pp. 281-287. doi:10.1007/s00374-008-0326-y ISSN 0178-2762.
Joanisse, G. D., Bradley, R. L., Preston, C. M. and Bending, G. D. (2009) Sequestration of soil nitrogen as tannin-protein complexes may improve the competitive ability of sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) relative to black spruce (Picea mariana). New Phytologist, Vol.181 (No.1). pp. 187-198. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02622.x ISSN 0028-646X.
Whipps, J. M., Hand, Paul, Pink, David and Bending, G. D. (2008) Phyllosphere microbiology with special reference to diversity and plant genotype. Journal of Applied Microbiology, Vol.105 (No.6). pp. 1744-1755. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2672.2008.03906.x ISSN 1364-5072.
Rodríguez Cruz, M. Sonia , Jones, Julie E. and Bending, G. D. (2008) Study of the spatial variation of the biodegradation rate of the herbicide bentazone with soil depth using contrasting incubation methods. Chemosphere, Vol.73 (No.8). pp. 1211-1215. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.07.044 ISSN 0045-6535.
Whipps, John M., Hand, Paul, Pink , David and Bending, G. D. (2008) Human pathogens and the phyllosphere. Advances in Applied Microbiology, Vol.64 . pp. 183-221. ISSN 0065-2164 doi:10.1016/S0065-2164(08)00407-3
Chandler, Dave, Bending, G. D., Clarkson, John P., Davidson, G. (Gill), Hall, S., Mills, P. R., Pink, David, Skirvin, David J., Neve, Paul, Kennedy, Richard, Greaves, Justin, Grant, Wyn and Collier, R. H. (2008) The consequences of the ‘cut off’ criteria for pesticides : alternative methods of cultivation. Brussels: European Parliament. (Policy Department B : Structural and Cohesion Policies).
Bending, G. D., Rodriguez-Cruz, M. Sonia and Lincoln, Suzanne D. (2007) Fungicide impacts on microbial communities in soils with contrasting management histories. Chemosphere, Vol.69 (No.1). pp. 82-88. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.04.042 ISSN 0045-6535.
Bending, G. D. (2007) What are the mechanisms and specificity of mycorrhization helper bacteria? New Phytologist, Volume 174 (Number 4). pp. 707-710. ISSN 0028-646X doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02076.x
Shi, Shengjing and Bending, G. D. (2007) Changes to the structure of Sphingomonas spp. communities associated with biodegradation of the herbicide isoproturon in soil. FEMS Microbiology Letters, Vol.269 (No.1). pp. 110-116. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00621.x ISSN 0378-1097.
King-Salter, G., Mitchell, D., Bending, G. D., Gosling, Paul and Culleton, N. (2007) Response of arbuscular mycorrhizal communities to seasonality and long-term phosphate application. In: Annual Main Meeting of the Society for Experimental Biology, Glasgow, Scotland, March 31 - April 4, 2007. Published in: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, Vol.146 (No.4 Supplement). S220-S220. doi:10.1016/j.cbpa.2007.01.482 ISSN 1095-6433.
Bending, G. D. and Rodriguez-Cruz, M. Sonia (2007) Microbial aspects of the interaction between soil depth and biodegradation of the herbicide isoproturon. Chemosphere, Volume 66 (Number 4). pp. 664-671. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.07.099 ISSN 0045-6535.
Rodriguez-Cruz, M. Sonia, Jones, Julie E. and Bending, G. D. (2006) Field-scale study of the variability in pesticide biodegradation with soil depth and its relationship with soil characteristics. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, Volume 38 (Number 9). pp. 2910-2918. doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2006.04.051 ISSN 0038-0717.
Aspray, Thomas J., Jones, Eirian, Whipps, J. M. and Bending, G. D. (2006) Importance of mycorrhization helper bacteria cell density and metabolite localization for the Pinus sylvestris Lactarius rufus symbiosis. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Volume 56 (Number 1). pp. 25-33. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6941.2005.00051.x ISSN 0168-6496.
Bending, G. D., Aspray, Thomas J. and Whipps, John M. (2006) Significance of microbial interactions in the mycorrhizosphere. Advances in Applied Microbiology, Volume 60 . pp. 97-132. doi:10.1016/S0065-2164(06)60004-X ISSN 0065-2164.
Gosling, Paul, Hodge, Angela, Goodlass, G and Bending, G. D. (2005) Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and organic farming. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Volume 113 (Number 1-4). pp. 17-35. ISSN 0167-8809 doi:10.1016/j.agee.2005.09.009
Aspray, Thomas J., Jones, E. E., Whipps, J. M., Frey-Klett, P. and Bending, G. D. (2005) Helper bacteria in the ectomycorrhizosphere: Mechanisms and specificity. In: UNSPECIFIED. Published in: COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, 141 (3 Suppl. S). S219-S219. ISSN 1095-6433.
Rahn, C. R., Bending, G. D., Turner, M. K. and Lillywhite, Robert (2003) Management of N mineralization from crop residues of high N content using amendment materials of varying quality. Soil Use and Management, 19 (3). pp. 193-200. doi:10.1079/SUM2003188 ISSN 0266-0032.
Rahn, C. R., Bending, G. D., Lillywhite, Robert and Turner, M. K (1999) Chemical characterisation of vegetable and arable crop residue materials : a comparison of methods. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 79 (12). pp. 1715-1721. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(199909)79:12<1715::AID-JSFA426>3.0.CO;2-V ISSN 0022-5142.
| Title | Funder | Award start | Award end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrient Soil Stoichiometry Transformation for Optimized Resource Management | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Apr 2024 | 31 Mar 2027 |
| eDNA observatories for biodiversity monitoring linked to 77564 | Coventry City Council | 01 Aug 2023 | 30 Jun 2026 |
| Is the tree phyllosphere microbiome an overlooked and important sink for carbon monoxide? | NERC | 01 May 2023 | 30 Apr 2026 |
| BEIS stage 2 application led by New Energy Farms Ltd | Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | 01 Sept 2022 | 31 Aug 2024 |
| Unravelling the diversity and function of the fine root endophyte | NERC | 02 Sept 2019 | 31 Dec 2023 |
| Out of the water! What is Tetracladium doing on land? - Comparative genomics of the fungal endophyte genus Tetracladium | Medical and Life Sciences Research Fund | 01 Aug 2022 | 31 Jul 2023 |
| UK-Brazil International Partnering Award: Development of novel strategies to address plant-microbes interactions in planta | BBSRC | 01 Apr 2022 | 31 Mar 2023 |
| TBC for sunflower project | BBSRC | 01 Oct 2022 | 10 Feb 2023 |
| iCASE studentship under BBSRC AZ CTP for Katie Endersby | AstraZeneca UK Limited | 01 Oct 2018 | 30 Sept 2022 |
| Understanding the impact of test system scale (and flow) on degradation rate of CPPs in aquatic systems. Studentship with Syngenta under NERC CENTA DTP | Syngenta Ltd | 01 Oct 2018 | 31 Mar 2022 |
| PATHWAYS & evolution of pollutants: Interactions between physical controlling effects, microbial community composition and pollutant biodegredation rates | NERC | 30 Jan 2018 | 29 Jan 2022 |
| Impacts of warming on boreal peatland microbial community structure and function. UK-Canada doctoral exchange scheme. Katy Faulkner | UK Research and Innovation | 01 Apr 2020 | 21 Nov 2021 |
| Impacts of elevated CO2 and high rainfall on soil microbial community structure and function in a UK temperate forest | Ecological Continuity Trust | 03 May 2021 | 02 Aug 2021 |
| Ecology of fine root endophytes in Australian natice and agrictultural ecosystems | Australian Research Council | 01 Jan 2018 | 31 Dec 2020 |
| Roots of decline? Assembly and Function of the Rhizosphere Microbiome in Relation to Yield Decline | BBSRC | 01 Oct 2018 | 31 Oct 2019 |
| Extreme rainfall: Unravelling the importance of new climate-rhizosphere feedbacks across contrasting land use systems | NERC | 01 Feb 2017 | 30 Sept 2019 |
| WCPRS with Syngenta - Natasha Baudin | Syngenta Ltd | 01 Oct 2015 | 30 Sept 2019 |
| Phosphorus cycling in the soil-microbe-plant continuum of agri-ecosystems | BBSRC | 31 Dec 2014 | 31 Jul 2019 |
| BBSRC GCRF IAA 2017 - Unravelling the diversity and functional significance of the oil palm microbiome | BBSRC | 01 Oct 2017 | 31 Jan 2018 |
| Studentship - Rebecca Southwell - CASE/BBSRC (BBSRC ref: BB/L502418/1): Enhanced Degradation of CPPs in Flowing Water Bodies: Understanding the Contribution of Metabolism by Freshwater Phototrophs and Indirect Photolysis | Syngenta Ltd | 01 Oct 2013 | 30 Sept 2017 |
| Evaluating the potential of constructed wetland features for mitigating the impact of pesticide losses from agricultural land: Industrial funding connected with Defra Project | Lonza Group Ltd | 01 Oct 2013 | 30 Sept 2017 |
| BBSRC GCRF IAA - Sustainable oil palm cropping | BBSRC | 21 Oct 2016 | 31 Mar 2017 |
| BBSRC CIRC Transfer from Nottingham: Yield improvement of oilseed rape | BBSRC | 01 Oct 2012 | 30 Sept 2015 |
| Genetic Manipulation of rhizodeposition in oilseed rape to improve yield | BBSRC | 01 Oct 2012 | 30 Sept 2015 |
| NERC DTA studentship (Serena Thomson) Diversity and function of phyomyxids | The Natural History Museum Trading Company Ltd | 01 Oct 2011 | 31 Mar 2015 |
| Characterisation of microbiotic soil crusts in arable soil and their effect on pesticide fate and persistence | Syngenta Ltd | 01 Oct 2011 | 31 Mar 2015 |
| Interactions between river bed morphology, water chemistry and microbial diversity and its impact on pollutant biodegradation | Unilever Research (Colworth Laboratory) | 01 Oct 2010 | 30 Sept 2014 |
| Influence of lights on microbial degradation of pesticides: BBSRC CASE Studentship (Lawrence Davies) | Syngenta Ltd | 05 Oct 2009 | 04 Oct 2013 |
| Sandpit - Understanding processes determining soil carbon balances under perennial bioenergy crops CARBO-BIOCROP | NERC | 01 Oct 2010 | 30 Sept 2013 |
| Role of Microbial adaption in the biodegradation of chemical pollutants: Extrapolation from laboratory to rivers | Unilever UK Central Resources Limited | 01 Oct 2009 | 31 Mar 2013 |
| Stable Isotope Probing-metagenomics of river microbial populations degrading the aromatic pollutant para-nitrophenol (PNP) | NERC | 01 Aug 2012 | 28 Feb 2013 |
| IF0158 Vegetable Genetic Improvement Network (VeGIN): Per-breeding research to support sustainable farming of carrot and onion | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Apr 2009 | 31 Mar 2012 |
| Amendment IF0128: The impact of shortened rotations on rhizosphere microbial diversity (amendment 3) RHRPM0378 | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 May 2011 | 30 Sept 2011 |
| IF0138 How Does Change in land-use Between Set-aside and Cropping Impact Soil Biodiversity and Function | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Apr 2008 | 31 Mar 2011 |
| The mycorrhizal hydrosphere: a key driver of biochemical cycles. | BBSRC | 01 Apr 2007 | 31 Mar 2011 |
| Amendment No1 - The Impact of Shortened Rotation on Rhizosphere Microbial Diversit (Additional budget of £83,619.00 and time extension until 30/11/09) Linked to 19099. | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Apr 2009 | 30 Nov 2009 |
| Researcher Exchange Programme Awards: Soil Biodiversity in the Management of Soybean Soil Borne Diseases | British Council | 01 Dec 2008 | 30 Nov 2009 |
| How does plant genotype control the phyllosphene bacterial community. | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Jan 2007 | 30 Jun 2009 |
| The Impact of Shortened Rotation on Rhizosphere Microbial Diversity | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Apr 2007 | 31 Mar 2009 |
| DW: Making More Efficient Use of Nitrogen in Crop Rotations of Horticultural Crops | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Apr 2004 | 31 Mar 2008 |
| Review of the Scientific Literature to Determine the Extent of Knowledge on the Impact of Crop Management Strategies on Soil Microbial Populations - DEFRA Core | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Feb 2007 | 30 Jun 2007 |
| Farm Practice and Soil Health | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 01 Jun 2006 | 28 Feb 2007 |
Year 3 and Year 4 Undergraduate Projects:
Projects will be aligned to current research programmes running in my research group.
Laboratory based projects focus on 1. The isolation and characterisation of environmentally important microorganisms. This includes bacteria and fungi associated with plants (bioenergy Miscanthus will be a focus, in collaboration with industrial collaborators) including potentially beneficial and harmful taxa. Projects could also centre on microbes which form biological layers at the soil surface, including cyanobacteria and eukaryotic algae, which can provide protection against erosion. Projects can involve characterisation of isolates using DNA sequencing, and analysis of phenotypic traits eg impacts on plant growth or protection of the soil surface against environmental stresses. 2. In collaboration with Coventry City Council projects could investigate patterns of soil carbon storage across urban landscapes, and eDNA approaches to investigate urban biodiversity. 3. Projects could investigate biodegradation of pollutants in the environment, including biodiversity of catabolic microbial communities using DNA sequencing approaches and investigating the effect of environmental variables and climate on degradation rates.
Dry based projects can involve analysis of the spatial and temporal diversity of environmental microbiomes across the UK and globally using large datasets of amplicon sequences held by my group. These projects could focus on specific microbial groups (eg pathogens, mutualists, N2 cycle taxa, entomopathogenic fungi, nematode trapping fungi etc) or specific microbial species. Projects could focus unravelling biodiversity, habitat preferences, recruitment into plant microbiomes, and the extent to which populations are controlled by climate and environment.
Teaching
I convene MSc modules HR902 Soil and the Environment and BS945 Environmental Safety and Risk Assessment. I contribute to BSc year 3 module BS371 Environmental Science and Management.
| Current members | ||
| Dr Molly Williams Dr Sinchan Banerjee |
Josh Cole PhD Student (BBSRC): Diversity, distribution and function of mucoromycotina fine root endophyte arbuscular symbioses |
Rachel Jackson PhD Student (NERC): Soil surface microbial communities and their resilience to extreme weather |
| Apurva Kute PhD Student (BBSRC): Diurnal rhythmicity in the rhizosphere microbiome |
Megan Purchase PhD Student (NERC, Principal Supervisor Ryan Mushinski, SLS): Volatile reactive nitrous oxides |
Charlotte Dykes PhD Student (NERC, Principal Supervisor Soroush Abolfathi, Warwick School of Engineering): Pollution transport in constructed wetlands |
| Jaimee Burgess PhD Student (BBSRC, Principal Supervisor Miriam Gifford, SLS): Microbiome of Medicago truncatula |
Edina Prondvai (NERC, Principal Supervisor Hendrik Schafer, SLS): Carbon monoxide transformation in the phyllosphere |
Shuaizhi Gao PhD student (NERC, Principal Supervisor Ryan Mushinski, SLS): Nitrogen cycle microbiology and biogeochemistry in peatlands |
| Alannah Vaughan PhD student (NERC, Principal Supervisor Ryan Mushinski, SLS): Microbe-mineral interactions in soil |
Aayush Patel PhD student (BBSRC-Syngenta CASE): Environmental fate of pesticides in a changing environment |
Vanessa Asante PhD student (Principal Supervisor Lijiang Song, Warwick Department of Chemistry): Micropollutant fate in rivers |