All Outputs (11)

Prescribed Fire in UK Heather-Dominated Blanket Bog Peatlands: A Critical Review of “Carbon Storage and Sequestration by Habitat: A Review of the Evidence (Second Edition)” by Gregg et al., 2021 (2023)
Journal Article
Heinemeyer, A., & Ashby, M. A. (2023). Prescribed Fire in UK Heather-Dominated Blanket Bog Peatlands: A Critical Review of “Carbon Storage and Sequestration by Habitat: A Review of the Evidence (Second Edition)” by Gregg et al., 2021. Fire, 6(5), 204. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire6050204

Peatlands are a vast global carbon store. Both climate change and management have shaped peatlands over millennia, sometimes negatively, sometimes positively. Across the globe, prescribed fire is an important and well-recognised vegetation management... Read More about Prescribed Fire in UK Heather-Dominated Blanket Bog Peatlands: A Critical Review of “Carbon Storage and Sequestration by Habitat: A Review of the Evidence (Second Edition)” by Gregg et al., 2021.

Sustaining ecosystems – English grouse moors (2022)
Journal Article
Smith, A., Appleton, H., & Ashby, M. (2022). Sustaining ecosystems – English grouse moors

Our English uplands (including grouse moors) are subject to an increasing number of societal demands and needs. This audit assesses grouse moor management’s contribution to Defra’s 25 Year Environment Plan goals – an expression of social needs – and... Read More about Sustaining ecosystems – English grouse moors.

An Outline Summary Document of the Current Knowledge About Prescribed Vegetation Burning Impacts on Ecosystem Services Compared to Alternative Mowing or No Management (2021)
Journal Article
Heinemeyer, A., & Ashby, M. (2021). An Outline Summary Document of the Current Knowledge About Prescribed Vegetation Burning Impacts on Ecosystem Services Compared to Alternative Mowing or No Management. https://doi.org/10.32942/osf.io/qg7z5

A lay summary of our discussion paper: A critical review of the IUCN UK Peatland Programme’s “Burning and Peatlands” position statement (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13157-021-01400-1). In short, we discuss the prescribed burning on bla... Read More about An Outline Summary Document of the Current Knowledge About Prescribed Vegetation Burning Impacts on Ecosystem Services Compared to Alternative Mowing or No Management.

Constructive criticism of “Misinterpreting carbon accumulation rates in records from near-surface peat” by Young et al.: Further evidence on charcoal impacts in relation to long-term carbon storage on blanket bog under rotational burn management (2021)
Journal Article
Heinemeyer, A., & Ashby, M. (2021). Constructive criticism of “Misinterpreting carbon accumulation rates in records from near-surface peat” by Young et al.: Further evidence on charcoal impacts in relation to long-term carbon storage on blanket bog under rotational burn management. https://doi.org/10.32942/osf.io/t4g3m

It is with great interest that we read the recent paper by Young et al. entitled “Misinterpreting carbon accumulation rates in records from near-surface peat”. However, we have some concerns about: (i) the use of an unvalidated deep drainage model to... Read More about Constructive criticism of “Misinterpreting carbon accumulation rates in records from near-surface peat” by Young et al.: Further evidence on charcoal impacts in relation to long-term carbon storage on blanket bog under rotational burn management.

Prescribed burning impacts on ecosystem services in the British uplands: A methodological critique of the EMBER project (2020)
Journal Article
Ashby, M., & Heinemeyer, A. (2020). Prescribed burning impacts on ecosystem services in the British uplands: A methodological critique of the EMBER project. Journal of Applied Ecology, 2112 - 2120. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13476

Due to its novelty and scale, the EMBER project is a key study within the prescribed burning evidence base. However, it has several significant but overlooked methodological flaws. In this paper, we outline and discuss these flaws. In doing so, we a... Read More about Prescribed burning impacts on ecosystem services in the British uplands: A methodological critique of the EMBER project.

Peatland Protection. The Science: Four Key Reports (2020)
Journal Article
Ashby. (2020). Peatland Protection. The Science: Four Key Reports

Summary Fundamental changes to the evidence base now disagrees with previous science These changes should inform policy and any proposed regulation change, the England Peatland Strategy and Natural England’s position on restoration burning ? Burned... Read More about Peatland Protection. The Science: Four Key Reports.

GWCT Peatland Report 2020: A review of the environmental impacts, including carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions and wildfire on peatland in England associated with grouse moor management (2020)
Journal Article
Ashby. (2020). GWCT Peatland Report 2020: A review of the environmental impacts, including carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions and wildfire on peatland in England associated with grouse moor management

Science Hunters: teaching science concepts in schools using Minecraft (2019)
Journal Article
Hobbs, L., Stevens, C., Hartley, J., Ashby, M., Jackson, B., Bowden, L., …Bentley, S. (2019). Science Hunters: teaching science concepts in schools using Minecraft. https://doi.org/10.51724/arise.23

Science Hunters is an outreach project based at Lancaster University, UK. It uses the computer game Minecraft, alongside interactive discussion and hands-on demonstrations, to engage children with scientific research topics and science learning. As p... Read More about Science Hunters: teaching science concepts in schools using Minecraft.

Using Minecraft to engage children with science at public events (2019)
Journal Article
Hobbs, L., Stevens, C., Hartley, J., Ashby, M., Lea, I., Bowden, L., …Bibby, J. (2019). Using Minecraft to engage children with science at public events. Research for All, 142 - 160. https://doi.org/10.18546/rfa.03.2.03

Engagement with science and scientific skills is an important aspect of children's ability to navigate the world around them, but engagement with science is low in comparison with other subjects. The Lancaster University outreach project Science Hunt... Read More about Using Minecraft to engage children with science at public events.

Elements of construction: Minecraft and the periodic table (2019)
Journal Article
Hobbs, L., Bentley, S., Hartley, J., Rose, R., Ashby, M., & Power, C. (2019). Elements of construction: Minecraft and the periodic table

Minecraft is a popular computer game that allows the construction of almost limitless creations, and is used in learning contexts around the world. The widespread appeal and familiarity of the game makes it ideal for engaging children and young peopl... Read More about Elements of construction: Minecraft and the periodic table.

Response to: Comment on “Peatland carbon stocks and burn history: Blanket bog peat core evidence highlights charcoal impacts on peat physical properties and long-term carbon storage” by Evans et al. ( <i>Geo: Geography and Environment</i> 2019; e00075) (2019)
Journal Article
Ashby. (2019). Response to: Comment on “Peatland carbon stocks and burn history: Blanket bog peat core evidence highlights charcoal impacts on peat physical properties and long-term carbon storage” by Evans et al. ( Geo: Geography and Environment 2019; e00075). Geo: Geography and Environment, https://doi.org/10.1002/geo2.78

Spheroidal Carbonaceous Particle distribution is a robust peat cohort dating tool. Charcoal impacts on carbon accumulation are context specific (i.e., controlled burns on UK blanket bog). Carbon sequestration rates need to consider topography (i.e.,... Read More about Response to: Comment on “Peatland carbon stocks and burn history: Blanket bog peat core evidence highlights charcoal impacts on peat physical properties and long-term carbon storage” by Evans et al. ( <i>Geo: Geography and Environment</i> 2019; e00075).