Professor Paul Wood

Academic Career

• 2014-: Professor of Ecohydrology, Loughborough University
• 2000-2014: Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Reader in Physical Geography, Loughborough University
• 1997-2000: Lecturer in Applied Science, University of Huddersfield

Professional Responsibilities

• 2017-: Editor, River Research and Applications
• 2009-: Editorial board member, River Research and Applications
• 2008-: Editorial board member, Ecohydrology
• 2013-2017: Associate Editor, Ecohydrology
• 2011-2015: Co-Editor (Physical and Environmental Geography) Area
• 2011-: Editorial board member, Cave and Karst Science

Paul is an ecohydrologist with research interests the response of instream organisms to hydrological variability and disturbances (including drought, sedimentation, pollution and invasive species) over a range of spatial and temporal scales.

His research examines how riverine communities respond to natural environmental variability (floods and drought) and disturbances (such channel management, sedimentation and stream drying). He has a research interest in the ecology of groundwater dominated ecosystems and particularly the hyporheic zone. His research draws together elements of hydrology, ecology, geomorphology, environmental management and the conservation of freshwater ecosystems such as ponds and ditches. The research is funded from a variety of sources including NERC, Environment Agency, Natural England, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Nuffield Foundation. The four main strands of the research and indicative publications are listed below.

• Responses of instream macroinvertebrate communities to flow variability over varying timescales.
• Ecohydrology of groundwater dominated ecosystems: i) headwater springs and streams; ii) hyporheic zone riverine environments; and iii) cave ecosystems.
• Instream responses to disturbances associated with sedimentation within lotic environments.
• The conservation and management of rivers, streams, ponds and ditches.

His teaching explores ecohydrology with a focus river ecology, how communities respond to environmental change and the conservation and management of freshwater habitats.

He currently contributes to the following modules:

• Academic and Professional Skills for Geography - GYA106
• River Ecology - GYB311
• Physical Geography Fieldcourse - GYB911
• Conservation Principles and Practice - GYC200
• Geography Dissertation - GYC500
• Tools for River Research and Management - GYP044
• Dissertation in Environmental Monitoring, Research and Management - GYP500

Current Postgraduate Research Students

• Basmah Bushra: "Effects of metal pollution on aquatic ecosystems"
• Sarah Evans: "The invasive Asian clam in the UK"
• Ellen Goddard: "Invasive alien carnivorous plants: ecology, function and management of the purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) in Europe"
• Catherine Wilson: "Children’s Citizen Science"
• Bethany Worley: “Biocontrol of invasive crayfish using European eels and the implications for river geomorphology and flood risk”

Recent Postgraduate Research Students

• Dr Harry Sanders (2021) “Biotic and abiotic controls of burrowing by signal crayfish and the implications for sediment recruitment to rivers”
• Dr Richard Mason (2020) “The zoogeomorphology of case-building caddisfly larvae”
• Dr Henk Krajenbrink (2019) "Quantifying the effect of river impoundment on riverine ecosystems at multiple scales"
• Dr Simon Parry (2019) "Drought termination in the UK"
• Dr Atish Vadher (2018): The use of the hyporheic refuge by benthic invertebrates in response to dewatering
• Dr Kate Mathers (2017): The influence of signal crayfish on fine sediment dynamics and macroinvertebrate communities in lowland rivers.

Selected Publications

• Mathers, K, Rice, SP, Wood, PJ (2017) Temporal effects of enhanced fine sediment loading on macroinvertebrate community structure and functional traits, Science of the Total Environment, 599-600: .513-522, ISSN: 0048-9697. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.096.
• Chadd, RP, England, JA, Constable, D, Dunbar, MJ, Extence, CA, Leeming, DJ, Murray-Bligh, JA, Wood, PJ (2017) An index to track the ecological effects of drought development and recovery on riverine invertebrate communities, Ecological Indicators, 82: 344-356, ISSN: 1470-160X. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.06.058.
• Vadher, AN, Leigh, C, Millett, J, Stubbington, R, Wood, PJ (2017) Vertical movements through subsurface stream sediments by benthic macroinvertebrates during experimental drying are influenced by sediment characteristics and species traits., Freshwater Biology, 62: 1730-1740. ISSN: 0046-5070. DOI: 10.1111/fwb.12983.
• White, J, House, A, Punchard, N, Hannah, DM, Wilding, NA, Wood, PJ (2017) Macroinvertebrate community responses to hydrological controls and groundwater abstraction effects across intermittent and perennial headwater streams, Science of the Total Environment, 610: 1514-1526. ISSN: 1879-1026. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.081.
• Stubbington, R, England, J, Wood, PJ, Sefton, CEM (2017) Temporary streams in temperate zones: recognizing, monitoring and restoring transitional aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water, 4: e1223-e1223, ISSN: 2049-1948. DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1223.
• Hill, MJ, Heino, J, Thornhill, I, Ryves, DB, Wood, PJ (2017) Effects of dispersal mode on the environmental and spatial correlates of nestedness and species turnover in pond communities, OIKOS, 126: 1575–1585. ISSN: 1600-0706. DOI: 10.1111/oik.04266.
• Wilby, R, Clifford, N, De Luca, P, Harrigan, S, Hillier, J, Hodgkins, R, Matthew, T, Murphy, C, Noone, S, Parry, S, Prudhomme, C, Rice, S, Slater, L, Smith, K, Wood, P (2017) The “dirty dozen” of freshwater science: detecting then reconciling hydrological data biases and errors, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water, DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1209.
• Mathers, K, Hill, MJ, Wood, PJ (2017) Benthic and hyporheic macroinvertebrate distribution within the heads and tails of riffles during baseflow conditions, Hydrobiologia, 794: 17-30. ISSN: 0018-8158. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-017-3092-8.