Professor Robert Baxter

Professor

BSc Botany (HONS) (Manchester), PhD (Manchester)

Affiliations
Affiliation	Room number	Telephone
Professor in the Department of Biosciences	208	+44 (0) 191 33 41261

Biography

Prof. Baxter studied Botany at the University of Manchester (1982-85). Thereafter he undertook a PhD (1985-88)in Manchester ("Responses of the moss Sphagnum cuspidatum to acid deposition")under the supervision of JA Lee and MJ Emes.

Following his PhD training, Prof. Baxter spent 18 months working as a regional coordinator within the ACME (Applications of Computing to Manufacturing Engineering) Directorate of the then Science and Engineering Research Council.
In 1990 Dr Baxter joined the research groups of Prof. John Farrar (University of Wales, Bangor)and Prof. Trevor Ashenden (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bangor Research Unit)as one of two postdoctoral fellowships awarded to the newly established joint University/CEH partnership in Bangor. Here Prof. Baxter studied the impacts of altered concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and soil nutrient conditions upon photosynthetic metabolism and post-photosynthetic carbon partitioning in native upland and montane grassland species. During this period Prof. Baxter also worked in collaboration with CEH upon an EU-funded Framework 3 project ("An investigation of the effects of increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and changing climate on natural and managed grassland communities in Europe using open-top and closed chambers"; Contract: EPOC-CT90-0022), coordinated by Prof. MB Jones, School of Botany, Trinity College, Dublin, Eire.
In 1993 Dr Baxter contininued his work in this field as a postdoctoral fellow at Trinity College, Dublin.

In 1994 Prof. Baxter was appointed as lecturer in Ecology in the then Department of Biological Sciences (now School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences)at the University of Durham. In 2002 he was promoted to a Senior Lectureship in Ecology, to Reader in 2015 and to Full Professor in 2021; a post he holds at the present time.

Research interests

pollution ecology
carbon partitioning in plants
stress physiology in plants
Montane plant ecology
climate change and plant ecophysiology
Arctic Plant Ecology
Fire ecology
Alpine plant ecology
Arctic climate change
Landscape ecology
Carbon sequestration
Snow-vegetation-atmosphere interactions
Land-Atmosphere interactions

Research groups

Ecology, Evolution & Environment

Awarded Grants

2017: Wildlife disturbance-recovery dynamics in Southern Siberia(£226759.00 from NERC - Natural Environment Research Council)
2012: Cold Region Carbon Cycling Coupling - The role of Hydrology in Permafrost Catchments(£85284.80 from NERC - Natural Environment Research Council)
2008: METHANE MEASURMENT IN AN ARTIC MIRE(£62204.78 from NERC - Natural Environment Research Council)
2008: NECO Theme 1: EO for Climate System diagnosis(£205144.80 from NERC - Natural Environment Research Council)
2006: ABACUS(£191963.98 from NERC - Natural Environment Research Council)
2005: Assess the impact on the South Gare and Coatham sa(£45985.00 from Corus)
2002: CLIMATE, SNOW AND HYDROLOGY IN TUNDRA ECOSYSTEMS(£183344.89 from NERC - Natural Environment Research Council)
1999: SEASONAL PHOSPHORUS STATUS OF MOSSES(£36080.00 from NERC - Natural Environment Research Council)

Esteem Indicators

2020: Awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy:
2020: Elected to a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Biology:
2020: Invited co-authorship of a chapter in the book: 'The Natural History of Upper Weardale':
2020: Invited contribution: 'Arctic Ablaze' for the Word Wildlife Fund UK supporters magazine.:
2019: Invitation to Science community reception: Ambassador's Residence, Moscow, Russia:
2019: Invited panel member: Debate on exploration of the Arctic; Royal Institution, London.:
2019: Invited presentation: Moscow State University Dept. Geography:
2019: Scientific briefing of the Chief Scientist of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Ambassador's Residence, Moscow.:
2016: Invited participation in a debate at the Times Cheltenham Science Festival: Invited to paticipate in a debate on "The Arctic's Changing Landscape" June 12th 2016 at the Times Cheltenham Science Festival, UK. ;
2016: Invited Pubic Seminar, Dartmouth College, NH, USA, April 2016: Public seminar at the Institute of Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College, NH, USA.
2016: Invited Seminar, Centre for Northern Studies, University of Laval, Quebec, Canada. :
2016: Invited Seminar, Dept. Biology, Queens University, Kingston, ON, Canada. :
2016: Invited Seminar, Depts of Biology and Geography, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada. :
2016: Invited Seminar, Depts of Soil Science and Geography, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada:
2015: Appointment as External Examiner (Undergraduate Degrees in Biology and Environmental Biosciences, University of Aberystwyth) 2017-2018:
2015: Hosting of Senior Visiting Fellow: Jan to Mar: I hosted, in conjunction with the IAS, Professor Malcolm Hughes (Regents' Professor of Dendrochronology, The University of Arizona, USA) as a Durham International Senior Fellow, carrying out joint collaborative modelling work.
2015: Invited member of NERC Fellowship sift and interview panel for the 2015 closing date:
2014: Invited international expert evaluator for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 'Individual fellowships' (IF) ENV panel, 2014.:
2014: Invited international expert. EU, 2014 evaluation exercise “People”: Individual Marie Curie Actions (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IXF). ENV Panel – Intra European Fellowships, International Incoming Fellowships and International Outgoing Fellowship s:
2014: Invited international lecture, Abisko Scientific Research Station, Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, Northern Sweden.:
2014: Invited international review expert for grants submitted under EUFAR (EUropean Facility for Airborne Research; http://www.eufar.net/), an 'Integrating Activity' funded by the European Commission under Framework Programme 5/FP6, and FP7. :
2014: Invited international reviewer for the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), Belgium. :
2014: Invited member of a European wide consortium in a bid to Framework 7: “NORSE (NOrthern Remote SEnsing)” (not funded:
2014: Invited member of the international virtual network “impacts of winter change on arctic and alpine ecosystems, including plant and soil responses, and consequences for biogeochemical cycling” (WINTERNet). :
2014: Invited member of the NERC Dec 2014 Standard and New Investigator Grants moderating panel, Swindon, Wilts.:
2014: Invited member of the NERC Large Grants Final Stage Panel Meeting 2013-14. :
2014: Invited member of the NERC Large Grants Outline Panel Meeting 2014-15. :
2014: Invited reviewer and review panel member for the Welsh National Research Network for Low Carbon Energy and the Environment:
2014: Invited to act as tutor at the Gatsby Plant Science Summer School, Easingwold, York. :
2014: Invited to join as a member of a European wide consortium in a bid to the Horizon 2020 Research Call: EO-1-2014: New ideas for Earth-relevant space applications: “New Northern Earth Observation Services (NEOS)”. :
2014: Invited to join the Review Panel - FP7 COFUND Marie Curie project – “Train to Move”, European Science Foundation, Strasbourg, France. :
2014: Participation in the international “Arctic Change 2014” conference, Ottawa, Canada, Dec 2014; including participation in the workshop “European-Canadian cooperation in the Arctic: the future”.:
2013: Invited associate participant in the international Marie Curie Network ITN consortium bid “Arctic winter processes and change” to the EU (not funded). :
2013: Invited international expert. EU, 2012 evaluation exercise “People Individual Marie Curie Actions (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IXF). ENV Panel - Intra European Fellowships, International Incoming Fellowships and International Outgoing Fellowship schemes.:
2013: Invited international reviewer for the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), 2013 research programme. :
2013: Invited member of the NERC Large Grants Outline Stage Panel Meeting 2013-14. :
2012: Appointed as international reviewer for the The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).:
2012: Appointed member of Durham University’s cross-faculty NERC liaison committee.:
2012: Invited chapter author (sole). “Developmental adaptation to cold environments” in: Temperature and Plant Development (Franklin, K.A. and Wigge, P.A. eds.) Publisher: Wiley.:
2012: Invited external examiner (PhD), Trinity College Dublin, Eire, April 16, 2012.:
2012: Invited external examiner (PhD), University of Helsinki, Finland. Candidate: Mr Robin Lundell.:
2012: Invited external examiner (PhD). Dept of Plant and Animal Sciences, University of Sheffield (Nov 2012).:
2012: Invited external examiner (PhD). Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University (Nov 2012).:
2012: Invited independent expert reviewer: Greek Ministry of Education Life-long Learning and Religious Affairs, Co-operation 2011 research programme.:
2012: Invited international expert reviewer, Greek Ministry for Education, LifeLong Learning and Religious Affairs, Cooperation 2011 programme (March 2012):
2012: Invited international expert. EU, 2012 evaluation exercise “People Individual Marie Curie Actions (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IXF). ENV Panel - IEF, IIF and IOF schemes, October 2012.:
2012: Invited international external examiner (PhD), Botany School, Trinity College Dublin, Eire (Ms Faye Carroll).:
2012: Re-appointment as Peer Review College Member, Natural Environment Research Council (2012 onwards; open-ended). :
2012: Re-ppointed to the NERC Peer Review College (July 2012 onwards).:
2011: Invited external examiner (PhD), University of Helsinki, Finland.:
2011: Invited external examiner (PhD), University of Sheffield, UK. Ms Eva Scholler (Viva: June 2011).:
2011: Invited international reviewer, Archimedes III research programme, phase 2, Greece. :
2011: Invited international reviewer: The Cyprus Research Promotion; evaluation of research proposals submitted under a national research-funding action entitled “Natural Environment”.:
2011: Invited participant: International Workshop “ Sustaining ecosystem service delivery in a changing world, 28th – 31st March 2011, Durham. :
2010: Invitation from Wiley/Blackwell to revise co-authored chapter with Prof. B Huntley for the new 2nd edition of Vegetation Ecology. Editors Eddy van der Maarel & Janet Frankli:
2010: Invitation to join the European Science Foundation Pool of Reviewers (2010-2011).:
2010: Invited as vice chair of the Natural Environment Research Council Antarctic Funding Initiative, Round 11, Moderating Panel, Swindon, Wilts. :
2010: Invited international reviewer (NOAA) US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association:
2010: Invited seminar speaker, Biology, University of York, UK :
2009: Invited as international review panel member for the 6th funding call of the Netherland’s Darwin Centre for Biogeosciences :

Media Contacts

Available for media contact about:

Technology transfer: Plant Ecology
General issues: Global Environmental Change
Weather & climate: Climate Change (notably Arctic)
The Earth: Plants: Climate change
Ecosystems: Atmospheric Pollution
Plant sciences: Atmospheric Pollution
Environment: Atmospheric Pollution
Pollution: Atmospheric Pollution
Weather & climate: Atmospheric Pollution
Geography: Atmospheric Pollution
Environmental change: Atmospheric Pollution
Landscape systems: Atmospheric Pollution
Biological and Biomedical Sciences: Climate change in Arctic and alpine environments
Ecosystems: Climate change in Arctic and alpine environments
Plant sciences: Climate change in Arctic and alpine environments
Environment: Climate change in Arctic and alpine environments
Weather & climate: Climate change in Arctic and alpine environments

Publications

Chapter in book

Burrell, A, Kukavskaya, E, Baxter, R, Sun, Q & Barrett, K (2021). Post-fire Recruitment Failure as a Driver of Forest to Non-forest Ecosystem Shifts in Boreal Regions. In Ecosystem Collapse and Climate Change. Canadell, JG & Jackson RB Springer. 241: 69-100.
Baxter, R. (2014). Plant acclimation and adaptation to cold environments. In Temperature and Plant Development. Franklin, K. & Wigge, P. Wiley-Blackwell. 19-42.
Huntley, B & Baxter, R (2012). Vegetation ecology and global change. In Vegetation Ecology. van der Maarel, E & Franklin, J Wiley-Blackwell. 509-525.
B. Huntley & R. Baxter (2005). Vegetation ecology and global change. In Vegetation Ecology. Eddy van der Maarel Blackwell Science Ltd. 356-372.
Barnsley MJ, Los SO, Luckman AJ, North PRJ Harding RJ, Taylor C, Huntley B, Baxter R, Thomas CJ, Baltzer H & Wyatt B (2003). The role of Earth observation in land-surface-climate feedback studies. In Geoinformation for European-wide Integration. Benes T Rotterdam: Millpress. 3-10.
Huntley, B & Baxter, R (2003). Insights on Synergies: Models and Methods. In Climate Change and Biodiversity: Synergistic Impacts. Hannah, L & Lovejoy, TE Washington: CABS. 4: 15-23.
Huntley, B, Baxter, R, Bradshaw, RHW, Cramer, W, Dean, AM, Eronen, M, Evans, SP, Hofgaard, A, Hulme, PE, Hytteborn, H, Molau, U, Oksanen, L, Olofsson, J, Saelthun, N-R, Seppa, H, Sjorgersten, S, Thomas, CJ, Venevski, S & Wookey, PA (2000). DART: Dynamic response of the forest-tundra ecotone to environmental change. In Terrestrial Ecosystem Research in Europe: Successes, challenges and policy. Sutton, MA, Moreno, JM, van der Putten, WH & Struwe, S Office for official publications of the European Communities. 162-165.
Ekschmitt, K., Baxter, R., Campbell, C.D., Ceulemans, R., Gunther, K.P., Heal, O.W., Hector, A., Henning, F., Matouch, S., Molau, U., Nagy, P.I., Otte, A., Pausas, J.G., Pflug, A., Schröter, D., Sillence, G., Steiner, N.C., Wolters, V., Wookey, P.A., Struwe, S. & Kjoller, A. (2000). TERICA Working group 1: Ecosystem functioning and management under multiple stresses and extreme events. In Terrestrial ecosystem research in Europe: Successes, challenges and policy: Final conference of the terrestrial ecosystem research initiative, Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands, 20 to 23 June 1999. Sutton, M.A., Moreno, J.M., van der Putten, W.H. & Struwe, S. Office for official publications of the European Communities. 28-34.
Baxter, R, Evans, SP, Emmett, B, Harmens, H, Huntley, B, Kjoller, A, Milne, R, Mulder, J, O'Donnell, A, Schulze, ED, Struwe, S, Sutton, MA, Tipping, EW & Wookey, PA (2000). TERICA working group 5: European carbon budgets / Linking carbon and nitrogen cycles. In Terrestrial ecosystem research in Europe: Successes, challenges and policy. Sutton, MA, Moreno, JM, van der Putten, WH & Struwe, S Office for official publications of the European Communities. 54-64.
Baxter, R, Daymond, A, Ashenden, TW & Farrar, JF (1993). Responses of montane pasture grasses to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide. In Agriculture: Crop Adaptations to cool, wet climates, particularly temperature, light, water, variations and limitations. COST Action 814. Wilson, D, Thomas, H & Pithan, K Commission of the European Communities.
Williams, ML, Jones, DG, Baxter, R & Farrar, JF (1992). The effect of enhanced concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide on leaf respiration. In Molecular, biochemical and physiological aspects of plant respiration. Lambers, H Springer Verlag.

Journal Article

Supervision students

Mr. Andrew Clelland

Research Postgraduate (PhD)

Full profile

Miss Katharine Ivison

Research Postgraduate (PhD)

Full profile

Staff profile