Research Summary
Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire, UK - Forests are an essential part of the global carbon cycle, storing vast quantities of carbon above and below ground. How they respond to climate, and climate change, is thus vital to understanding the role of forests in the future. Forests and other ecosystems are incredibly complex; the only way to begin to unravel this complexity is by designing effective experiments, and carefully collecting as much data as possible. Without the work of thousands of dedicated scientists, we would know nothing about climate change, or the ecosystems that it will affect. This is your chance to be part of the scientific effort, to find solutions to pressing environmental problems, and to enjoy the beauty and diversity of nature as you work. This team will focus on measuring carbon stocks and fluxes within the woodland, for example through completing monthly measurements of trees within our sample plots. Researchers will place this research in the context of forests globally, and also discuss Wytham research in topics such as mammals, birds and fungi.
Meet the Scientists
Dr. Martha Crockatt
Dr. Martha Crockatt is a research manager at Earthwatch, leading the research programme at Wytham. She is also involved with the impacts of sustainable forest management on forest ecosystem services and variation in response to climate in ash trees. She has led many different groups of volunteers in scientific research, and enjoys science communication with a range of audiences. Before she joined Earthwatch in May 2010, she worked at Cardiff University, conducting research on forest ecology and biochemistry around closed landfill sites, with doctoral research on the ecology of endangered woodland fungi. Martha has a wide experience of forest ecology and also has research experience in organic agricultural systems and soil invertebrate diversity.