Centre for the study of Environmental Change and Sustainability

This research has been ongoing since 1995 and has been conducted with many PhD students and in conjunction with collaborators from many organisations, including: Dr Mat Heal (School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh), Dr Allan Lilly (Macaulay Institute), Dr Alan MacDonald (British Geological Survey), Dr Linda May (NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology), Dr Susan Waldron (University of Glasgow) (Macaulay Institute). It aims to understand the factors controlling the biogeochemical cycling of various parameters (particularly manganese, phosphorus, carbon and trichloroacetic acid) within catchments to inform management of land and water resources.

Funding:   NERC, SAGES, Scottish Water Duration:   1995 - ongoing Further information:   Kate Heal

Hardie, A.M., Heal, K.V. and Lilly, A. (2007). The influence of pedology and changes in soil moisture status on manganese release from upland catchments: soil core laboratory experiments. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 182, 369-382.

Heal, K.V., Stidson, R.T., Dickey, C.A., Cape, J.N. and Heal, M.R. (2004). New data for water losses from mature Sitka spruce plantations in temperate upland catchments. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 49, 477-493.

Stidson, R.T., Dickey, C.A., Cape, J.N., Heal, K.V. and Heal, M.R. (2004). Fluxes and reservoirs of trichloroacetic acid at a forest and moorland catchment. Environmental Science & Technology, 38, 1639-1647.

Heal, K.V., Kneale, P.E. and McDonald, A.T. (2002). Manganese in runoff from upland catchments: temporal patterns and controls on mobilisation. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 47, 769-780.

Heal, K.V. (2001). Manganese and land-use in upland catchments in Scotland. Science of the Total Environment, 265, 167-179.

This research has been ongoing since 1997 and has been funded by various organisations mainly as PhD studentships and consultancy contracts. Its overall aim is to improve understanding of the functioning of constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment, including the effect of different reed populations on treatment performance. Constructed wetlands have been investigated for treatment of mine drainage, farmyard runoff and urban runoff.

Funding:   David Kinloch Michie Studentship, DoE Environment and Heritage Service Northern Ireland, Macaulay Institute, RSPB, SEPA, Torrance Bequest, University of Edinburgh Development Trust, West Lothian Council Duration:   1997 - ongoing Further information:   Kate Heal

Carty, A., Scholz, M., Heal, K., Gouriveau, F. and Mustafa, A. (2008). The universal design, operation and maintenance guidelines for Farm Constructed Wetlands (FCW) in temperate climates. Bioresource Technology, 99, 6780-6792.

Heal, K.V. and Salt, C.A. (1999). Treatment of acidic, metal-rich drainage from acidic spoil in Central Scotland. Water Science and Technology, 39(12), 141-148.

This research has been ongoing since 1995. It aims to understand the interaction between land use and water quality to inform management of land and water resources. Recent work conducted by Zisis Gagkas (PhD student) and in conjunction with Dr Tom Nisbet (Forest Research) has investigated the effect of broadleaf woodland expansion on acid-sensitive catchments in the UK. The output from this research is being used by the Forestry Commission in the “Forests & Water Guidelines” to minimise the impact of forestry on water resources.

Funding:   Forest Research Duration:   1995- ongoing Further information:   Kate Heal

Gagkas, Z., Heal, K.V., Stuart, N. and Nisbet, T.R. (2008). Effects of broadleaf woodland cover on streamwater chemistry and critical loads exceedance in acid-sensitive catchments in the UK. Environmental Pollution, 154, 232-240.

Gilvear, D.J., Heal, K.V. and Stephens, A. (2002). Hydrology and the ecological quality of Scottish river ecosystems. Science of the Total Environment, 294, 131-159.

Heal, K.V. (2001). Manganese and land-use in upland catchments in Scotland. Science of the Total Environment, 265, 167-179.

This research has been ongoing since 1999 and has been conducted in conjunction with Professor Paul Younger, Dr Paul Quinn and Jonathan Aumônier (University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne), Dr Andy Vinten and Dr David Lumsdon (Macaulay Institute) and Stephen Carr (PhD student). It aims to provide the underpinning science for using iron ochre (a by-product from mine drainage treatment) to remove phosphorus from sewage effluent and agricultural runoff and to recycle the recovered phosphorus as a fertiliser. The use of ochre to mitigate methane emissions from wetlands is also being investigated.

Heal, K.V., Dobbie, K.E., Bozika, E., McHaffie, H., Simpson, A.E. and Smith, K.A. (2005). Enhancing phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands with ochre from mine drainage treatment. Water Science and Technology, 51(9), 275-282. Dobbie, K.E., Heal, K.V. and Smith, K.A. (2005). Assessing the performance as a fertiliser and the environmental acceptability of phosphorus-saturated ochre. Soil Use and Management, 21, 231-239. Funding:   Coal Authority, EPSRC, NERC, Scottish Water Duration:   1999 - ongoing Further information:   Kate Heal

This research has been ongoing since 1998 and has been conducted in conjunction with Dr Steve Wallis (Heriot Watt University) and Professor Chris Jefferies’ group at the Urban Water Technology Centre (University of Abertay Dundee). It aims to improve understanding of the long-term performance and maintenance of SUDS, especially with regards to contaminant accumulation and behaviour, in order to improve SUDS design and implementation. The outputs from this research have been incorporated into published guidance for the design and management of SUDS in the UK.

Funding:   Heriot Watt University, NERC, Scottish Government, Scottish Water, SEPA, Taylor Wimpey plc Duration:   1998 - ongoing Further information:   Kate Heal

Heal, K.V., Hepburn, D.A. and Lunn, R.J. (2006) Sediment management in sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) ponds. Water Science and Technology, 53(10), 219-227.

Wallis, S.G., Morgan, C.T., Lunn, R.J. and Heal, K.V. (2006) Using mathematical modelling to inform on the ability of stormwater ponds to improve the water quality of urban runoff. Water Science and Technology, 53(10), 229-236.

Wilson, C., Clarke, R., D’Arcy, B.J., Heal, K.V. and Wright, P.W. (2005). Persistent pollutants urban rivers sediment survey: implications for pollution control. Water Science and Technology, 51(3-4), 217-224.

This research is being undertaken in conjunction with Dr Tom Ball of the UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science and University of Dundee and Josselin Rouillard (SAGES PhD student). Its aims are two-fold: 1) to improve understanding of the role of hillslope hydrological processes within natural flood management schemes and 2) to develop a framework for identifying land stewardship policies compatible with sustainable flood management, the improvement of water quality and ecological status of rivers in Scotland. Fieldwork is primarily based in the River Tweed catchment, south east Scotland.