Chryssa Brown
PhD Researcher
cb1025@exeter.ac.uk
CREWW Building
Overview
My research career commenced with obtaining a BSc (HONS) in Geography from the University of Portsmouth in 2016, studying planform change and classifying channel migration rates and styles in a lowland, gravel-bed river in Devon, UK. I became fascinated with river systems and landscape change and as part of my MRes research focused upon the spatial distribution of wet and dry meadows in the River Rother catchment, West Sussex over 180 years (from 1830s to present day).
Joining the Geography Department at Exeter in March 2019, I was involved in three projects: 1) quantifying the hydrological and geomorphological impacts of beaver reintroduction and natural flood management (NFM) techniques; 2) assessing natural capital and comparing soil health and erosion rates across organic, intensive and traditionally-managed farmland; and 3) researching how river environments adjust geomorphically to beaver presence and activity. A highlight of my work has been co-authoring research outputs with a WIRES article published in 2021 (Brazier et al, 2020) and a second journal article in prep.
My time is now nestled within a PhD research programme - Dam beavers: quantifying the impacts of nature's water engineers on the fluvial geomorphology and flood regimes of streams and rivers.
I take an interdisciplinary approach to research combining fieldwork, laboratory analysis, remote sensing, ground surveys, GIS and literature studies.
Broad Research Specialisms
Fluvial geomorphology, land use and environmental change, hydrological monitoring, spatial analysis, historical landscapes, environmental ecosystem services
Qualifications
MRes in Geography (University of Portsmouth)
BSc (HONS) Geography (University of Portsmouth)
