Geography

Professor Bruce Webb

Professor Bruce Webb

Emeritus Professor

 B.W.Webb@exeter.ac.uk

Overview

Bruce Webb obtained his BSc in Geography and Geology and PhD in Geography at the University of Exeter. He has spent his subsequent academic career at Exeter, where he held the positions of Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Reader in Physical Geography, before being made Professor of Physical Geography in 1998. He was awarded a DSc from Exeter University in January 2008 for his research on Water Quality of Stream and River Systems.

He won the British Association for the Advancement of Science Lyell Lectureship in 1990. He has served as the UK National Correspondent to the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) for Water Quality and is a past Secretary and past President of the IAHS International Commission on Water Quality. Bruce has also been the Secretary and the President of the British Hydrological Society, and is a former Treasurer of the British Geomorphological Research Group (now the British Society for Geomorphology).

Bruce is a former Assistant Editor of the International Journal Hydrological Sciences Journal and was Editor of Geoscience in South-West England, the Journal of the Ussher Society from 2012 to 2015.

Bruce retired in 2011 and was made an Emeritus Professor of the University.

Broad research specialisms and interests:

Water Quality
Physical Geography of South-West England

Qualifications

BSc (Exon)
PhD (Exon)
DSc (Exon)
FHEA

Research group links

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Research

Research interests

Bruce’s research interests lie primarily in the field of water quality with a particular focus on the thermal behaviour of stream and river systems, but he also studies sediments, particulate-associated substances and nutrients and general chemistry in rivers. Methodologically, much of Bruce’s work involves detailed field investigations of the physical processes controlling water quality, and long-term monitoring of river systems. He is interested in the impact of climate and land-use change on water quality and in the implications of changing conditions for stream ecology. Topics addressed by this work include long-term changes in the thermal regime of regime of European rivers in relation to past and future climate change and to human impacts through river regulation, forestry practices and heated effluent discharges; energy budgets of streams and rivers; effects of global warming on freshwater fish and invertebrates; present and future fine sediment budgets of river systems; methods for estimating fluvial fluxes of sediments and chemical substances; and evaluation of the role of fine sediment in river nutrient transport.

Bruce is the author and editor of over 140 books, journal articles and research reports.

Currently, Bruce's interests are focussed on the Physical Geography of South-West England.

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Publications

Journal articles

Webb BW, Crisp, D.T. (In Press). Afforestation and stream temperature in a temperate maritime environment. Hydrological Processes, 20, 51-66.
Webb BW, Walling DE, Grapes J (In Press). Catchment variation in water chemistry trends. Hydrological Sciences Journal
Birkinshaw SJ, Webb BW (In Press). Flow pathways in the Slapton Wood catchment using temperature as a tracer. Journal of Hydrology Abstract.
Webb BW, Walling DE, Grapes J (In Press). Long-term nitrate-N changes in a British catchment. Hydrological Processes
Webb BW (In Press). Long-term trends in water temperature in a Devon river system. Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art
Webb BW, Walling DE, Grapes J (In Press). Long-term water chemistry trends in a UK principal river system. J. Hydrology
Webb BW (In Press). The impact of impoundment on river temperature - a 30 year perspective. River Reserach and Applictions
Arnott S, Hilton J, Webb BW (2009). The impact of geological control on flow accretion in lowland permeable catchments. HYDROLOGY RESEARCH, 40(6), 533-543.  Author URL.
Doglioni A, Giustolisi O, Savic DA, Webb BW (2008). An investigation on stream temperature analysis based on evolutionary computing. HYDROL PROCESS, 22(3), 315-326. Abstract.
Webb BW, Hannah DM, Moore RD, Brown LE, Nobilis F (2008). Recent advances in stream and river temperature research. HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, 22(7), 902-918. Abstract.
Hannah DM, Webb BW, Nobilis F (2008). River and stream temperature: dynamics, processes, models and implications - Preface. HYDROL PROCESS, 22(7), 899-901.
Giustolisi O, Doglioni A, Savic DA, Webb BW (2007). A multi-model approach to analysis of environmental phenomena. ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE, 22(5), 674-682. Abstract.
Webb BW, Nobilis F (2007). Long-term changes in river temperature and the influence of climatic and hydrological factors. Hydrological Sciences Journal/Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques, 52(1), 74-85.
Webb BW, Zhang Y (2004). Intra-annual variability in the non-advective heat energy budget of Devon streams and rivers. Hydrological Processes, 18(11), 2117-2146.
Pöckl M, Webb BW, Sutcliffe DW (2003). Life history and reproductive capacity of Gammarus fossarum and G. roeseli (Crustacea: Amphipoda) under naturally fluctuating water temperatures: a simulation study. Freshwater Biology, 48(1), 53-66.
Webb BW, Clack PD, Walling DE (2003). Water-air temperature relationships in a Devon river system and the role of flow. HYDROL PROCESS, 17(15), 3069-3084. Abstract.
Webb BW, Phillips JM, Walling DE (2000). A new approach to deriving 'best-estimate' chemical fluxes for rivers draining the LOIS study area. Sci Total Environ, 251-252, 45-54. Abstract.  Author URL.
Phillips JM, Webb BW, Walling DE, Leeks GJL (1999). Estimating the suspended sediment loads of rivers in the LOIS study area using infrequent samples. HYDROL PROCESS, 13(7), 1035-1050. Abstract.
Clark E, Webb BW, Ladle M (1999). Microthermal gradients and ecological implications in Dorset rivers. HYDROL PROCESS, 13(3), 423-438. Abstract.
Webb BW, Zhang Y (1999). Water temperatures and heat budgets in Dorset chalk water courses. HYDROL PROCESS, 13(3), 309-321. Abstract.
Russell MA, Walling DE, Webb BW, Bearne R (1998). The composition of nutrient fluxes from contrasting UK river basins. HYDROL PROCESS, 12(9), 1461-1482. Abstract.
Webb BW, Walling DE (1997). Complex summer water temperature behaviour below a UK regulating reservoir. REGUL RIVER, 13(5), 463-477. Abstract.
Webb BW, Phillips JM, Walling DE, Littlewood IG, Watts CD, Leeks GJL (1997). Load estimation methodologies for British rivers and their relevance to the LOIS RACS(R) programme. SCI TOTAL ENVIRON, 194, 379-389. Abstract.
Webb BW, Nobilis F (1997). Long-term perspective on the nature of the air-water temperature relationship: a case study. HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, 11(2), 137-147.  Author URL.
Webb BW, Zhang Y (1997). Spatial and seasonal variability in the components of the river heat budget. HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, 11(1), 79-101.  Author URL.
Webb BW, Walling DE (1996). Long-term variability in the thermal impact of river impoundment and regulation. APPLIED GEOGRAPHY, 16(3), 211-223.  Author URL.
Webb BW (1996). Trends in stream and river temperature. HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, 10(2), 205-226.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, NOBILIS F (1995). LONG-TERM WATER TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN AUSTRIAN RIVERS. HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL-JOURNAL DES SCIENCES HYDROLOGIQUES, 40(1), 83-96.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, NOBILIS F (1994). WATER TEMPERATURE BEHAVIOR IN THE RIVER DANUBE DURING THE 20TH-CENTURY. HYDROBIOLOGIA, 291(2), 105-113.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, WALLING DE (1993). LONGER-TERM WATER TEMPERATURE BEHAVIOR IN AN UPLAND STREAM. HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, 7(1), 19-32.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, WALLING DE (1993). TEMPORAL VARIABILITY IN THE IMPACT OF RIVER REGULATION ON THERMAL REGIME AND SOME BIOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS. FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, 29(1), 167-182.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, WALLING DE (1992). LONG-TERM WATER TEMPERATURE BEHAVIOR AND TRENDS IN a DEVON, UK, RIVER SYSTEM. HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL-JOURNAL DES SCIENCES HYDROLOGIQUES, 37(6), 567-580.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, WALLING DE (1986). SPATIAL VARIATION OF WATER TEMPERATURE CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIOR IN a DEVON RIVER SYSTEM. FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, 16(5), 585-608.  Author URL.
WALLING DE, WEBB BW (1985). ESTIMATING THE DISCHARGE OF CONTAMINANTS TO COASTAL WATERS BY RIVERS - SOME CAUTIONARY COMMENTS. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN, 16(12), 488-492.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, WALLING DE (1985). NITRATE BEHAVIOR IN STREAMFLOW FROM a GRASSLAND CATCHMENT IN DEVON, UK. WATER RESEARCH, 19(8), 1005-1016.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, WALLING DE (1985). TEMPORAL VARIATION OF RIVER WATER TEMPERATURES IN a DEVON RIVER SYSTEM. HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL-JOURNAL DES SCIENCES HYDROLOGIQUES, 30(4), 449-464.  Author URL.
WEBB BW, WALLING DE (1984). NITRATE LEVELS IN DEVON CATCHMENTS. JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, 35(8), 851-852.  Author URL.
WALLING DE, WEBB BW (1983). GLOBAL PATTERNS OF EROSION - a CHANGING PERSPECTIVE. JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 140(MAR), 321-321.  Author URL.
WEBB BW (1983). SOLUTE LOADS AND CHEMICAL DENUDATION AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL-LEVELS. JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 140(MAR), 321-321.  Author URL.
WALLING DE, WEBB BW (1982). SEDIMENT AVAILABILITY AND THE PREDICTION OF STORM-PERIOD SEDIMENT YIELDS. HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL-JOURNAL DES SCIENCES HYDROLOGIQUES, 27(2), 246-246.  Author URL.
WALLING DE, WEBB BW (1980). THE SPATIAL DIMENSION IN THE INTERPRETATION OF STREAM SOLUTE BEHAVIOR. JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY, 47(1-2), 129-149.  Author URL.
WALLING DE, WEBB BW (1978). MAPPING SOLUTE LOADINGS IN AN AREA OF DEVON, ENGLAND. EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, 3(1), 85-99.  Author URL.
WALLING DE, WEBB BW (1975). SPATIAL VARIATION OF RIVER WATER-QUALITY - SURVEY OF RIVER EXE. TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE OF BRITISH GEOGRAPHERS(65), 155-171.  Author URL.

Chapters

Webb BW, Walsh AJ (2004). Changing UK river temperatures and their impact on fish populations. In Webb B, Acreman M, Maksimovic C, Smithers H, Kirby C (Eds.) Hydrology: Science and practice for the 21st century, Volume II (Proceedings of the British Hydrological Society International Conference, Imperial College, London, July 2004), British Hydrological Society, 177-191.

Conferences

Walling DE, Russell, Webb BW (2001). Controls on the nutrient content of suspended sediment transported by British rivers. Abstract.  Author URL.
Walling DE, Webb BW, Russell MA (1997). Sediment-associated nutrient transport in UK rivers.  Author URL.
Walling DE, Webb BW (1996). Erosion and sediment yield: a global overview.  Author URL.
Webb BW, Walling DE, Zhang Y, Clark E (1996). Water temperature behaviour in South-West England.  Author URL.
Webb BW, Zhang Y, Nobilis F (1995). Scale-related water temperature behavior.  Author URL.
Webb BW, Walling DE (1995). The long-term thermal impact of reservoir operation and some ecological implications.  Author URL.

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Teaching

During his career at Exeter, Bruce taught undergraduate courses on Science and Physical Geography, Weathering and Slopes, Hillslope and Drainage Basin Geomorphology, Fluvial Systems and Fluvial Geomorphology, Coasts, Thermal Behaviour of Stream and River Systems, and Physical Geography of South-West England. He contributed lectures on sampling design and multivariate statistics to practical courses and convened a module on Physical Geography Practice, and he also took field classes to Devon, the Channel Islands, Wales, Spain and Austria. He also taught Water Quality on MSc programmes, and supevised more than twenty postgraduate students to successful completion of higher degrees.

Bruce was External Examiner for various undergraduate programmes at Polytechnic Southwest (Plymouth Campus), La Sainte College (Southampton) and the Universities of Salford, Gloucestershire and Birmingham. He has examined higher degrees at the Universities of East Anglia, Manchester, Salford, Birmingham, Coventry, Loughborough, Pierre et Marie Currie (Paris), Tours, Singapore, New South Wales and the South Pacific.

Bruce gained membership of the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education in 2000 and became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2007.

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