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)
Research group links
Publications
Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year
Publications by category
Journal articles
Brazier RE, Puttock A, Graham HA, Auster RE, Davies KH, Brown CML (2020). Beaver: Nature's ecosystem engineers.
WIREs Water,
8(1).
Abstract:
Beaver: Nature's ecosystem engineers
AbstractBeavers have the ability to modify ecosystems profoundly to meet their ecological needs, with significant associated hydrological, geomorphological, ecological, and societal impacts. To bring together understanding of the role that beavers may play in the management of water resources, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems, this article reviews the state‐of‐the‐art scientific understanding of the beaver as the quintessential ecosystem engineer. This review has a European focus but examines key research considering both Castor fiber—the Eurasian beaver and Castor canadensis—its North American counterpart. In recent decades species reintroductions across Europe, concurrent with natural expansion of refugia populations has led to the return of C. fiber to much of its European range with recent reviews estimating that the C. fiber population in Europe numbers over 1.5 million individuals. As such, there is an increasing need for understanding of the impacts of beaver in intensively populated and managed, contemporary European landscapes. This review summarizes how beaver impact: (a) ecosystem structure and geomorphology, (b) hydrology and water resources, (c) water quality, (d) freshwater ecology, and (e) humans and society. It concludes by examining future considerations that may need to be resolved as beavers further expand in the northern hemisphere with an emphasis upon the ecosystem services that they can provide and the associated management that will be necessary to maximize the benefits and minimize conflicts.This article is categorized under:
Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems
Abstract.
Publications by year
2020
Brazier RE, Puttock A, Graham HA, Auster RE, Davies KH, Brown CML (2020). Beaver: Nature's ecosystem engineers.
WIREs Water,
8(1).
Abstract:
Beaver: Nature's ecosystem engineers
AbstractBeavers have the ability to modify ecosystems profoundly to meet their ecological needs, with significant associated hydrological, geomorphological, ecological, and societal impacts. To bring together understanding of the role that beavers may play in the management of water resources, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems, this article reviews the state‐of‐the‐art scientific understanding of the beaver as the quintessential ecosystem engineer. This review has a European focus but examines key research considering both Castor fiber—the Eurasian beaver and Castor canadensis—its North American counterpart. In recent decades species reintroductions across Europe, concurrent with natural expansion of refugia populations has led to the return of C. fiber to much of its European range with recent reviews estimating that the C. fiber population in Europe numbers over 1.5 million individuals. As such, there is an increasing need for understanding of the impacts of beaver in intensively populated and managed, contemporary European landscapes. This review summarizes how beaver impact: (a) ecosystem structure and geomorphology, (b) hydrology and water resources, (c) water quality, (d) freshwater ecology, and (e) humans and society. It concludes by examining future considerations that may need to be resolved as beavers further expand in the northern hemisphere with an emphasis upon the ecosystem services that they can provide and the associated management that will be necessary to maximize the benefits and minimize conflicts.This article is categorized under:
Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems
Abstract.
Chryssa_Brown Details from cache as at 2023-12-08 02:08:33
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