Andrew Thomas

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Andrew Thomas

Prof

 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1360-1687
20052024

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Profile

Andrew is a graduate of Swansea University, where he obtained a Geography degree and Ph.D. His doctoral research looked at the impact of fire on soil erosion, slope hydrology and nutrient losses in the eucalyptus and pine forests of central Portugal. He has held lectureship positions at Reading (1997), Salford (1998) and Manchester Metropolitan (2002) Universities where he was made Reader in Physical Geography in 2011. He was awarded the Royal Geographical Society's Peter Fleming award in 2008 and a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship in 2010. He joined the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth in October 2012.

Research interests

External Group Affiliation * Climate Change Consortium for Wales (Aberystwyth director, from January 2013)

Research Interests

Drylands, soil carbon, soil CO2 efflux, biological soil crusts

Andrew's expertise is in dryland environments, particularly in the Kalahari of southern Africa. He is interested in predicting the effects of climatic and land use change on soils and the carbon cycle. Funding from NERC (CEH/L/027/2007?) and The Leverhulme Trust (RF/4/RFG/2009/0263) allowed him to establish how grazing intensity, rainfall and temperature affect land-atmosphere fluxes of CO2 across the Kalahari. Much of his work has focused on biological soil crusts and their influence over soil erodibility, moisture and nutrient content in drylands. Recently this has taken him to the Makgadikgadi salt pans in northern Botswana, where he has investigated biological and chemical uptake of carbon in hyper-saline and alkaline soils. His current research is quantifying spatial differences in soil respiration and microbial activity in the Kalahari, and determining the relative roles of fungi and bacteria in carbon cycles (The Leverhulme Trust, F/00 426/H). The links between soils, ecosystem services and rural livelihoods in rural southern African environments are a key aspect of his work (NERC NE/I003320/1).

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 1 - No Poverty
  • SDG 2 - Zero Hunger
  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 15 - Life on Land

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  • Biological soil crusts: Spatio-temporal development and ecological functions of soil surface microbial communities across different scales

    Lan, S., Elliott, D. R., Chamizo, S., Felde, V. J. M. N. L. & Thomas, A. D., 30 Jul 2024, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 15, 1447058.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial

    Open Access
    File
    5 Downloads (Pure)

  • Spatial organisation of fungi in soil biocrusts of the Kalahari is related to bacterial community structure and may indicate ecological functions of fungi in drylands

    Elliott, D. R., Thomas, A. D., Hoon, S. R. & Sen, R., 25 Apr 2024, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 15, 1173637.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
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    6 Downloads (Pure)

  • Mating Performance and Singlehood Across 14 Nations

    Apostolou, M., Sullman, M., Birkás, B., Błachnio, A., Bushina, E., Calvo, F., Costello, W., Dujlovic, T., Hill, T., Lajunen, T. J., Lisun, Y., Manrique-Millones, D., Manrique-Pino, O., Meskó, N., Nechtelberger, M., Ohtsubo, Y., Ollhoff, C. K., Przepiórka, A., Putz, Á. & Tagliabue, M. & 7 others, Tekeş, B., Thomas, A., Valentova, J. V., Varella, M. A. C., Wang, Y., Wright, P. & Font-Mayolas, S., 01 Jan 2023, In: Evolutionary Psychology. 21, 1, 12 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
    13 Citations (Scopus)

  • Global maps of soil temperature

    Lembrechts, J. J., van den Hoogen, J., Aalto, J., Ashcroft, M. B., De Frenne, P., Kemppinen, J., Kopecký, M., Luoto, M., Maclean, I. M. D., Crowther, T. W., Bailey, J. J., Haesen, S., Klinges, D. H., Niittynen, P., Scheffers, B. R., Van Meerbeek, K., Aartsma, P., Abdalaze, O., Abedi, M. & Aerts, R. & 386 others, Ahmadian, N., Ahrends, A., Alatalo, J. M., Alexander, J. M., Allonsius, C. N., Altman, J., Ammann, C., Andres, C., Andrews, C., Ardö, J., Arriga, N., Arzac, A., Aschero, V., Assis, R. L., Assmann, J. J., Bader, M. Y., Bahalkeh, K., Barančok, P., Barrio, I. C., Barros, A., Barthel, M., Basham, E. W., Bauters, M., Bazzichetto, M., Marchesini, L. B., Bell, M. C., Benavides, J. C., Benito Alonso, J. L., Berauer, B. J., Bjerke, J. W., Björk, R. G., Björkman, M. P., Björnsdóttir, K., Blonder, B., Boeckx, P., Boike, J., Bokhorst, S., Brum, B. N. S., Brůna, J., Buchmann, N., Buysse, P., Camargo, J. L., Campoe, O. C., Candan, O., Canessa, R., Cannone, N., Carbognani, M., Carnicer, J., Casanova-Katny, A., Cesarz, S., Chojnicki, B., Choler, P., Chown, S. L., Cifuentes, E. F., Čiliak, M., Contador, T., Convey, P., Cooper, E. J., Cremonese, E., Curasi, S. R., Curtis, R., Cutini, M., Dahlberg, C. J., Daskalova, G. N., de Pablo, M. A., Della Chiesa, S., Dengler, J., Deronde, B., Descombes, P., Di Cecco, V., Di Musciano, M., Dick, J., Dimarco, R. D., Dolezal, J., Dorrepaal, E., Dušek, J., Eisenhauer, N., Eklundh, L., Erickson, T. E., Erschbamer, B., Eugster, W., Ewers, R. M., Exton, D. A., Fanin, N., Fazlioglu, F., Feigenwinter, I., Fenu, G., Ferlian, O., Fernández Calzado, M. R., Fernández-Pascual, E., Finckh, M., Finger Higgens, R., Forte, T. G. W., Freeman, E. C., Frei, E. R., Fuentes-Lillo, E., García, R. A., García, M. B., Géron, C., Gharun, M., Ghosn, D., Gigauri, K., Gobin, A., Goded, I., Goeckede, M., Gottschall, F., Goulding, K., Govaert, S., Graae, B. J., Greenwood, S., Greiser, C., Grelle, A., Guénard, B., Guglielmin, M., Guillemot, J., Haase, P., Haider, S., Halbritter, A. H., Hamid, M., Hammerle, A., Hampe, A., Haugum, S. V., Hederová, L., Heinesch, B., Helfter, C., Hepenstrick, D., Herberich, M., Herbst, M., Hermanutz, L., Hik, D. S., Hoffrén, R., Homeier, J., Hörtnagl, L., Høye, T. T., Hrbáček, F., Hylander, K., Iwata, H., Jackowicz-Korczynski, M. A., Jactel, H., Järveoja, J., Jastrzębowski, S., Jentsch, A., Jiménez, J. J., Jónsdóttir, I. S., Jucker, T., Jump, A. S., Juszczak, R., Kanka, R., Kašpar, V., Kazakis, G., Kelly, J., Khuroo, A. A., Klemedtsson, L., Klisz, M., Kljun, N., Knohl, A., Kobler, J., Kollár, J., Kotowska, M. M., Kovács, B., Kreyling, J., Lamprecht, A., Lang, S. I., Larson, C., Larson, K., Laska, K., le Maire, G., Leihy, R. I., Lens, L., Liljebladh, B., Lohila, A., Lorite, J., Loubet, B., Lynn, J., Macek, M., Mackenzie, R., Magliulo, E., Maier, R., Malfasi, F., Máliš, F., Man, M., Manca, G., Manco, A., Manise, T., Manolaki, P., Marciniak, F., Matula, R., Mazzolari, A. C., Medinets, S., Medinets, V., Meeussen, C., Merinero, S., Mesquita, R. D. C. G., Meusburger, K., Meysman, F. J. R., Michaletz, S. T., Milbau, A., Moiseev, D., Moiseev, P., Mondoni, A., Monfries, R., Montagnani, L., Moriana-Armendariz, M., Morra di Cella, U., Mörsdorf, M., Mosedale, J. R., Muffler, L., Muñoz-Rojas, M., Myers, J. A., Myers‐smith, I. H., Nagy, L., Nardino, M., Naujokaitis-Lewis, I., Newling, E., Nicklas, L., Niedrist, G., Niessner, A., Nilsson, M. B., Normand, S., Nosetto, M. D., Nouvellon, Y., Nuñez, M. A., Ogaya, R., Ogée, J., Okello, J., Olejnik, J., Olesen, J. E., Opedal, Ø. H., Orsenigo, S., Palaj, A., Pampuch, T., Panov, A. V., Pärtel, M., Pastor, A., Pauchard, A., Pauli, H., Pavelka, M., Pearse, W. D., Peichl, M., Pellissier, L., Penczykowski, R. M., Penuelas, J., Petit Bon, M., Petraglia, A., Phartyal, S. S., Phoenix, G. K., Pio, C., Pitacco, A., Pitteloud, C., Plichta, R., Porro, F., Portillo‐estrada, M., Poulenard, J., Poyatos, R., Prokushkin, A. S., Puchalka, R., Pușcaș, M., Radujković, D., Randall, K., Ratier Backes, A., Remmele, S., Remmers, W., Renault, D., Risch, A. C., Rixen, C., Robinson, S. A., Robroek, B. J. M., Rocha, A. V., Rossi, C., Rossi, G., Roupsard, O., Rubtsov, A. V., Saccone, P., Sagot, C., Sallo Bravo, J., Santos, C. C., Sarneel, J. M., Scharnweber, T., Schmeddes, J., Schmidt, M., Scholten, T., Schuchardt, M., Schwartz, N., Scott, T., Seeber, J., Segalin de Andrade, A. C., Seipel, T., Semenchuk, P., Senior, R. A., Serra-Diaz, J. M., Sewerniak, P., Shekhar, A., Sidenko, N. V., Siebicke, L., Siegwart Collier, L., Simpson, E., Siqueira, D. P., Sitková, Z., Six, J., Smiljanic, M., Smith, S. W., Smith-Tripp, S., Somers, B., Sørensen, M. V., Souza, J. J. L. L., Souza, B. I., Souza Dias, A., Spasojevic, M. J., Speed, J. D. M., Spicher, F., Stanisci, A., Steinbauer, K., Steinbrecher, R., Steinwandter, M., Stemkovski, M., Stephan, J. G., Stiegler, C., Stoll, S., Svátek, M., Svoboda, M., Tagesson, T., Tanentzap, A. J., Tanneberger, F., Theurillat, J. P., Thomas, H. J. D., Thomas, A., Tielbörger, K., Tomaselli, M., Treier, U. A., Trouillier, M., Turtureanu, P. D., Tutton, R., Tyystjärvi, V. A., Ueyama, M., Ujházy, K., Ujházyová, M., Uogintas, D., Urban, A. V., Urban, J., Urbaniak, M., Ursu, T. M., Vaccari, F. P., Van de Vondel, S., Brink, L., Van Geel, M., Vandvik, V., Vangansbeke, P., Varlagin, A., Veen, G. F., Veenendaal, E., Venn, S. E., Verbeeck, H., Verbrugggen, E., Verheijen, F. G. A., Villar, L., Vitale, L., Vittoz, P., Vives-Ingla, M., von Oppen, J., Walz, J., Wang, R., Wang, Y., Way, R. G., Wedegärtner, R. E. M., Weigel, R., Wild, J., Wilkinson, M., Wilmking, M., Wingate, L., Winkler, M., Wipf, S., Wohlfahrt, G., Xenakis, G., Yang, Y., Yu, Z., Yu, K., Zellweger, F., Zhang, J., Zhang, Z., Zhao, P., Ziemblińska, K., Zimmermann, R., Zong, S., Zyryanov, V. I., Nijs, I. & Lenoir, J., 01 Apr 2022, In: Global Change Biology. 28, 9, p. 3110-3144 35 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
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    157 Citations (Scopus)
    118 Downloads (Pure)

  • Soil biocrusts affect metabolic response to hydration on dunes in west Queensland, Australia

    Thomas, A. D., Elliott, D. R., Hardcastle, D., Strong, C. L., Bullard, J., Webster, R. & Lan, S., 01 Jan 2022, In: Geoderma. 405, 10 p., 115464.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
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    12 Citations (Scopus)
    112 Downloads (Pure)

  • Soil properties across a hydrological gradient in saladas from northeast Spain: What are the implications for soil carbon stocks, CO2 efflux and microbial communities in a warming world?

    Thomas, A., Tooth, S., Lan, S., Holt, T., Saunders, I. & Tarren, H., 01 Aug 2022, In: Wetlands Ecology and Management. 30, 4, p. 715-735 21 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
    File
    2 Citations (Scopus)
    96 Downloads (Pure)

  • Biotic and Abiotic Drivers of Topsoil Organic Carbon Concentration in Drylands Have Similar Effects at Regional and Global Scales

    Gaitán, J. J., Maestre, F. T., Bran, D. E., Buono, G. G., Dougill, A. J., Martinez, G. G., Ferrante, D., Guuroh, R. T., Lindstaeter, A., Massara, V., Thomas, A. D. & Oliva, G. E., 01 Nov 2019, In: Ecosystems. 22, 7, p. 1445-1456 12 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
    File
    22 Citations (Scopus)
    172 Downloads (Pure)

  • Small-Scale Spatial Heterogeneity of Photosynthetic Fluorescence Associated with Biological Soil Crust Succession in the Tengger Desert, China

    Lan, S., Thomas, A., Tooth, S., Wu, L. & Hu, C., 01 Nov 2019, In: Microbial Ecology. 78, 4, p. 936-948 13 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
    File
    11 Citations (Scopus)
    186 Downloads (Pure)

  • Surface Stability in Drylands is Influenced by Dispersal Strategy of Soil Bacteria

    Elliott, D. R., Thomas, A., Strong, C. & Bullard, J. E., 26 Dec 2019, In: Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 124, 11, p. 3403-3418 16 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
    File
    20 Citations (Scopus)
    157 Downloads (Pure)

  • An assessment of the effects of forest reserve management on the livelihoods of forest fringe communities in the Atwima Mponua District of Ghana

    Sobeng, A. K., Agyemang-Duah, W., Thomas, A. & Appiah, J. O., 11 Jul 2018, In: Forests, Trees and Livelihoods. 27, 3, p. 158-174 17 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    11 Citations (Scopus)

  • Soil fungal abundance and plant functional traits drive fertile island formation in global drylands

    Ochoa-Hueso, R., Eldridge, D. J., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., Soliveres, S., Bowker, M. A., Gross, N., Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Y., Quero, J. L., García-Gómez, M., Valencia, E., Arredondo, T., Beinticinco, L., Bran, D., Cea, A., Coaguila, D., Dougill, A. J., Espinosa, C. I., Gaitán, J., Guuroh, R. T. & Gusman, E. & 14 others, Gutiérrez, J. R., Hernández, R. M., Huber-Sannwald, E., Jeffries, T., Linstädter, A., Mau, R. L., Monerris, J., Prina, A., Pucheta, E., Stavi, I., Thomas, A., Zaddy, E., Singh, B. K. & Maestre, F. T., 31 Jan 2018, In: Journal of Ecology. 106, 1, p. 242-253 12 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

    Open Access
    File
    154 Citations (Scopus)
    226 Downloads (Pure)
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