Contact Dr Lynda Deeks
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 750111
- Email: l.k.deeks@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Areas of expertise
- Carbon, Climate and Risk
- Environmental Policy
- Monitoring and Environmental Informatics
- Soil
- Soil Resources
- Sustainable Land Systems
Background
Lynda graduated in Geography from the University of Plymouth and subsequently studied for a PhD in Physical Geography at the University of Plymouth. Her PhD, which investigated preferential and matrix flow in a mole drained soil block lead on to a Post Doctoral position based at the University of Plymouth and Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research at North Wyke, Devon. Following on from this Lynda was based at the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Dundee, know part of the James Hutton Institute, where she was responsible for coordinating an experimental program relating to hydro/chemical modelling across a range of physical scales from sub 1 cm 2 to 1 km 2. She joined Cranfield University in May 2003 as a Research Scientist based at the North Wyke office in Devon. Lynda still remains a Devon based member of Cranfield University.
Current activities
Current research interests include:
Causes, consequences and remediation of soil compaction
Visual soil assessment
Soil erosion and its mitigation
Sustainable soil management
Use of Polyacrylamide (PAM) to prevent soil capping and soil splash
Alleviation of subsoil compaction using selective cover crops
Soil management advice for tea growers in Kenya
Clients
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Energy Institute
- Environment Agency
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Hannam JA, Harris M, Deeks LK, Hoskins H, Hutchison J, .... (2025). Developing a multifunctional indicator framework for soil health. Ecological Indicators, 175
- Mašková L, Simmons RW, Deeks LK, De Baets S & Drost DT. (2023). Impacts of long-term application of best management practices on yields and root carbohydrate content in asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) (UK). European Journal of Agronomy, 147(July)
- Martlew J, Wilfred O, Morris N, De Baets S & Deeks LK. (2023). Long-term impacts of repeated cover cropping and cultivation approaches on subsoil physical properties. Soil and Tillage Research, 232(August)
- Fernández-Huarte M, Elphinstone JG, Adams IP, Vicente JG, Bhogal A, .... (2023). A DNA-barcode biodiversity standard analysis method (DNA-BSAM) reveals a large variance in the effect of a range of biological, chemical and physical soil management interventions at different sites, but location is one of the most important aspects determining the nature of agricultural soil microbiology. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 184(September)
- Ellafi M, Simmons R & Deeks LK. (2023). Drainage models: an evaluation of their applicability for the design of drainage systems in arid regions. Water and Environment Journal, 38(1)
- Pawlett M, Girkin NT, Deeks LK, Evans DL, Sakrabani R, .... (2023). The contribution of natural burials to soil ecosystem services: review and emergent research questions. Applied Soil Ecology, 194
- Ellafi MA, Deeks LK & Simmons RW. (2021). Application of artificial neural networks to the design of subsurface drainage systems in Libyan agricultural projects. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 35(June)
- Mašková L, Simmons RW, Deeks LK & De Baets S. (2021). Best management practices to alleviate deep-seated compaction in asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) interrows (UK). Soil and Tillage Research, 213(September)
- Arpano S, Simmons RW & Deeks LK. (2020). The efficacy of a novel polyacrylamide spray application method to mitigate soil crusting and enhance seedling emergence on crust susceptible soils.
- Corstanje R, Mercer TG, Rickson JR, Deeks LK, Newell-Price P, .... (2017). Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils. Solid Earth, 8(5)
- Hallett S, Sakrabani R, Thompson A, Deeks LK & Knox JW. (2017). Improving soil and water management for agriculture: insights and innovation from Malta. MCAST Journal of Applied Research & Practice, 1(1)
- Fraser F, Todman LC, Corstanje R, Deeks LK, Harris JA, .... (2016). Distinct respiratory responses of soils to complex organic substrate are governed predominantly by soil architecture and its microbial community. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 103
- Fraser F, Corstanje R, Deeks LK, Harris JA & Pawlett M. (2016). On the origin of carbon dioxide released from rewetted soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 101
- Todman L, Fraser F, Corstanje R, Deeks LK, Harris JA, .... (2016). Defining and quantifying the resilience of responses to disturbance: a conceptual and modelling approach from soil science. Scientific Reports, 6(1)
- Evans R, Collins AL, Foster IDL, Rickson RJ, Anthony SG, .... (2016). Extent, frequency and rate of water erosion of arable land in Britain – benefits and challenges for modelling. Soil Use and Management, 32(S1)
- Graves AR, Morris J, Deeks LK, Rickson RJ, Kibblewhite MG, .... (2015). The total costs of soil degradation in England and Wales. Ecological Economics, 119
- Rickson RJ, Deeks LK, Graves A, Harris JAH, Kibblewhite MG, .... (2015). Input constraints to food production: the impact of soil degradation. Food Security, 7(2)
- Posthumus H, Deeks LK, Rickson RJ & Quinton JN. (2015). Costs and benefits of erosion control measures in the
UK . Soil Use and Management, 31(S1) - Corstanje R, Deeks LR, Whitmore AP, Gregory AS & Ritz K. (2015). Probing the basis of soil resilience. Soil Use and Management, 31(S1)
- Pawlett M, Deeks LK & Sakrabani R. (2015). Nutrient potential of biosolids and urea derived organo-mineral fertilisers in a field scale experiment using ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Field Crops Research, 175
- Deeks LK, Chaney K, Murray C, Sakrabani R, Gedara S, .... (2013). A new sludge-derived organo-mineral fertilizer gives similar crop yields as conventional fertilizers. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 33(3)
- Posthumus H, Deeks LK, Fenn I & Rickson RJ. (2011). Soil conservation in two English catchments: Linking soil management with policies. Land Degradation & Development, 22(1)
- Stutter MI, Lumsdon DG, Billett MF, Low D & Deeks LK. (2009). Spatial Variability in Properties Affecting Organic Horizon Carbon Storage in Upland Soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 73(5)
- Deeks LK, Bengough AG, Stutter MI, Young IM & Zhang XX. (2008). Characterisation of flow paths and saturated conductivity in a soil block in relation to chloride breakthrough. Journal of Hydrology, 348(3-4)
- Owens PN, Deeks LK, Wood GA, Betson MJ, Lord EI, .... (2008). Variations in the depth distribution of phosphorus in soil profiles and implications for model-based catchment-scale predictions of phosphorus delivery to surface waters. Journal of Hydrology, 350(3-4)
- van der Perk M, Owens PN, Deeks LK, Rawlins BG, Haygarth PM, .... (2007). Controls on Catchment‐Scale Patterns of Phosphorus in Soil, Streambed Sediment, and Stream Water. Journal of Environmental Quality, 36(3)
- Owens PN, Duzant JH, Deeks LK, Wood GA, Morgan RPC, .... (2007). Evaluation of contrasting buffer features within an agricultural landscape for reducing sediment and sediment‐associated phosphorus delivery to surface waters. Soil Use and Management, 23(s1)
- Stutter MI, Deeks LK, Low D & Billett MF. (2006). Impact of soil and groundwater heterogeneity on surface water chemistry in an upland catchment. Journal of Hydrology, 318(1-4)
- Zhang X, Crawford JW, Deeks LK, Stutter MI, Bengough AG, .... (2005). A mass balance based numerical method for the fractional advection‐dispersion equation: Theory and application. Water Resources Research, 41(7)
- Zhang X, Deeks LK, Glyn Bengough A, Crawford JW & Young IM. (2005). Determination of soil hydraulic conductivity with the lattice Boltzmann method and soil thin-section technique. Journal of Hydrology, 306(1-4)
- Stutter MI, Deeks LK & Billett MF. (2005). Transport of conservative and reactive tracers through a naturally structured upland podzol field lysimeter. Journal of Hydrology, 300(1-4)
- Boag B, Deeks L, Orr A & Neilson R. (2005). A spatio‐temporal analysis of a New Zealand flatworn (Arthurdendyus triangulatus) population in western Scotland. Annals of Applied Biology, 147(1)
- Deeks LK, Deeks LK, McHugh M & Owens PN. (2005). Faecal contamination of watercourses from farm waste disposal for three sites in the UK with contrasting soil types. Soil Use and Management, 21(2)
- Stutter MI, Deeks LK & Billett MF. (2004). Spatial Variability in Soil Ion Exchange Chemistry in a Granitic Upland Catchment. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 68(4)
- Deeks LK, Bengough AG, Low D, Billett MF, Zhang X, .... (2004). Spatial variation of effective porosity and its implications for discharge in an upland headwater catchment in Scotland. Journal of Hydrology, 290(3-4)
- Williams AG, Dowd JF, Scholefield D, Holden NM & Deeks LK. (2003). Preferential Flow Variability in a Well-Structured Soil. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 67(4)
- Zhang X, Bengough AG, Deeks LK, Crawford JW & Young IM. (2002). A novel three‐dimensional lattice Boltzmann model for solute transport in variably saturated porous media. Water Resources Research, 38(9)
- McGovern HJ, Deeks LK, Hallett PD, Ritz K & Young IM. (2001). A sterile environment for growing, and monitoring, micro-organisms under a range of soil matric potentials. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 33(4-5)
- Williams A, Scholefield D, Dowd J, Holden N & Deeks L. (2000). Investigating preferential flow in a large intact soil block under pasture. Soil Use and Management, 16(4)
- James EK, Iannetta PPM, Deeks L, Sprent JI & Minchin FR. (2000). Detopping causes production of intercellular space occlusions in both the cortex and infected region of soybean nodules. Plant, Cell & Environment, 23(4)
- Martı́nez-Mena M, Deeks LK & Williams AG. (1999). An evaluation of a fragmentation fractal dimension technique to determine soil erodibility. Geoderma, 90(1-2)
- Deeks LK, Williams AG, Dowd JF & Scholefield D. (1999). Quantification of pore size distribution and the movement of solutes through isolated soil blocks. Geoderma, 90(1-2)
- Deeks LK, McHugh M & Owens PN. Faecal contamination of watercourses from farm waste disposal for three sites in the UK with contrasting soil types. Soil Use and Management, 21(2)
- Misselbrook TH, Scholefield D & Parkinson R. Using time domain reflectometry to characterize cattle and pig slurry infiltration into soil. Soil Use and Management, 21(2)
