Contact Dr Lynda Deeks
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 750111 x2762
- 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
Lynda undertakes research and consultancy work for a range of clients, including:
- Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Energy Institute
- Environment Agency
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB)
- Royal Agricultural Society of England
- UK research councils
- Utility companies.
Publications
Articles In Journals
- Ellafi M, Simmons R & Deeks L (2023) Drainage models: an evaluation of their applicability for the design of drainage systems in arid regions, Water and Environment Journal, Available online 18 July 2023.
- Fernández-Huarte M, Elphinstone JG, Adams IP, Vicente JG, Bhogal A, Watson CA, Dussart F, Stockdale EA, Walshaw J, McGreig S, Simmons RW, Mašková L, Deeks LK & Goddard MR (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) Article No. 109104.
- Martlew J, Otten W, 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) Article No. 105761.
- 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) Article No. 126828.
- 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) Article No. 100832.
- 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) Article No. 105124. Dataset/s: 10.17862/cranfield.rd.13637810
- Corstanje R, Mercer T, Rickson JR, Deeks LK, Newell-Price P, Holman I, Kechavarzi C & Waine TW (2017) Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils, Solid Earth, 8 (5) 1003-1016.
- Hallett SH, Sakrabani R, Thompson AJ, Deeks LK & Knox JW (2017) Improving soil and water management for agriculture: insights and innovation from Malta, MCAST Journal of Applied Research and Practice, 1 40-59.
- Todman LC, Fraser FC, Corstanje R, Deeks LK, Harris JA, Pawlett M, Ritz K & Whitmore AP (2016) Defining and quantifying the resilience of responses to disturbance: a conceptual and modelling approach from soil science, Scientific Reports, 6 (1) Article No. 28426.
- Fraser FC, Corstanje R, Deeks LK, Harris JA, Pawlett M, Todman LC, Whitmore AP & Ritz K (2016) On the origin of carbon dioxide released from rewetted soils, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 101 (October) 1-5.
- Fraser FC, Todman LC, Corstanje R, Deeks LK, Harris JA, Pawlett M, Whitmore AP & Ritz K (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 (December) 493-501.
- Evans R, Collins AL, Foster IDL, Rickson RJ, Anthony SG, Brewer T, Deeks L, Newell-Price JP, Truckell IG & Zhang Y (2016) Extent, frequency and rate of water erosion of arable land in Britain – benefits and challenges for modelling, Soil Use and Management, 32 (Supplement S1) 149-161.
- Rickson RJ, Deeks LK, Graves A, Harris JAH, Kibblewhite MG & Sakrabani R (2015) Input constraints to food production: the impact of soil degradation, Food Security, 7 (2) 351-364.
- Graves A, Morris J, Deeks L, Rickson RJ, Kibblewhite M, Harris J, Farewell T & Truckle I. (2015) The total costs of soil degradation in England and Wales, Ecological Economics, 119 (November) 399-413.
- Corstanje R, Deeks LR, Whitmore AP, Gregory AS & Ritz K (2015) Probing the basis of soil resilience, Soil Use and Management, 31 (S1) 72-81.
- 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 56-63.
- Posthumus H, Deeks LK, Rickson RJ & Quinton JN (2013) Costs and benefits of erosion control measures in the UK, Soil Use and Management, 31 (October) 16-33.
- Deeks LK, Chaney K, Murray C, Sakrabani R, Gedara S, Le MS, Tyrrel S, Pawlett M, Read R & Smith GH (2013) Field evaluation of a sewage sludge derived novel organo-mineral fertilizer on combinable crops, Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 33 (3) 539-549.
- Deeks LK, Chaney K, Murray C, Sakrabani R, Gedara S, Le MS, Tyrrel S, Pawlett M, Read R & Smith G (2013) A new sludge-derived organo-mineral fertilizer gives similar crop yields as conventional fertilisers, Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 33 (3) 539-549.
- Deeks LK, Duzant JH, Owens PN & Wood GA (2012) A decision support framework for effective design and placement of vegetated buffer strips within agricultural field systems, Advances in Agronomy, 114 225-248.
- Posthumus H, Deeks LK, Fenn I & Rickson RJ (2011) Soil conservation in two English catchments: linking soil management with policies, Land Degradation and Development, 22 (1) 97-110.
- 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) 1724-1732.
- 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) 431-441.
- Owens PN, Deeks LK, Wood G, Betson M, Lord E & Davison P (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) 317-328.
- Owens PN, Deeks LK, Wood GA, Betson MJ, Lord EI, Davidson PS & Withers PJA (2008) Distribution of phosphorous in soil profiles and its implication for model-based catchment-scale predictions of phosphorous delivery to surface waters., Journal of Hydrology, 350 (3-4) 317-328.
- Van Der Perk M, Owens PN, Deeks LK & Rawlins BG (2007) Streambed sediment geochemical controls on in-stream phosphorus concentrations during baseflow, Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 6 443-451.
- Van Der Perk M, Owens PN, Deeks LK, Rwalins G, Haygarth PM & Beven KJ (2007) Controls on catchment-scale patterns of phosphorus in soil, streambed sediment, and stream water, Journal of Environmental Quality, 36 (3) 694-708.
- Owens PN, Duzant J, Deeks LK, Wood GA, Morgan RPC & Collins AJ (2007) Evaluation of contrasting buffer features within an agricultural landscape for reducing sediment and particulate phosphorus delivery to surface waters., Soil Use and Management, 23 (s1) 165-175.
- 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) 103-120.
- Zhang X, Bengough AG, Deeks LK, Crawford JW & Young IM (2005) A novel Lattice Boltzmann method for solving solute transport in variably saturated soils, Water Resources Research, 38 (9).
- Zhang X, Crawford JW, Deeks LK, Stutter MI, Bengough AG & Young IM (2005) A mass balance based numerical method for the fractional advection-dispersion equation: Theory and application, Water Resources Research, 41 (7) 1-10.
- 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) 212-220.
- Deeks LK, Bengough AG, Low D, Billett MF, Zhang X, Crawford JW, Chessell JM & Young IM (2005) Spatial variation of effective porosity and its implications for discharge in an upland headwater catchment in Scotland., Journal of Hydrology, 290 (3-4) 217-228.
- Boag B, Deeks LK, Orr A & Neilson R (2005) A spatio-temporal analysis of a New Zealand flatworm (Arthurdendyus triangulates) population in western Scotland., Annals of Applied Biology, 147 (12) 81-88.
- 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) 1-19.
- Zhang X, Deeks LK, Bengough AG, 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) 59-70.
- 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) 1304-1314.
- 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) 1272-1281.
- 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) 689-691.
Conference Papers
- Fraser F, Corstanje R, Todman L, Bello-Curás D, Bending G, Deeks L, Harris J, Hilton S, Pawlett M, Zawadzka J, Whitmore A & Ritz K (2022) Evidence of ecological critical slowing-down in temperate soils. In: EGU General Assembly, 2022, Vienna, 23-27 May 2022.
- Hallett SH & Deeks L (2012) A history of Soil Survey in England and Wales. In: EGU General Assembly, Vienna, 15-20 April 2012.
- Clarke MA, Creamer RE, Deeks LK, Gowing D, Holman, Jones R, Palmer RC, Potts S, Rickson RJ, Ritz, Thompson TRE, Truckell, Vickery J, Whalley R & Woodcock B (2008) Soil compaction in Wales. In: Welsh Soil Discussion Group Meeting, Bangor, Wales, 1 November 2008.
- Holman IP, Whitehead J & Deeks LK (2007) Using SWAT to support the Habitats Directive in the UK- a case study from the east of England. In: 4th international SWAT conference , Delft, The Netherlands, 4 July 2007.
- Clarke MA, Creamer RE, Deeks LK, Gowing D, Holman IP, Jones RJA, Palmer RC, Potts S, Rickson RJ, Ritz K, Thompson TRE, Truckell IG, Vickery J, Whalley R & Woodcock B (2007) Soil compaction in England and Wales : a vulnerability assessment, state-of knowledge and recommendations for future research. In: Soils - fit for purpose ? : BSSS Annual Meeting 2007, Aberystwyth, UK, 1 September 2007.
- Sakrabani R, Pawlett M, Read R & Deeks LK Optimising phosphorus supply from nutrient enriched sludge granules using diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT). In: 16th European Biosolids and Organic Resources Conference, Leeds, 14 November 2011.
Books
- Sakrabani R, Deeks LK, Kibblewhite MG & Ritz K (2012) Impacts of Agriculture on Soil Quality. In: Environmental Impacts of Modern Agriculture. Hester RE, Harrison RM (ed.), London: Royal Society of Chemistry, p. 35-56.
- Duzant JH, Morgan RPC, Wood GA & Deeks LK (2011) Modelling the role of vegetated buffer strips in reducing transfer of sediment from land to water courses.. In: Handbook of erosion modelling, Blackwell publishing.
- Deeks LK, Bengough AG, Low D, Zhang X, Young IM, Crawford JW, Chessell JM & Billett MF (2001) Spatial analysis of soil physical properties in a UK upland subcatchment.. In: Spatial analysis of soil physical properties in a UK upland subcatchment., Quantitative Geology and Geostatistic Series, Kluwer.
