Contact Dr Mark Pawlett
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 750111
- Email: m.pawlett@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
Areas of expertise
- Biomass and Waste
- Nanotechnology
- Soil
- Soil Analysis
- Soil Resources
Background
Qualifications:
PhD 2002. University of East London. Soil Ecology
MSc 1995. University of East London. Environmental Sciences
BSc (Hons) 1992. Nottingham Trent University. Applied Biology
Previous Employment:
ANALYTICAL CHEMIST: Technichem Laboratories Ltd: 1997 to 1999 UKAS accredited. Analytical duties: Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (AES), Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) with graphite furnace, hydride generation and cold vapor systems, Florescence Spectroscopy.
ANALYTICAL CHEMIST: London Analytical Ltd: 1995 to 1997: Analysis of environmental samples for: metals, phenol, cyanide, sulphate, sulphide, bomb calorimetry, nutrients as well as sample preparation, training and supervision of junior staff.
CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT: Nottingham Wildlife Trust: 1993 Habitat management
RESEARCH SCIENTIST: University of East London: 1991. Industrial placement research project for BSC (Hons) Applied Biology. A study of peat alternatives using soil microbial techniques.
Research opportunities
Dr Mark Pawlett is developing international recognition as a soil biologist, targeting innovative strategies to restore the functional health of degraded soils. He is particularly interested in improving ecological interactions and biodiversity of intensively managed soils. He attained a PhD (2002) from the University of East London with the NERC Soil Biodiversity Thematic Programme, where he provided insights regarding soil biodiversity in acidic soils. At Cranfield University, he has been a PI, Co-I and Project Manager of various research programmes. He is currently Co-I of Restoring Resilient Ecosystems (NERC), a UK-Canada Initiative antimicrobial resistance (BBSRC), Potato Lite (Innovate UK) and Exploitation of beneficial root-associated rhizobacteria in grain cereal-based cropping systems (with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco). These projects increase our fundamental knowledge regarding the role of soil microorganisms in securing functional resilience across multiple land-uses
Current activities
CURRENT RESEARCH
• [Co-I]: Restoring Resilient Ecosystems [NERC]
• [Co-I]: Exploitation of beneficial root-associated rhizobacteria in grain cereal-based cropping systems. Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.
• [Co-I]: UK-Canada AMR Initiative Canada_IPAP - Anglo-Canadian Collaboration on Antimicrobial resistance [BBSRC].
• [Co-I]: Potato Lite (Innovate UK)
Clients
DEFRA
EPSRC
BBSRC
EA
NERC
WRAP
Publications
Articles In Journals
- van Midden C, Shaw L, Harris JA, Sizmur T, Morgan H, .... (2025). Glycerol immobilises anaerobic digestate supplied nitrogen. Waste and Biomass Valorization, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)
- Benbrik B, Reid TE, Nkir D, Chaouki H, Aallam Y, .... (2025). Unlocking the agro-physiological potential of wheat rhizoplane fungi under low P conditions using a niche-conserved consortium approach. Journal of Experimental Botany
- van Midden C, Harris JA, Shaw L, Sizmur T, Morgan H, .... (2024). Immobilisation of anaerobic digestate supplied nitrogen into soil microbial biomass is dependent on lability of high organic carbon materials additives. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8
- Delanau C, Aspray T, Pawlett M & Coulon F. (2024). Investigating the influence of sulphur amendment and temperature on microbial activity in bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil. Heliyon, 10(9)
- van Midden C, Harris J, Shaw L, Sizmur T, Morgan H, .... (2024). Corrigendum: Immobilisation of anaerobic digestate supplied nitrogen into soil microbial biomass is dependent on lability of high organic carbon materials additives. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 8
- Roche D, Rickson RJ & Pawlett M. (2024). Moving towards a mechanistic understanding of biostimulant impacts on soil properties and processes: a semisystematic review. Frontiers in Agronomy, 6
- Reid TE, Kavamura VN, Torres-Ballesteros A, Smith ME, Abadie M, .... (2024). Agricultural intensification reduces selection of putative plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in wheat. The ISME Journal, 18(1)
- Hudson A, Murnane JG, O'Dwyer T, Pawlett M & Courtney R. (2023). Influence of sediment quality and microbial community on the functioning capacity of a constructed wetland treating alkaline leachate after 5.5 years in operation. Science of The Total Environment, 867(April)
- Albano X, Whitmore AP, Sakrabani R, Thomas CL, Sizmur T, .... (2023). Effect of different organic amendments on actual and achievable yields in a cereal-based cropping system. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 23(2)
- Ofem KI, John K, Ediene VF, Kefas PK, Ede AM, .... (2023). Pedological data for the study of soils developed over a limestone bed in a humid tropical environment. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(5)
- Atai E, Jumbo R, Andrews R, Cowley T, Azuazu I, .... (2023). Bioengineering remediation of former industrial sites contaminated with chemical mixtures. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 10(May)
- Atai E, Jumbo R, Cowley T, Azuazu I, Coulon F, .... (2023). Efficacy of bioadmendments in reducing the influence of salinity on the bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil. Science of The Total Environment, 892(September)
- Ndour PMS, Bargaz A, Rchiad Z, Pawlett M, Clark IM, .... (2023). Microbial catabolic activity: methods, pertinence, and potential interest for improving microbial inoculant efficiency. Microbial Ecology, 86(4)
- Drame M, Carswell A, Roberts W, Hood J, Jemo M, .... (2023). Effects of hotter, drier conditions on gaseous losses from nitrogen fertilisers. Journal of Environmental Management, 345(November)
- van Midden C, Harris JA, Shaw L, Sizmur T & Pawlett M. (2023). The impact of anaerobic digestate on soil life: a review. Applied Soil Ecology, 191(November)
- Sakrabani R, Garnett K, Knox JW, Rickson RJ, Pawlett M, .... (2023). Towards net zero in agriculture: future challenges and opportunities for arable, livestock and protected cropping systems in the UK. Outlook On Agriculture, 52(2)
- 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
- Ofem KI, Kefas PK, Abam PO, Ediene VF, John K, .... (2023). Soil health implications of some d-block metals in selected agricultural soils in Southeast Nigeria. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 196(1)
- Pawlett M, Hannam JA & Knox JW. (2021). Redefining soil health. Microbiology, 167(1)
- Reid TE, Kavamura VN, Abadie M, Torres-Ballesteros A, Pawlett M, .... (2021). Inorganic chemical fertilizer application reduces putative plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in wheat. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12(March)
- Ofem KI, John K, Pawlett M, Eyong MO, Awaogu CE, .... (2021). Estimating soil organic matter: a case study of soil physical properties for environment-related issues in southeast Nigeria. Earth Systems and Environment, 5(4)
- Ofem KI, Pawlett M, Eyong MO, Kingsley J, Umeobi EC, .... (2021). Multivariate modeling of some metals concentrations in agrarian soils: distribution and soil fertility implications in the tropics. Earth Systems and Environment, 6(2)
- Borchers N, Hannam JA & Pawlett M. (2021). Microbial community composition of translocated ancient woodland soil: a case study. Restoration Ecology, 30(7)
- Ameh EM, Tyrrel S, Harris JA, Pawlett M, Orlova EV, .... (2020). Lysis performance of bacteriophages with different plaque sizes and comparison of lysis kinetics after simultaneous and sequential phage addition. PHAGE, 1(3)
- Geng Y, Wang J, Sun Z, Ji C, Huang M, .... (2020). Soil N-oxide emissions decrease from intensive greenhouse vegetable fields by substituting synthetic N fertilizer with organic and bio-organic fertilizers. Geoderma, 383
- Duddigan S, Gil-Martínez M, Fraser T, Green I, Diaz A, .... (2020). Evaluating heathland restoration belowground using different quality indices of soil chemical and biological properties. Agronomy, 10(8)
- hasler R, pawlett M, harris J, bostock H & redmile-gordon M. (2020). Organic matter additions to soil and effects on microbially mediated carbon cycling.
- Radujković D, van Diggelen R, Weijters M, Harris JA, Pawlett M, .... (2019). Initial soil community drives heathland fungal community trajectory over multiple years through altered plant-soil interactions. New Phytologist, 225(5)
- Norton BA, Bending GD, Rachel Clark R, Corstanje R, Dunnett N, .... (2019). Urban meadows as an alternative to short mown grassland: effects of composition and height on biodiversity. Ecological Applications, 29(6)
- Pawlett M, Rickson RJ, Niziolomski J, Churchill S & Kešner M. (2019). Human cadaver burial depth affects soil microbial and nutrient status. Archaeological and Environmental Forensic Science, 1(2)
- Todman LC, Fraser FC, Corstanje R, Harris JA, Pawlett M, .... (2018). Evidence for functional state transitions in intensively-managed soil ecosystems. Scientific Reports, 8(1)
- van der Bij AU, Weijters MJ, Bobbink R, Harris JA, Pawlett M, .... (2018). Facilitating ecosystem assembly: plant-soil interactions as a restoration tool. Biological Conservation, 220
- Pawlett M, Owen A & Tibbett M. (2018). Amenity grassland quality following anaerobic digestate application. Grassland Science, 64(3)
- van der Bij AU, Pawlett M, Harris JA, Ritz K & van Diggelen R. (2016). Soil microbial community assembly precedes vegetation development after drastic techniques to mitigate effects of nitrogen deposition. Biological Conservation, 212, Pt B
- 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)
- Durenkamp M, Pawlett M, Ritz K, Harris JA, Neal AL, .... (2016). Nanoparticles within WWTP sludges have minimal impact on leachate quality and soil microbial community structure and function. Environmental Pollution, 211
- Barnett MJ, Pawlett M, Wadham JL, Jackson M & Cullen DC. (2016). Demonstration of a multi-technique approach to assess glacial microbial populations in the field. Journal of Glaciology, 62(232)
- Higgins D, Curtin T, Pawlett M & Courtney R. (2016). The potential for constructed wetlands to treat alkaline bauxite-residue leachate: phragmites australis growth. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(23)
- Moratis L. (2016). Decoupling Management Education. Journal of Management Inquiry, 25(3)
- 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
- Bartuška M, Pawlett M & Frouz J. (2015). Particulate organic carbon at reclaimed and unreclaimed post-mining soils and its microbial community composition. CATENA, 131
- Plaza C, Pawlett M, Fernández JM, Méndez A, Gascó G, .... (2015). Does biochar interfere with standard methods for determining soil microbial biomass and phenotypic community structure?. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 81
- Pawlett M & Tibbett M. (2015). Is sodium in anaerobically digested food waste a potential risk to soils?. Sustainable Environment Research, 25(4)
- Courtney R, Harris JA & Pawlett M. (2014). Microbial Community Composition in a Rehabilitated Bauxite Residue Disposal Area: A Case Study for Improving Microbial Community Composition. Restoration Ecology, 22(6)
- Pawlett M, Ritz K, Dorey RA, Rocks S, Ramsden J, .... (2013). The impact of zero-valent iron nanoparticles upon soil microbial communities is context dependent. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 20(2)
- 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)
- Harris JA, Ritz K, Coucheney E, Grice SM, Lerch TZ, .... (2012). The thermodynamic efficiency of soil microbial communities subject to long-term stress is lower than those under conventional input regimes. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 47
- Harris JA, Baptista JDC, Curtis TP, Nelson AK, Pawlett M, .... (2012). Engineering difference: Matrix design determines community composition in wastewater treatment systems. Ecological Engineering, 40
- Pankhurst LJ, Whitby C, Pawlett M, Larcombe LD, McKew B, .... (2012). Temporal and spatial changes in the microbial bioaerosol communities in green-waste composting. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 79(1)
- Harris JA, Tyrrel SF, Ritz K, Lanigan GJ, Griffiths BS, .... (2011). Does soil biology hold the key to optimized slurry management? A manifesto for research. Soil Use and Management, 27(4)
- McAdam EJ, Pawlett M & Judd SJ. (2010). Fate and impact of organics in an immersed membrane bioreactor applied to brine denitrification and ion exchange regeneration. Water Research, 44(1)
- Pawlett M, Hopkins DW, Moffett BF & Harris JA. (2009). The effect of earthworms and liming on soil microbial communities. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 45(4)
- Creamer RE, Bellamy P, Black HIJ, Cameron CM, Campbell CD, .... (2009). An inter-laboratory comparison of multi-enzyme and multiple substrate-induced respiration assays to assess method consistency in soil monitoring. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 45(6)
- Corstanje R, Kirk GJD, Pawlett M, Read R & Lark RM. (2008). Spatial variation of ammonia volatilization from soil and its scale‐dependent correlation with soil properties. European Journal of Soil Science, 59(6)
- Bo Y, Liao Y, Pawlett M, Akbar R, Girkin N, .... Solidago canadensis modifies microbial community and soil physicochemical properties through litter leachates and root exudates. Journal of Plant Ecology
Conference Papers
- Fraser F, Corstanje R, Todman L, Bello-Curás D, Bending G, .... (2022). Evidence of ecological critical slowing-down in temperate soils
- Dickinson A, Humphries R, Pawlett M & Tibbett M. (2016). Ecological and soil development of 19th Century iron and coal mine wastes at Bryn Defaid, South Wales
- Chamberlain PC, Black HIJ, Cameron CM, Campbell CD, Creamer RE, .... (2007). Can consistent temporal changes be detected in the diversity of soil invertebrates under different environmental pressures
- Creamer RE, Chamberlain PM, Black HIJ, Cameron CM, Campbell CD, .... (2007). How does temporal variability influence the reliability of multiple substrate induced respiration as an indicator of soil quality?
- Black HIJ, Cameron CM, Campbell CD, Chamberlain PM, Creamer RE, .... (2007). An ecosystem services approach to the selection of biological indicators of soil quality for national-scale soil monitoring
