Location: Room F6a, Thoday Building, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University

Email: a.r.smith@bangor.ac.uk

Phone:+44 (0)1248 382297

Web: LinkedIn, ResearchGate, GoogleScholar, ResearcherID

I research and teach forest ecology, biogeochemistry and plant-soil interactions with emphasis on species diversity and ecosystem function in undisturbed and managed ecosystems. I'm particlarly interested in belowground processes and the study of root biology, mycorrhizal symbiosis, and biogeochemical cycling, subjects that I have researched in a variety of climate change manipulation experiments that include elevated CO₂ and climatic extremes (via altered precipitation and temperature regimes) in forest and upland ecosystems. I previously held the positions of Climate Change Impact Scientist at NERCs Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (2011-2013), and postdoctoral researcher at Bangor University (2010-2011). In my early career at the Medical Research Council, Cambridge and Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge I focused on the development of novel molecular and bioinformatics techniques for the human genome sequencing projects.

I lead the Sêr Cymru NRN-LCEE research cluster Multi-Land that is creating an evidence-base around Enhancement of Agricultural Productivity and Ecosystem Service Resilience in Multifunctional Landscapes. I'm the PI of the forest diversity experiment (BangorDiverse) based at the Henfaes Research Centre, Abergwyngregyn. BangorDIVERSE was established in 2004 with 92 plots of alder (Alnus glutinosa L.), birch (Betula pendula Roth.), beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), and oak (Quercus robur L.) planted in monoculture, and two and three species mixtures using a fully replicated (n=4) design. I also manage and conducted research on silvopastoral agroforestry at the Henfaes Research Centre that focuses on the role agroforestry has in sustainably delivering food security whilst maintaining ecological complexity and the provision of ecosystem services (public goods).

Research Areas:

• Forestry
• Environmental and Soil Science
• Crops and Livestock

Teaching

Module organiser

• DXX-2004 (Level 5) Silviculture and Inventory
• DXX-3212 (Level 6) Forest Ecosystems
• DXX-3016 (Level 6) Forest Ecosystems & Services
• DDL-4204 (Level 7) Forest Ecosystems

Module contributor

• DXX-1000 (Level 4) Academic Tutorials & Key Skills
• DXX-1001 (Level 4) Ecosystem Functon & Services
• DXX-1003 (Level 4) Forests in the 21st Century
• DXX-1006 (Level 4) Making Snowdonia
• DXX-3701 (Level 6) Honours Project
• DXX-4999 (Level 7) MSc Dissertation
• DDL-4999 (Level 7) Distance Learning Disseration

PhD Student Supervision

Vacant post “Optimising landscape shelterbelts to sustainably increase farm livestock productivity and build resilience to extreme events”, KESS-PhD, 2019-2022.

Daniel Fishburn "Breaking down the effect of UV light on litter decomposition: a study of carbon cycling along a tropical forest humidity gradient". NERC-PhD, 2019-2023.

Charlotte Pritchard "Improving the efficiency of sheep production through environmental management”, KESS-PhD, 2018-2021.

Anastasia Atucha “Identifying genetic markers for frost resistance in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)”, KESS-PhD, 2017-2020.

Bid Webb “Investigating the impact of shelterbelts and livestock behaviour on landscape hydrology and biogeochemistry”, NRN-PhD, 2016-2019.

Francis Roberts “Land use change impacts on soil hydraulic function”, NERC-PhD, 2016-2020.

Tim Peters “Investigating the role of soil microbes and rhizodeposition in C cycling and long-term C sequestration of forest ecosystems”, NERC-PhD, 2015-2020.

Anna Gunina “Understanding the role of rhizosphere hotspots and their ecological relevance for processes in forest soils.” FONASO-PhD, 2014-2017.[completed]

Relena Ribbons “Forests & Soils: Interactions between trees species and nutrient cycling in pure and mixed species stands”, FONASO-PhD, 2013-2016. [completed]

Emma Brown “Evaluating fine-scale, spatial and temporal controls on fluxes of greenhouse gases from natural and managed peatlands”, NERC-PhD, 2013-2016. [completed]

• SNS Director of Research
• SNS Executive (Management) Committee Member
• SNS Henfaes (Field Research Centre) Committee Member
• CoESE Research Committee Member