Lynne Macdonald

Lynne has a broad interest in soil science, with particular focus on interactions between the soil physico-chemical matrix and biological functions. My experience spans management influences on grazed and agronomic ecosystems, with technical experience in many biochemical, microbial, and soil profiling analysis. I have an enthusiastic interested in working towards understanding nutrient cycling in order to develop efficient, sustainable nutrient use in the agro-ecosystem, and reduce aquatic and atmospheric pollution. Her current research looks to apply knowledge of soil biogeochemistry to forensic problems, and work towards developing a a structured approach to analysis and data handling.

Education:

Ph.D., October 1998 - March 2002: Macaulay Land Use Research Institute/University of Aberdeen, Scotland. Thesis:  Rhizosphere Carbon Flow and the Associated Microbial Community of Lolium perenne:  Influence of Non-structural Plant Carbon and Defoliation. Supervisors: Eric Paterson, Lorna A Dawson, A. Jim S McDonald.

B.Sc. (Hon.s), September 1994 – June 1998: Environmental Microbiology Honors (2:1): Departments of Molecular and Cell Biology & Plant and Soil Science, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. Honors Research Project: The potential use of lux marked biosensors to report on rhizosphere carbon flow. Honors taught Courses: Soil Biology and Biochemistry, Soil Physics, Soil-Water Interactions, Soil Fertility, Environmental Microbiology, Molecular Microbiology, Biotechnology. Supervisor: K Killham

Employment History:

Post-Doctoral Scientist, January 2006 – January 2009: Post-Doctoral Scientist, Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Aberdeen, UK. Project: Integration of soil fingerprinting techniques for forensic application (EPSRC). Principal Investigator: LA Dawson

Post-Doctoral Fellow, January 2004 – January 2006: Post-Doctoral Scientist, CSIRO Entomology, Glen Osmond, South Australia.Project: Management of soil microbial function for improved productivity in intensive cropping systems (GRDC). Supervisors: D Roget/VVSR Gupta

Post-Doctoral Visiting Fellow, April 2002 – April 2004: Post-Doctoral Visiting Fellow, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Canada. Project: Microbiological processes that govern greenhouse gas emissions from prairie agricultural practices (Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council Fellowship). Supervisor: Henry H Janzen.

Refereed Publications:

Mayes, R.W., Macdonald, L.M., Ross, J., Dawson, L.A., in press. Discrimination of domestic garden soils using plant wax compounds as markers. In Criminal and Environmental Forensics, Ritz, K., Dawson, L.A., Miller, D. (Eds), Springer, UK. Due Dec 2008.

Macdonald LM, Singh BK, Thomas N, Brewer MJ, Campbell CD, Dawson LA., 2008. Microbial DNA profiling by multiplex terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism for forensic examination of soil evidence and the influence of sample condition. Journal Applied Microbiology 105 (3), 813 - 821.

Wakelin, S.A., Macdonald, L.M., Rogers, S.L., Gregg, A.L., Baldock, J.A., Bolger, T.P., 2008, Habitat selective factors influencing the structural composition and functional capacity of microbial communities in agricultural soils. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 40: p. 803-813.

Broos, K., Macdonald, L.M, Warne, M.S.J., Heemsbergen, D.A., Barnes, M.B., Bell, M., McLaughlin, M.J., 2007. Limitations of soil microbial biomass carbon as an indicator of soil pollution in the field. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 39(10): p. 2693-2695.

Macdonald, L.M., Paterson, E., Dawson, L.A., McDonald, A.J.S., 2006. Defoliation and fertiliser influences on the soil microbial community associated with two contrasting Lolium perenne cullivars. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 38(4): p. 674-682.

Macdonald, L.M., Paterson, E., Dawson, L.A., McDonald, A.J.S., 2004. Short-term effects of defoliation on the soil microbial community associated with two contrasting Lolium perenne cultivars. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 36(3): p. 489-498.

Macdonald, L., Rhizosphere Carbon Flow and the Associated Microbial Community of Lolium perenne: influence of non-structural pant carbon and defoliation. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Aberdeen, Plant & Soil Science, UK, 2002,

Selected Conference Presentations & Posters:

Macdonald, L.M., Jackson, G., Brewer, M.J., Dawson, L.A., 2008. Transfer and persistence influences on the value of soil evidence: exploring a Bayesian approach. The 7th International Conference on Forensic Inference and Statistics, University of Lausanne, August 2008.

Macdonald, L.M., Ritz, K., Singh, B.K., Macdonald, C.A., Campbell, C.D., Mayes, R.W., Dawson, L.A., 2008. Evaluating the potential of molecular microbiology for forensic examination of soil. Bristish Society Soil Science Autumn Meeting: Something Old, Something New: integrating molecular biology with other techniques in soil science, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden.

Macdonald, L.; Brewer, M.; Dawson, L.A.; Campbell, C.; Mayes, R.; Robertson, J.; Singh, B.; Towers, W.; Ross, J.; Bellamy, P.; Ritz, K.; Crawford, J.Exploring the forensic potential of novel soil profiling methods. Soil Forensics International Conference, Edinburgh.

Macdonald, C.A., Macdonald, L.M., Dawson, L.A., Horswell, J. 2007. Utilising the soil organic component for potential forensic application. Soil Forensics International Conference, Edinburgh.

Macdonald, L.M.; Donnelly, D.; Ball, J.; Dawson, L.A., 2007. Integration of modern soil fingerprinting methods for forensic application. The Environment in a Legal and Regulatory Context - Environmental Forensics: a new frontier, Bournemouth University.

Macdonald, L.M.; Davy, V.; Brewer, M.; Dawson, L.A., 2006. Towards a soil forensic database: Integration of soil fingerprinting techniques. Soil Forensics Workshop at the Californian Association of Criminalists, 108th Fall Seminar, The Climate of Crime: Hot Topics and Cold Hits.

Macdonald, L.M.; Midwood, A.; Dawson, L.A., 2006.  Utilising stable isotope ratios in soil forensic science. Soil Forensics Workshop at the Californian Association of Criminalists, 108th Fall Seminar, The Climate of Crime: Hot Topics and Cold Hits.

Macdonald, L.M., Mitch, M.J., Janzen, H.H., Clapperton, M.J., 2003. Ammonia oxidiser diversity and N2O: influence of long-term fertiliser application, At Biological Diversity and Function in Soils, British Ecological Society, Lancaster, UK.

Macdonald, L.M., Paterson, E., Dawson, L.A., McDonald, A.J. S., 2001. Do Biolog CLPPs from rhizosphere soil reflect the quality of carbon exudation from plant roots? Ninth International Symposium on Microbial Ecology: Interactions in the Microbial World, Amsterdam, 26-31 August, 2001

Popular Articles:

Dirt detectives. Buckley, L. 2008. Science Museum, London.

Real Life CSI: Soil Fighting Crime. Macdonald, L.M. 2007. SoilNet.com