Dr Lorna Dawson

Lorna Dawson, is a senior scientist in the Environmental Sciences Group at the Macaulay, and has over 20 years experience in conducting and managing research in plant- soil interactions.

Research Interests

Her work has led to a greater understanding of the role of root dynamics in plant morphological adaptation and on soil floral and faunal interactions. She is currently lead organiser of the Scottish Roots Group.

She has experience of managing projects funded by both SEERAD and external organisations, and currently collaborates with groups in France, New Zealand, Sweden, USA and Canada. She is Principal Investigator on a project funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to develop tools for soil characterisation for use in forensics. This work involves collaboration with the National Soil Resources Institute (NSRI) and Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) as well as various forensic experts in the National Crime and Operations Faculty (NCOF), the Forensic Science Service (FSS), and various police laboratories and forces throughout the U.K. and abroad. She is also actively researching the dynamics of root carbon flow, carbon sequestration in soils, plant marker indicators and the impact of climate and land use change on these processes. She supervises Honours, M.Sc. And Ph.D. students from a range of Universities in the UK and abroad.

Lorna's highlighted publications

• A complementary approach to the forensic analysis of soil in case investigations., Dawson, L.; Czerniakiewicz, M.; Handley, K.; Hillier, S.; Robertson, J.; Ross, J.; Towers, W.; Donnelly, D.; Mayes, B., (In press) International Workshop on Criminal and Environmental Soil Forensics, 3rd, Long Beach, California, 2nd-4th November 2010. Invited keynote speaker.

• Use of soil fingerprinting approaches for ascertaining change over time., Dawson, L.; Hillier, S.; Duff, B.; Robertson, J.; Ross, J.; Brewer, M.; Mayes, R.W.; Towers, W.; Hudson, G.; Campbell, C., (In press) ASA, CSSA and SSSA 2010 International Annual Meeting, Long Beach, California, 31st October - 4th November 2010.

• Development of plant wax biomarker analysis in soil for use in forensic investigation., Ross, J.; Mayes, R.W.; Mauquoy, D.; Dawson, L.A., (In press) International Workshop on Criminal and Environmental Soil Forensics, 3rd, Long Beach, California, 2nd-4th November 2010.

• Measurement of soil characteristics for forensic applications., Dawson, L.A.; Hillier, S., (2010) Surface and Interface Analysis, 42, 363-377.

• Soils in forensic science: underground meets underworld., Barclay, A.D.; Dawson, L.A.; Donnelly, L.J.; Miller, D.R.; Ritz, K., (2009) In: Criminal and Environmental Forensics, (eds. K. Ritz, L.A. Dawson and D.R. Miller) Springer, Chapter 32, pp501-514. ISBN 978-1-4020-9203-9

• Cold storage: climate change and carbon sequestration in the alpine zone., Britton, A.J.; Helliwell, R.C.; Lilly, A.; Dawson, L.; Armitage, H., (2009) Towards integrated biodiversity policy: developing a shared understanding of the impacts of environmental and management change on biodiversity in upland ecosystems. Battleby, Perth, 24th November 2009

• Criminal and environmental soil forensics., Ritz, K.; Dawson, L.A.; Miller, D.R., (2009) In: Criminal and Environmental Forensics, (eds. K. Ritz, L.A. Dawson and D.R. Miller) Springer, p519. ISBN 978-1-4020-9203-9

• Forensic geology in environmental crime: Illegal waste movement and burial in Northern Ireland., Ruffell, A.; Dawson, L.A., (2009) Environmental Forensics, 1, 208-213.

• Microbial DNA profiling by multiplex terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism for forensic examination of soil evidence and the influence of sample condition., Macdonald, L.M.; Singh, B.K.; Thomas, N.; Brewer, M.; Campbell, C.D.; Dawson, L.A., (2008) Journal Applied Microbiology, 105, 813-821.

• Use of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy to predict the percentage of dead versus living grass roots., Picon-Cochard, C.; Pilon, R.; Revaillot, S.; Jestin, M.; Dawson, L., (2008) Plant and Soil, 317, 309-320.

Lorna's most recent publications

• Public engagement - How we make soils entertaining., Campbell, C.D.; Towers, W.; Dawson, L.A.; Coull, M.C., (In press) Proceeedings of the 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Brisbane, Australia, August 2010.

• Solutions through soil analysis., Challan, J.; Dawson, L.A., (2010) The Forensic Technology Review, July 2010, pp84-89.

• Turnover of labile and recalcitrant soil carbon differ in response to nitrate and ammonium deposition in an ombrotrophic peatland., Currey, P.M.; Johnson, D.; Sheppard, L.J.; Leith, I.D.; Toberman, H.; Van der Wal, R.; Dawson, L.A.; Artz, R.R.E., (2010) Global Change Biology, 16, 2307-2321.

• A critique of 'Red Bones' by Ann Clevves., Dawson, L.A., (2010) Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate International Crime Writing Festival, Harrogate, 23rd July 2010.

• Environmental Sciences at the Macaulay Institute., Dawson, L.A., (2010) Careers Forum Event at the International School, Aberdeen, 26th March 2010.

• Environmental science as a career., Dawson, L.A., (2010) School Careers Day, St Margarets School, Aberdeen, May 2010.

• Mud sticks; soil intelligence and evidence., Dawson, L.A., (2010) Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Evening Seminar.

• Soil forensic sampling., Dawson, L.A., (2010) The Forensic Science Service.

• Soil forensics as represented in Stuart MacBride's novels., Dawson, L.A., (2010) Murder, Mystery and Microscopes for schoolchildren, Ullapool Highschool, 15th May 2010.

• Soil forensics in Stuart MacBride's novels., Dawson, L.A., (2010) Murder, Mystery and Microscopes, Macphail Centre, Ullapool, 17th May, 2010.