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Dr Lorna Cole

Lorna Cole (opens in new window)

Contact

Dr Lorna Cole
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, J F Niven Building,
Ayr
KA6 5HW
TelWork 01292 525295
Fax 01292 525333

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Research Interests

My main research focus is the interaction between agricultural practices and biodiversity.

The research I undertake is very much applied and currently we are investigating the impact of Riparian Buffer Strips (i.e. grass margins adjacent to watercourses) on the biodiversity of intensively managed grassland.  We are looking to see whether Riparian Buffer Strips can potentially be integrated into intensively managed grasslands to reduce diffuse pollution and facilitate biodiversity without adversely influencing profit margins.  

I am particularly interested in modelling invertebrates at the landscape level to determine the main factors driving assemblages at the species and the ecological group level.

Selected Publications

  • Cole, L.J., McCracken D.I., Baker, L. & Parish, D. 2007 Grassland conservation headlands: their impact on invertebrate assemblages in intensively managed grasslands. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 122 252-258 Full Text
  • Cole, L.J., Pollock, M.L.,Robertson, D., Holland J.P. & McCracken, D.I. 2006. Carabid assemblages in the Scottish uplands: the influence of sheep grazing on ecological structure. Entomologica Fennica 17 229-240. Full Text
  • Cole, L.J., McCracken, D.I., Downie, I.S., Dennis, P., Foster, G.N., Waterhouse, A., Murphy, K.J., Griffen, A.L. & Kennedy, M.P.  2005 Comparing the effects of farming practices on ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and spider (Araneae) assemblages on Scottish farmland. Biodiversity & Conservation 14 441-460. Full Text
  • Cole, L.J., McCracken, D.I., Dennis, P., Downie, I.S., Griffin, A.L., Foster, G.N., Murphy, K.J. & Waterhouse, T.  2002. Relationships between agricultural management and ecological groups of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) on Scottish farmland.  Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 93  232-336. Full Text