Dr Nigel D Paul

email: n.paul@lancaster.ac.uk

Office: B62, Lancaster Environment Centre

Laboratory: A73, Lancaster Environment Centre

Tel: (44)-1524-510208 (direct line)
Fax: (44)-1524 593192

Current Research Interests

My research falls in to two broad areas, with the shared priority of building links between fundamental plant science and its application in sustainable agriculture and horticulture.

My interest in interactions between plants and their natural enemies, invertebrate herbivores or pathogenic microbes, is founded on understanding the ecology of such interactions in non-crop systems (e.g. Senecio vulgaris and its rust Puccinia lagenophorae; Rumex spp. and their Uromyces rumicis and herbivores (especially the beetle Gastrophysa viridula)). My interest in the ecology and physiology of these systems has expanded to build links between ecological studies of defence (especially defence against multiple enemies) and molecular research into similar topics. These cross-disciplinary studies have formed the foundation of more applied research in to new approaches to pest and disease control in sustainable agriculture. 

My interest in the effects of solar UV radiation on plants and their associated organisms was originally stimulated by concerns over stratospheric ozone depletion, which increases the intensity of UV-B radiation reaching the biosphere.  Ozone depletion remains a significant environmental issue, despite the undoubted success of the Montreal Protocol, and I am a member United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) panel on the interactive effects of ozone depletion and climate change on health and the environment, which continues to provide up-to-date assessment of this topic for governments and policy makers.  Much of my current research in to UV radiation now has a strong applied thrust, seeking to exploit biological responses to UV, in crops and their pests and pathogens, in sustainable horticulture. 

Education

• 1980. BSc Hons., Horticultural Botany. University of Reading ,
• 1984.  PhD “Some aspects of the physiology and ecology of rusted groundsel”. University of Lancaster

Academic Posts (all at Lancaster University )

• 1983 - 1990                   Post doctoral Research Associate
• 1990-1995                     Post doctoral Research Fellow
• 1995- 2002                    Senior University Research Fellow
• 2002- 2005                    Senior Lecturer
• 2005 –2007                    Reader in Ecophysiology
• 2007 – present               Head of Division of Biological Sciences

Recent publications

Laothawornkitkul, J. Moore, J.P., Taylor J.E., Possell, M., Gibson T.D., Hewitt, C.N & Paul N.D. (2008) Discrimination of Plant Volatile Signatures by an Electronic Nose: A Potential Technology for Plant Pest and Disease Monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, DOI: 10.1021/es801738s.

Wargent J.J., Moore, A. Ennos, A.R. & Paul, N.D. (2008)  Ultraviolet Radiation as a Limiting Factor in Leaf Expansion and Development.  PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY, in press (DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2008.00433.x)

Laothawornkitkul, J. Paul N.D., Vickers C.E., Possell, M., Taylor J.E., Mullineaux P.M. & Hewitt, C.N. (2008) Isoprene Emissions Influence Herbivore Feeding Decisions.  PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, 31, 1410-1415.

Gunasekera TS & Paul ND (2007) Ecological impact of solar ultraviolet-B (UV-B : 320-290 nm) radiation on Corynebacterium aquaticum and Xanthomonas sp colonization on tea phyllosphere in relation to blister blight disease incidence in the field. LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 44, 513-519.

Zepp RG, Erickson DJ, Paul ND, et al. (2007). Interactive effects of solar UV radiation and climate change on biogeochemical cycling. PHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 6, 286-300.

Atkinson C.J., Dodds P.A.A., Ford, Y.Y., Lemière, J. Taylor, J.M.  P. S. Blake, P.S. & Paul , N.D. (2006) Effects of cultivar, fruit number and reflected photosynthetically active radiation on Fragaria ananassa productivity and fruit ellagic acid and ascorbic acid concentrations. ANNALS OF BOTANY, 97: 429-441. 

Inglese, S. J., & Paul, N. D. (2006) Tolerance of Senecio vulgaris to infection and disease caused by native and alien rust fungi. PHYTOPATHOLOGY, 96:718-726.

Roberts M.R. & Paul ND (2006) Seduced by the dark side: integrating molecular and ecological perspectives on the influence of light on plant defence against pests and pathogens NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 170: 677-699.

Moore, J.P., Jacobson,  R. J. & Paul N.D (2005)  A demonstration of the potential benefits of modification of light spectral quality in horticultural crops. ACTAE HORTICULTURAE, 711, 309-314.

Paul N.D. & Moore, J.P (2005) Manipulation of light spectrum for crop growth regulation. ACTAE HORTICULTURAE, 711, 357-362

Wargent J.J., Taylor A. & Paul N.D (2005) UV Supplementation for Growth Regulation and Disease Control. ACTAE HORTICULTURAE, 711, 333-339

Paul , N.D. , Jacobson, R.J., Taylor , A., Wargent, J.J. & Moore J.P (2004). The use of wavelength selective plastic cladding materials in horticulture: understanding of crop and fungal Responses through the assessment of biological spectral weighting functions. PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY, 81: 1052–1060.

Avery, LM., Thorpe PC., Thompson, K., Paul ND., Grime JP and West HM. (2004). Physical disturbance of an upland grassland influences the impact of elevated UV-B on metabolic profiles of below-ground micro-organisms.  GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, 10, 1146–1154.

Taylor JE, Hatcher PE & Paul ND. (2004). Crosstalk between plant responses to pathogens and herbivores: a view from the outside in.  JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY, 55, 159-168.

Hatcher PE, Moore, JP Taylor JE Tinney GW & Paul ND. (2004). Phytohormones and Plant–Herbivore–Pathogen interactions: integrating the molecular with the ecological.  ECOLOGY, 85: 59-69.

Moore, JP, Paul , ND , Whittaker, JB & Taylor, JE. (2003). Exogenous jasmonic acid mimics herbivore-induced systemic increase in cell wall bound peroxidase activity and reduction in leaf expansion. FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, 17, 549-554.

Moore, JP, Taylor, JE, Paul , ND & Whittaker, JB. (2003). Reduced leaf expansion as a cost of systemic induced resistance to herbivory. FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, 17, 75-81.

Paul, ND & Gwynn- Jones , D. (2003). Ecological roles of solar UV radiation: towards an integrated approach, TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION, 18, 48-55.