Profile

Biography

I was appointed Professor of Environmental Science in the Environment Department at the University of York in 1999, and became Head of Department for three years in October 2001. I moved to York from the University of Aberdeen, where I had been Professor of Plant & Soil Science since 1989 (Head of Department 1989-1990). Previously at Aberdeen I had been Reader in Plant & Soil Science (1988-1989), and Reader (1986–1988), Senior Lecturer (1982–1986), and Lecturer in Soil Science (1970–1982). I also spent brief periods working in the USA, as Visiting Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta in 1979, and as Visiting Professor at Villanova University, Pennsylvania in 1970, and at the Soil Institute of Iran.

Over the years I have contributed to the work of a number of committees. These include: AFRC/BBSRC GEC Funding Panel; AFRC Plant and Environment Grant Panel; AFRC Plant and Environment Studentship Panel; AFRC Member of the Soils Steering Group; Balmoral Estate Lochnagar Reserve Advisory Committee; Board of Governors, Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Aberdeen; DOE Review Group on Effects of Acid Deposition on Terrestrial Ecosystems; DOE Critical Loads Advisory Group; DOE Critical Loads Soils Sub-Group; Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee (RAWMAC); Irish EPA Critical Loads Advisory Group; NERC Committee for Air Pollution Effects Research; DOE Impact of N Deposition on Terrestrial Ecosystems (INDITE) Steering Group; DOE INDITE Soils Sub-Group (chairman); Council of the Analytical Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry; MAFF Soil Health Advisory Group; Scottish Agricultural Colleges Research Advisory Group; NERC GANE Steering Group; NERC Terrestrial Peer Review Committee; NERC Services Review Group; ESRC Transdisciplinary Research Seminar Competition Review Panel; Environmental Research Evaluator for an International Panel of the Irish Higher Education Authority; Evaluation Panel for Biosciences and Environment of the Academy of Finland.

Career

Research

Overview

My research centres around understanding and modelling of pollution effects on soil/plant/water ecosystems; strategies for formulation of pollution control policies; soil chemistry and biology; hydro-biogeochemical models for prediction of spatial and temporal variation in water quality at catchment and regional scales, especially for N species, base cations and alkalinity; sustainable use of soil and water resources; development of methodology for ecotoxicity testing and environmental quality assessment; incorporation of principles of environmental science into environmental economic models. This has been supported by research funding in excess of ca. £3.6 million, from SRC/SERC, BBSRC, ARC, NERC, Royal Society, SNH, UK DOE/DETR, British Council, Yorkshire Water; Seimens Environmental Systems; Aberdeen University and various instrument manufacturers. It has resulted in more than 290 research papers and nine books. Around 65 research students have successfully completed higher degrees under my supervision.

My current research group includes: Richard Smart, a PDRA investigating N and S deposition effects on upland soil/plant systems, especially peats, and factors influencing riverine N transport in GB uplands and Clare Wilson, a PDRA working on multi-element analysis in archaeological interpretation with myself and Professor Donald Davidson. I also supervise several research students.

Initially I was trained as an analytical chemist at Imperial College, London. I obtained a PhD there in 1970, after working with Professor Tom West on the analytical chemistry of selenium and the then new technique of atomic fluorescence spectrometry. After a short period in 1970 as visiting Professor at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, I became a Lecturer in Soil Science at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. At that stage my research concentrated primarily on the development of novel and improved methods for the analysis of soils, plants and freshwaters, although my interest in chemical aspects of soil fertility and in hydrogeochemistry was starting to grow.

Of particular interest was the development and subsequent automation, with Peter Isaacson, and later Toyin Arowolo, of the completely new technique of Gas Phase Molecular Absorption Spectrometry for the analysis of traces of anions and ammonium in solution. I spent a brief, but fruitful, period as Visiting Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta in 1979, working with Professor Rick Browner on the development of new methods for aerosol sizing for atomic spectroscopy. This stemmed from the realisation that a cascade impactor could be used to fractionate solution aerosols, provided that the salt concentration was high enough to eliminate significant evaporation. I also at that time worked with Clare O’Grady and others on automated error detection systems in atomic spectrometry.

I remained in the Department of Soil Science at Aberdeen University, becoming Reader in Soil Science in 1986, and then Reader in Plant & Soil Science in 1988 following merger of the Departments of Soil Science and Plant Science at Aberdeen. I was awarded a personal chair in Plant & Soil Science in 1989. Over this period, and through the 1990s, my research interests expanded considerably, as I became increasingly convinced of the necessity to conduct interdisciplinary research to understand ecosystem functioning. This resulted in my involvement in as much biological research as chemical research (and award of a F.I.Biol., C.Biol. in 1997), and a further blossoming of my interest in hydrogeochemistry and biogeochemical cycling as I became increasingly interested in the effects of acid deposition on upland ecosystems.

Results of early studies with some excellent PhD students (especially Murray Reid, John Creasey and Tony Edwards) stimulated an interest in the development, initially with Mike Billett in 1992, and later with Richard Smart, Andy Wade, Colin Neal (at IOH), Tony Edwards and Simon Langan (at MLURI), and Ken Pugh and colleagues at SEPA, of models for predicting water chemical quality from catchment characteristics. Two models were developed, both using flow-weighted riparian zone characteristics, one using soil chemistry and the other using underlying geology for predictive purposes. At this time my group at Aberdeen (particularly Ute Skiba, Shimna Gammack, Catherine White, Deborah Barton, Hassan Radhi-Sanyi, Laila Yesmin, Carol Smith and Luke Sanger) also did some excellent and internationally important work on predicting acid deposition chemical and biological effects on peats. We developed a method, subsequently adopted for UK critical loads maps, for quantifying critical loads for these very acidification-sensitive soils. This was subsequently used in Ireland, and is being actively considered in Alberta, Canada.

Another fascinating research avenue explored at this time, in close collaboration with (and stimulated by the enthusiasm of) Prof. Ken Killham, and Drs. Anne Glover and Graeme Paton at Aberdeen University, was DETR- (then DOE) and BBSRC- and industry-funded research on the diagnostic applications of bioluminescent micro-organisms. These were used both for studying migration rates of organisms through soils and for ecotoxicity testing. The latter aspect was linked to my interest in chemical speciation of heavy metals in soils in joint work with Drs. Janet Cotter-Howells and Jenny Hall, and three research students, Nishanta Fernando, Charoon Sarin and Puchong Wararatananurak.

The research on upland soils gave me a particular interest in the importance of sea salt deposition on upland soils. For peat soils in particular, where mineral weathering inputs of base cations are negligible, atmospheric deposition chemistry is crucial to soil fertility. For peats, precipitation and drainage water both equilibrate with the soil. Thus base cation ratios in precipitation and river water for a catchment should be very similar. In the UK, they are both highly sodium dominant. However if weathering is important in the catchment soil, sodium becomes less dominant and calcium relatively more dominant. With Marc Stutter, Catherine White, El-Tijani Elias, Richard Smart and others, we have used this to establish the use of the sodium dominance index for quantitative prediction of weathering rates, alkalinity, susceptibility to acid flushes, and critical loads of upland catchments. Work in this area is still continuing at York.

Current projects

One of the main research areas I am pursuing at present is the quantitative modelling of N accumulation in, and transport from, soils, particularly, but not exclusively in the uplands. This is being achieved with very fruitful inputs from Ai Sakata, Louise Calver, Andrew Crowe and Richard Smart, all of us being helped by the excellent analytical skills of Dave Hay and Rebecca Sutton. Our plan is to eventually link the output from this research into an economic assessment of N deposition effects.

Grants

Supervision

• Ishaq Ahmed Mian, Evaluation of factors regulating nitrogen species transformations in soils: Diagnostic potential of the transformation dynamics.
• Sophie Green, The disruption of C and N biogeochemical cycling in roadside soil by road salting and its impact upon surface water quality.
• Muhammad Riaz, Effects of environmental pollution on nitrate production throughout soil profiles.
• Tizbe Arteaga Reyes, What is the role of estimating the economic value of water for determining water pollution abatement policies and managing water?
• Dong Jin Kim, Modeling diffuse pollution loads to a lake by use of land cover maps and analysis of its impacts on eutrophication; a case study in Korea (joint supervision with Colin McClean).

• Chang Chiung-Ting (jointly supervised with Charles Perrings), Mitigation of food risks; the economic problem PhD awarded 2006.
• Andrew Crowe (jointly supervised by Colin McClean), A critical evaluation of methodology for quantifying nitrogen and carbon storage in UK soil, with some causes of its spatial variation PhD awarded 2004.
• Ai Sakata, Storage of C&N in Scottish soil: Quantification and controlling factors. PhD awarded 2004.
• Rhys Rowland-Jones, Beyond environmental management to quantifiable pollution management. PhD awarded 2003.
• Shafiul Alam, An investigation of N and S deposition effects on Scots pine growing on acidification-sensitive soils. PhD awarded 2002.
• Waleed Bin Braik (currently at Aberdeen University and jointly supervised by Prof. Dave Robinson, Plant and Soil Science, Aberdeen), An investigation of aspects of irrigation and groundwater contamination in the UAE. PhD awarded 2002.
• Joinal Abedin, An investigation of the effects of arsenic in irrigation water on the growth and composition of paddy rice. PhD awarded 2001.
• David Orr (jointly supervised by Dr. Anna Deletic, Engineering, Aberdeen), Modelling particulate and solute runoff from urban asphalt surfaces PhD awarded 2001.
• Puchong Wararatananurak, Fractionation of chromium toxicity in water. PhD awarded 2000.
• Charoon Sarin, A lux-based bioassay of heavy metal contamination of organic wastes. PhD awarded 2000.
• Peter Chikombo Mulenga, Effects of applied micronutrients and liming on grain yield and plant composition of three ferralsols of north western Zambia. PhD awarded 1999.
• Osmund Duodu Ansa-Ansare, Do diurnal dissolved oxygen cycles have a diagnostic value for assessing pollution status in lakes? PhD awarded 1998.
• Helmut Ernstberger, The fate of terrestrially derived phosphorus in estuaries. PhD awarded 1999.
• W.A.R. Nishantha Fernando, A study of cadmium speciation and soil ecotoxicity in sewage sludge-amended soil. PhD awarded 1997.
• Shona Smith, Characterisation of phosphorus fractions in soil solution from an organic horizon of an upland soil. PhD awarded 1997.
• Cheng-Sheng Tsai, Dynamic inter-relationships between biomass, respiration and ATP, with particular reference to decomposition of selected organic substrate. PhD awarded 1997.
• Abubakar Umar Dikko, An evaluation of some procedures for assessing the long-term capacity of soil minerals to replenish nutrients lost and the effects of acid deposition. PhD awarded 1997.

External activities

Editorial duties

• The Science of the Total Environment (Elsevier)
• Chemistry and Ecology (Gordon and Breach Publishing)
• Journal for Scientific Research – Agricultural Sciences (Sultan Qaboos University)

Publications

Full publications list

Working papers/papers in preparation

• Riaz, M., Mian, I.A. and Cresser, M.S. An exploration of how litter controls drainage water DIN, DON and DOC dynamics in freely draining acid grassland soils.  Biogeochemisry, DOI 10.1007/s10533-010-9544-0 (2010)
• Begum, S., Mian, I.A., Riaz, M., McClean, C.J., and Cresser, M.S.  Controls on spatial and temporal variations in ammonium and free-ammonia concentrations in the River Derwent, N. Yorkshire, UK.

Books/Book Chapters

• Smith, K.A. and Cresser, M.S., eds., Soil and Environmental Analysis, Modern Instrumental Techniques, 3rd edition, Marcel Dekker, New York,  pp 576 + viii (2003).
• Cresser, M.S., Atomic absorption and flame emission spectrometry, Chapter 1 in: Soil and Environmental Analysis, 3rd edition, Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 1-52 (2003).
• Edwards, A.C., Cresser, M.S., Smith, K.A. and Scott, A., Continuous flow, flow injection and discrete analysis, Chapter 4 in: Soil and Environmental Analysis, 3rd. edition, Marcel Dekker, New York, pp 137-188 (2003).
• Cresser, M.S., Smart, R. and Stutter, M., Water Quality in British Uplands, The British Uplands: Problems, Dynamics of Change, J.N.C.C. Report No. 319, Burt, T.P., Thompson, D.B.A. and Warburton, J., J.Ed., J.N.C.C., 48-59 (2002).
• Wade, A., Neal, C., Soulsby, C, Smart, R., Langan, S. and Cresser, M. (1998) Impacts of land use and flow on nitrate concentrations and fluxes in an upland river system in North East Scotland. In: Headwaters: Water Resources and Conservation. (eds) Haigh, M, and Krecjek, J., 127-136. IASWC.
• White, C., Dikko, A., Cruickshank, K. and Cresser, M., Critical loads and soil damage: Is mineralogical analysis a useful diagnostic tool?, In: Energy and the Environment: Geochemistry of Fossil, Nuclear and Renewable Resources, ed. K. Nicholson, MacGregor Science, Insch, Scotland, 107-118 (1998).

Research papers

• Riaz, M, Mian, I.A. and Cresser, M.S. How important is plant litter to the regulation of mineral-N leaching to streams in winter?  An observations-led experimental approach.  Soil Use and Management, 27:10-17 (2011).
• Cresser, M.S., Begum, S. and Bhatti, A. Causes of losses seasonal trends in nitrate concentration in some UK rivers, IWA Specialist Group on Diffuse Pollution Newsletter, No. 32, 20, February 2011.
• Mian, I.A., Riaz. M, and Cresser, M.S. How stable are soils for the determination of available N? Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 42(8): 896-904 (2011).
• Riaz, M., Mian, I.A. and Cresser, M.S.  Litter effects on ammonium dynamics in an acid soil under grassland. Geoderma, 159:198-208 (2010).
• Mian, I.A., Riaz, M., Begum, S., Ridealgh, M., McClean, C.J. and Cresser, M.S. Spatial and long-term temporal trends in nitrate concentrations in the River Derwent, North Yorkshire, and its need for NVZ status, Science of the Total Environment, 408:702-712 (2010).
• Begum, S., McClean, C.J., Cresser, M.S. and Breward, N. Can available sediment data be used to predict alkalinity and base cation status of surface waters?  Science of the Total Environment, 409(2):404-411 (2010).
• Wilson, C.A., Davidson, D.A. and Cresser, M.S. An evaluation of the site specificity of soil elemental signatures for identifying and interpreting former functional areas, Journal of Archaeological Science, 36:2327-2334 (2009). 
• Green, S.M., Machin, R. and Cresser, M.S. Does road salting induce or ameliorate DOC mobilisation from roadside soils to surface waters in the long term?  Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 153:435-448 (2009).
• Riaz, M., Mian, I.A. and Cresser, M.S. Controls on inorganic N species transformations and potential leaching in freely drained sub-soils of heavily N-impacted acid grasslands. Biogeochemistry, 92:263-279 (2009).
• Mian, I.A., Riaz, M. and Cresser, M.S.  The importance of ammonium mobility in nitrogen- impacted unfertilized grasslands: A critical reassessment, Environmental Pollution, 157:1287-1293 (2009).
• Aydinalp, C. and Cresser, M.S., Red Soils under Mediterranean type of climate: Their properties, use and productivity, Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 14(6):576-582 (2008).
• Green, S.M., Machin, R. and Cresser, M.S. Effect of long-term changes in soil chemistry induced by road salt applications on N-transformations in roadside soils. Environmental Pollution, 152(1): 20-31 (2008).
• Green, S.M., Machin, R. and Cresser, M.S. Long-term road salting effects on dispersion of organic matter from roadside soils into drainage water.  Chemistry and Ecology, 24:221-231 (2008).
• Wilson, C.A., Davidson, D.A., and Cresser, M.S. Multi-element soil analysis: an assessment of its potential as an aid to archaeological interpretation, Journal of Archaeological Science, 35:412-424 (2008).
• Green, S.M. and Cresser, M.S. Nitrogen cycle disruption through the application of de-icing salts on upland highways, Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 188:139-153, (2008).
• Green, S.M. and Cresser, M.S., Are calcareous soils in uplands less susceptible to damage from road salting than acidic soils? Chemistry and Ecology, 24:1-13 (2008).
• Riaz, M, Mian, I.A. and Cresser, M.S. Extent and causes of 3-D spatial variations in potential N mineralization and the risk of ammonium and nitrate leaching from an N-impacted permanent grassland near York, UK. Environmental Pollution, 156:1075-1082 (2008).
• Mian, I.A., Riaz, M. and Cresser, M.S. What controls the nitrate flush when air-dried soils are rewetted? Chemistry and Ecology, 24:259-267 (2008).
• *Cresser, M.S., Aitkenhead M.J. and Mian, I.A. A reappraisal of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle – What can we learn by extracting concepts from Gaia theory? Science of the Total Environment, 400:344-355 (2008).
• Cresser, M.S., Gonzalez, B. and Leon, A., Evaluation of the use of soil depth and parent material data when predicting soil organic carbon concentration from LOI values. Geoderma, 140:132-139 (2007).
• Smart, R.P., Calver, L.J., Crowe, A.M., Emmerson, K.M. and Cresser, M.S., Bracken effects on inorganic nitrogen leaching from an upland podzol, Soil Use and Management, 23:317-322 (2007).
• Cresser, M.S., Why critical loads should be based on pollutant effective concentrations, not on deposition fluxes, Water, Air and Soil Pollution: Focus, 7, 407-412 (2007).
• Aitkenhead, M.J., Aitkenhead-Peterson, J.A., McDowell, W., Smart, R.P. and Cresser, M.S., Modelling DOC export from watersheds in Scotland using neural networks. Computers & Geosciences, 33: 423-436 (2007).
• Wang, T. and Cresser, M.S. Evaluating alternative river management options in the tidal Ouse using the QUEST1D model, Science of the Total Environment, 373: 1-12 (2007).
• Cresser, M.S., Ahmed, N., Smart, R.P., Arowolo, T., Calver, L.J. and Chapman, P.J., Predicting Gran alkalinity and calcium concentrations in river waters over a national scale using a novel modification to the G-BASH model, Environmental Pollution, 143: 361-366 (2006).
• Evans, C.D., Chapman, P.J., Clark, J.M., Monteith, D.T. and Cresser, M.S., Alternative explanations for rising dissolved organic carbon export from organic soils, Global Change Biology, 12: 2044-2053 (2006).
• Wilson, C.A., Bacon, J.R., Cresser, M.S. and Davidson, D.A., Lead isotope ratios as a means of sourcing anthropogenic lead in archaeological soils: A pilot study at an abandoned Shetland croft, Archaeometry, 48, 501-509 (2006).
• Wilson, C.A., Davidson, D.A. and Cresser, M.S., Sequential element extraction of soils from abandoned farms: an investigation of the partitioning of anthropogenic element inputs from historic land use. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 8, 439-444 (2006).
• Aitkenhead-Petersen, J.A., Smart, R.P., Aitkenhead, M.J., Cresser, M.S. and McDowell, W.H. Spatial and temporal variation of DOC export from gauged and un-gauged watersheds of the Dee Valley Scotland: Effect of land cover and soil C:N. Water Resources Research, in press, December 2006.
• Crowe, A.M., McClean, C.J. and Cresser, M.S., An application of genetic algorithms to the robust estimation of soil organic and mineral fraction densities, Environmental Modelling and Software, 21: 1503-1507 (2006).
• Rowland-Jones, R., Pryde, M. and Cresser M., An evaluation of current environmental management systems as indicators of environmental performance, Management of Environmental Quality, An International Journal, 16, 211-219 (2005).
• Rowland-Jones, R. and Cresser, M., Determining a quantifiable pollution management model (QPM), Management of Environmental Quality, An International Journal, 16, 421-443 (2005).
• Smart, R.P., Cresser, M.S., Calver, L.J., Clark, M. and Chapman, P.J., A novel modelling approach for spatial and temporal variations in nitrate concentrations in an N-impacted UK small upland river basin, Environmental Pollution, 136, 63-70 (2005).
• Wilson, C.A., Davidson, D.A. and Cresser, M.S., An evaluation of multi-element analysis of historic soil contamination to differentiate space use and former function in and around abandoned farms, The Holocene, 15, 1094-1099 (2005).
• Smart, R.P., Cresser, M.S., Dahl, D. and Clark, M., Assessment of the spatial heterogeneity of weathering rates in upland catchments using the sodium dominance index and its significance in integrated catchment management, Water Science and Technology, 51(3-4): 39-46 (2005).
• Aydinalp, C. and Cresser, M.S., Iron and zinc status in soils, water and plant samples from a densely populated and industrialised region of Turkey, Journal of Plant Nutrition, 28: 567-572 (2005).
• Wilson, C., Davidson, D. and Cresser, M., Evaluating the use of multi-element soil analysis as an aid to archaeological interpretation, Proceedings of a conference: Going Over Old Ground; Perspectives  in Archaeological, Geophysical and Geochemical Survey in Scotland, University of Glasgow, 28-30 September 2003, Scottish Archaeology Internet Reports, 2004.
• Calver, L., Smart, R., McClean C. and Cresser, M.S., Modelling the spatial distribution of soil chemical characteristics and associated drainage waters: A case study in the Lake District, Proceedings of the GIS Research UK 12th Annual Conference, UEA, Norwich, 18th – 30th April, 389-392 (2004).
• Langan, S.J., Hall, J., Reynolds, B., Broadmeadow, M., Hornung, M. and Cresser, M.S. The development of an approach to assess critical loads of acidity for woodland habitats in Great Britain, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 8(3), 355-365 (2004).
• Stutter, M.I., Alam, M.S., Langan, S.J., Woodin, S.J., Smart, R.P. and Cresser, M.S., The effects of H₂SO₄ and (NH₄)₂SO₄ treatments on the chemistry of soil drainage water and pine seedlings in forest soil microcosms, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 8(3), 392-408 (2004).
• Calver, L.J., Cresser, M.S. and Smart, R.P., Tolerance of Calluna vulgaris and peatland plant communities to sulphuric acid deposition, Chemistry and Ecology, 20, 309-320 (2004).
• Cresser, M.S., Smart, R.P., Clark, M., Crowe, A., Holden, D., Chapman, P.J. and Edwards, A.C., Controls on N species leaching in upland moorland catchments, Water, Air & Soil Pollution, Focus, 4(6), 85-95 (2004).
• Crowe, A.M., Sakata, A., McClean, C. and Cresser, M.S., What factors control soil profile nitrogen storage?  Water, Air & Soil Pollution, Focus, 4(6), 75-84 (2004).
• Clark, M.J., Cresser, M.S., Smart, R., Chapman, P.J. and Edwards, A.C., Extent, causes and modeling of seasonal changes in N-species concentrations in upland rivers of Northern Scotland, Biogeochemistry, 68(1), 1-19 (2004).
• Hill, S.J., Arowolo, T.A., Butler, O., Cooke, J.M., Cresser, M.S., Harrington, C. and Miles, D.L., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 19, 301-330 (2004).
• Calver, L., Smart, R., McClean C. and Cresser, M.S., Modelling the spatial distribution of soil chemical characteristics and associated drainage waters: A case study in the Lake District, Proceedings of the GIS Research UK 12th Annual Conference, UEA, Norwich, 18th – 30th April, 389-392 (2004).
• Stutter, M., Langan, S. and Cresser, M.S., Weathering and atmospheric deposition signatures of base cations in upland soils of NE Scotland: Their application to critical load assessment, Geoderma, 116, 301-324 (2003).
• Guoqin, H., Cresser, M.S. and Andrews, M., Increasing the quality of agricultural products by developing ecological agriculture in China, Aspects of Applied Biology; Issue on Crop Quality: Its Role in Sustainable Livestock Production, 70, 63-70 (2003).
• Guoqin, H., Cresser, M.S. and Andrews, M., The theory and practice of ecological agriculture in Jianxi Province, China, Aspects of Applied Biology; Issue on Crop Quality: Its Role in Sustainable Livestock Production, 70, 151-159 (2003).
• Rowland-Jones, R., Pryde, M. and Cresser, M.S. Beyond environmental management, Proceedings of the 13th World Congress on Total Quality, India,  (2003).
• Cresser, M.S., Smart, R.P., Clark, M., Holden, D., Chapman, P.J. and Edwards, A.C., Controls on transfer of nitrogen deposition to soils through upland rivers, Proceedings of IWA DipCon 2003, 7th International Specialised Conference on Diffuse Pollution and Basin Management, University College Dublin, 17th-22nd August, 2003, 1-13 – 1-19 (2003).
• Smart, R.P., Cresser, M.S., Dahl, D. and Clark, M., Assessment of the spatial heterogeneity of weathering rates in upland catchments using the sodium dominance index and its significance in integrated catchment management, Proceedings of IWA DipCon 2003, 7th International Specialised Conference on Diffuse Pollution and Basin Management, University College Dublin, 17th-22nd August, 2003, 14-66 – 14-71, (2003).
• McClean, C.J., Cresser, M.S., Smart, R.P., Aydinalp., C. and Katkat, A.V., Unsustainable irrigation practices in the Bursa Plain, Turkey, Proceedings of IWA DipCon 2003, 7th International Specialised Conference on Diffuse Pollution and Basin Management, University College Dublin, 17th-22nd August, 2003, 14-60 – 14-65 (2003).
• Wilson, C.A., Davidson, D.A. and Cresser, M.S., Evaluating the use of multi-element soil analysis in archaeology: a study of a post-Medieval croft (Olligarth) in Shetland, Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Soils and Archaeology, Pisa, 12th – 15th March (2003).
• Hill, S.J., Arowolo, T.A., Butler, O., Cooke, J.M., Cresser, M.S., Harrington, C. and Miles, D.L., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 17, 170-202 (2003).
• Stutter, M., Langan, S. and Cresser, M.S., Weathering and atmospheric deposition signatures of base cations in upland soils of NE Scotland: Their application to critical load assessment, Geoderma, 116, 301-324 (2003).
• Cresser, M.S., Smart, R.P., Clark, M., Holden, D., Chapman, P.J. and Edwards, A.C., Controls on transfer of nitrogen deposition to soils through upland rivers, Proceedings of IWA DipCon 2003, 7th International Specialised Conference on Diffuse Pollution and Basin Management, University College Dublin, 17th-22nd August, 2003, 1-13 – 1-19.
• Smart, R.P., Cresser, M.S., Dahl, D. and Clark, M., Assessment of the spatial heterogeneity of weathering rates in upland catchments using the sodium dominance index and its significance in integrated catchment management, Proceedings of IWA DipCon 2003, 7th International Specialised Conference on Diffuse Pollution and Basin Management, University College Dublin, 17th-22nd August, 2003, 14-66 – 14-71.
• Smart, R.P., Saito, H., Soulsby, C. and Cresser, M.S., Further development and application of the geologically based Aberdeen Soil Horizon model (G-BASH) to an intermediate catchment, the River Dee, N.E. Scotland, Proceedings of the 9th International Specialised Conference on Watershed and River Basin Management, Edinburgh, Scotland, September 2002, pre-published on CD-ROM, in press as a book.
• Hill, S.J., Arowolo, T.A., Butler, O., Chenery, S.R.N., Cooke, J.M., Cresser, M.S. and Miles, D.L., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 17, 284-318 (2002).
• Cresser, M.S., Smart, R.P. and Clark, M.J., Modelling diffuse pollution impacts on water chemical quality in a major Scottish catchment, 6th International Conference on Diffuse Pollution Proceedings, IWA, Eindhoven, 642-643 (2002).
• Cresser, M.S., Parveen, Z., Smart, R., Deacon, C., Gammack S.M. and White, C., The impact of enhanced ammonium sulphate inputs exceeding critical load on Calluna vulgaris/peat soil microcosms, Chemistry and Ecology, 18, 195-212 (2002).
• Abedin, J., Cresser, M.S., Meharg, A.A., Feldmann, J. and Cotter-Howells, J., Arsenic accumulation and metabolism in rice (Oryza sativa L.), Environmental Science and Technology, 36, 962-968, (2002).
• Michopoulos, P. and Cresser, M.S., Effects of simulated acid precipitation on the cycling of manganese under Sitka Spruce (Picea Sitchensis), Biogeochemistry, 61, 323-335 (2002).
• Stutter, M., Smart, R., Cresser, M. and Langan, S., Catchment characteristics controlling the mobilization and potential toxicity of aluminium fractions in the catchment of the River Dee, Northeast Scotland, The Science of the Total Environment, 281, 121-139, (2001)
• Parveen, Z., Smart, R., White, C., Gammack S., Deacon, C. and Cresser, M., Effects of simulated H₂SO₄ deposition on Calluna vulgaris/peat microcosms and associated soil solutions, Chemistry and Ecology, 17, 293-314 (2001).
• Stutter, M., Smart, R. and Cresser, M.S., Improved calibration of the sodium base cation dominance index of weathering for the River Dee Catchment in North-east Scotland, Applied Geochemistry, 17, 11-19, (2002).
• Smart, R.P., Soulsby, C., Cresser, M.S., Wade, A.J., Townend, J., Billett, M.F. and Langan, S., Riparian zone influence on stream water chemistry at different spatial scales: a GIS-based modelling approach, and example for the Dee, NE Scotland, The Science of the Total Environment, 280, 173-193, (2001).
• Chapman, P.J., Edwards, A,C. and Cresser, M.S., The nitrogen composition of streams in upland Scotland: Some regional and seasonal differences, The Science of the Total Environment, 265, 65-83 (2001).
• Cave, M., Butler, O., Chenery, S.R.N., Cooke, J.M., Cresser, M.S. and Miles, D.L., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 16, 194-235 (2001).
• Smart, R., White, C.C., Townend, J. and Cresser, M.S., A model for predicting chloride concentrations in river water in a relatively unpolluted catchment in the north-east of Scotland, The Science of the Total Environment, 265, 131-141 (2000).
• White, C.C., Smart, R. and Cresser, M.S., Spatial and temporal variations in critical loads for rivers in N.E. Scotland: A validation of approaches, Water Research, 34, 1912-1918 (2000).
• Sarin, C., Hall, J.M., Cotter-Howells, J., Killham, K. and Cresser, M.S., Influence of complexation with chloride on the response of a Lux marked bacteria bioassay to cadmium, copper, lead and mercury, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 19, 259-264 (2000).
• Ansa-Ansare, O.D., Marr, I.L. and Cresser, M.S., Evaluation of modelled and measured patterns of dissolved oxygen in a freshwater lake as an indicator of the presence of biodegradable organic pollution, Water Research, 34, 1079-1088 (2000).
• Richie, J.M., Cresser, M.S. and Cotter-Howells, J., Toxicological response of a bioluminescent microbial assay to Zn, Pb and Cu in an artificial soil solution: Relationship with total metal concentrations and free ion activities, Environmental Pollution, 114, 129-136, (2001).
• Smart, R., Cresser, M.S., Billett, M.F., Soulsby, C., Neal, C., Wade, A., Langan, S. and Edwards, A.C., Modelling water quality parameters for a major Scottish river, Journal of Applied Ecology, 37, Supplement 1, 171-184 (2000).
• Cresser, M.S., The critical loads concept: Milestone or millstone for the new millennium? The Science of the Total Environment, 249, 51-62 (2000).
• Cave, M., Butler, O., Cooke, J.M., Cresser, M.S., Garden, L. and Miles, D.L., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 15,181-235 (2000).
• White, C.C. and Cresser, M.S., A comparison of short-term dynamics of soil "damage" due to enhanced N deposition as (NH₄)₂SO₄ and HNO₃, Chemistry and Ecology, 15, 291-309 (1999).
• Wade, A.J., Neal, C., Soulsby, C., Smart, R., Langan, S.J. and Cresser, M.S., Modelling streamwater quality under varying hydrological conditions at different spatial scales, Journal of Hydrology, 217, 266-283 (1999).
• White, C.C., Smart, R., Stutter, M., Cresser, M.S., Billett, M.F., Elias, E.A., Soulsby, C., Langan, S., Edwards, A.C., Wade, A., Ferrier, R., Neal, C., Jarvie, H. and Owen, R., A novel index of susceptibility of rivers and their catchments to acidification in regions subject to a maritime influence, Applied Geochemistry, 14, 1093-1099 (1999).
• Cave, M., Butler, O., Cooke, J.M., Cresser, M.S., Garden, L., Holden, A.J., and Miles, D.L., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 14, 279-253 (1999).
• Barton, D., Gammack., S.M., Billett, M.F. and Cresser, M.S., Sulfate adsorption and acidification of Calluna heathland and Scots pine forest podzol soils in north east Scotland, Forest Ecology and Management, 114, 151-164 (1999).
• Ansa-Ansare, O.D., Marr, I.L. and Cresser, M.S., Critical appraisal of an open tube method for investigating probable impacts of biodegradable organic loads on dissolved oxygen cycles in lakes, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, submitted for publication (1999).
• Ansa-Ansare, O.D., Marr, I.L. and Cresser, M.S., Evaluation of cycling patterns of dissolved oxygen in a tropical lake as an indicator of biodegradable organic pollution, The Science of the Total Environment, 231, 145-158 (1999).
• White, C.C. and Cresser M.S., Effects of enhanced N deposition as (NH4)2SO4 and HNO3 on base cation leaching from podzol microcosms, Environmental Pollution, 102(S1), 463-469 (1998).
• Dean, J.R., Butler, O., Fisher, A., Garden, L., Cresser, M.S., Watkins, P. and Cave, M., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis. Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 13, 1R-54R, (1998).
• Jahiruddin, M., Smart, R., Wade, A.J., Cresser, M.S. and Neal, C., Factors regulating the distribution of boron in water in the River Dee catchment in north east Scotland, The Science of the Total Environment, 210/211, 53-62 (1998).
• White, C.C. and Cresser, M.S., Sensitivity of Scottish upland moorland podzols derived from sandstones and quartzites to acidification: The potential importance of the mobile anion effect. Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 103, 229-244 (1998).
• White, C.C., Smart, R. and Cresser, M.S., Effects of atmospheric sea salt deposition on soils and freshwaters in northeast Scotland, Water, Air and Soil Pollution, 105, 83-94 (1998).
• Cresser, M. and Pugh, K., eds., Multiple Land Use and Catchment Management: Proceedings of an International Conference, 11-13 September, 1996, MLURI, Aberdeen (1998).
• Alexander, C.E., Cresser, M.S., Noll, K. and Howell, D., An Assessment of the Possible Impact of Expansion of Native Tree Cover on Scottish Freshwaters, Report No. 15, 89pp, SNH, Edinburgh (1998).
• Smart, R.P., Soulsby, C., Neal, C., Wade, A., Cresser, M.S., Billett, M.F., Langan, S.J., Edwards, A.C., Jarvie, H.P. and Owen, R., The factors regulating the spatial and temporal distribution of solutes concentrations in a major river system in N.E. Scotland, The Science of the Total Environment, 221, 93-110 (1998).
• Chapman, P.J., Edwards, A.C., Reynolds, B., Cresser, M.S. and Neal, C., The nitrogen content of upland rivers in Britain: The significance of organic nitrogen, Hydrology, Water Resources and Ecology in Headwaters, IAHS Publication No. 248, 443-450 (1998).
• Hope, D., Billett, M.F. and Cresser, M.S., Exports of organic carbon in two river systems in NE Scotland, Journal of Hydrology, 193, 61-82 (1997).
• Malekani, K. and Cresser, M.S., Comparison of three methods for determining boron in soils, plants and water samples, Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 29, 285-304 (1997).
• Cheng-Sheng Tsai, Killham, K. and Cresser, M.S., Dynamic response of microbial biomass, respiration rate and ATP to glucose additions, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 29, 1249-1256 (1997).
• Cresser, M.S., Dawod, A. and Rees, R.M., The relationship between Na:Ca:Mg ratios in precipitation and in river water draining from peats and associated soils. Water Research, 31, 2253-2260 (1997).
• Parveen, Z., Edwards, A.C. and Cresser, M.S., Fate of applied isotopic zinc in soil/plant systems at pH range 5.1-6.4, Dhaka University Journal of Biological Science, 6, 117-124 (1997).
• Langan, S.J., Wade, A.J., Smart, R., Edwards, A.C., Soulsby, C., Billett, M.F., Jarvie, H.P., Cresser, M.S., Owen, R. and Ferrier, R.C., The prediction and management of water quality in a relatively unpolluted major Scottish catchment: Current issues and experimental approaches, The Science of the Total Environment, 194/195, 419-435 (1997).
• Dean, J.R., Garden, L., Armstrong, J., Cresser, M.S., Watkins, P. and Cave, M., Atomic spectrometry update - Environmental analysis, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 12, 19R-87R (1997).
• Jahiruddin, M. and Cresser, M.S., Observations on the relative power of cold and hot water used sequentially to extract boron from soils, and to re-extract boron after its adsorption by bentonite, kaolinite and iron and aluminium hydrous oxides over a range of pH values, Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 28, 1643-1652 (1997).
• Dikko, A.U., Smart, R., Wade, A. and Cresser, M.S., Possible effects of losses in drainage water on the copper and zinc status of Scottish upland soils and their sustainability, ITC Journal: Special Congress Issue: Geo-information for Sustainable Land Management, 3/4 on CD ROM (1997).
• Cresser, M., Dikko, A., Wade, A., and Smart, R., Factors influencing Cu and Zn concentration in rivers in north east Scotland, pp. II35-II36, in: Workshop on Critical Limits and Effects Based Approaches for Heavy Metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants, Bad Hartzburg, Germany, 3-7 November, 1997, UN ECE Convention on Long-Range Trans-Boundary Air Pollution Task Force on Mapping, Umweltbundesamt, Germany (1997).
• Cresser, M., Paton, G., Parveen, Z., Fernando, N. and Jahiruddin, Md., Speciation and ecotoxicity dynamics of Cd, Cu and Zn in sludge-treated soils: their relevance to critical loads, pp. II37-II38, in: Workshop on Critical Limits and Effects Based Approaches for Heavy Metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants, Bad Hartzburg, Germany, 3-7 November, 1997, UN ECE Convention on Long-Range Trans-Boundary Air Pollution Task Force on Mapping, Umweltbundesamt, Germany (1997).

Teaching

Undergraduate

• Tools and Techniques for Environmental Management
• The Earth: An Introduction to the Science of the Environment (Year 1)
  
• Sustainable Use of Soil and Water Resources (Year 3)
  
• Environmental Management Project (Year 2)
  
• Environmental Systems Project (Year 2)
  
• Soils in Environmental Geography (Year 2)
  
• Hydrology and Landform
• Pollution Effects on Soil/Plant/Water Ecosystems