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Dr Nicole Archer

Contact Details

Email: n.a.l.archer@dundee.ac.uk

Phone: +44 (0)1382 386467

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Postdoctoral research position investigating surface water – groundwater hydrology for natural flood management. Main interests are water relations between land surface processes and groundwater, and holistic perspectives of water relationships within ecosystems to develop ecological techniques for sustainable water catchment management.

Top Publications
Date Title
2006

Title Archer, N. A. L., Jones H. G. Integrating hyperspectral imagery at different scales to estimate component surface temperatures. International Journal of Remote Sensing 27 (11), 2141-2159.Link
2002

Archer, N. A. L., Quinton, J. N. & Hess T. M. Below-ground relationships of soil texture, roots and hydraulic conductivity in two-phase mosaic vegetation in south-east Spain. Journal of Arid Environments. 52: 535-553
Journals
Date Title

2002

Title Archer, N. A. L., Hess T. M. & Quinton, J. N. The water balance of two semi-arid shrubs on abandoned land in south-eastern Spain after cold season rain.  Hydrology and Earth Systems Sciences. 6 (5), 913-926

Books
Date Title

2003

Title Archer, N. A. L., Jones, H. G. Estimation of evaporation using ground and airborne methods. In: Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society, Scales and Dynamics in observing the environment. 10-12 September 2003, University of Nottingham, UK. Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society. ISBN 0 946226 3

Research Interests

My main research interests have always focused on relationships and processes of water and are:

Above and below ground water redistribution processes
Between 1996 and 2000 I was investigating the redistribution of rainfall above and below ground in relation to plant canopy and roots of heterogeneous vegetation in collaboration with the Arid Zone Experimental Station, CSIC, Spain and Cranfield University, UK, as part of the EU Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use (MEDALUS) Project. This work provided an insight into the relationships of plant functional types, soil processes and the partitioning of rainfall above and below ground. My present work in the Centre of Water Law, Policy and Science follows on from this work to integrate above ground water redistribution and ground water processes.

Scaling processes
I have a keen interest in many aspects of scaling. Much of my work has focused on plot scale experiments and through my postdoctoral position in Biological Sciences at Dundee University I began work in remote sensing and analysis of hyperspectral imagery to develop a technique to estimate evapotranspiration, using surface temperature in the Mediterranean, as part of the EU WATERUSE Project. Other research has included investigating leaf area index on the ground and remotely sensed methodology at the Scientific National Research Centre, Montpellier, France. This varied mix of field work at different scales with remote sensing has led to a greater understanding of scaling effects at the field level and the use of remotely sensed data at catchment scale.

Plant functional types
My present work consists of the study of plant functional types relating to storing water in terms of sustainable flood management techniques at catchment scale. This investigation is connected to my previous field studies in the Guadalentin Basin, Spain, looking into the effects of hillslope erosion on seed banks and investigating problems of overgrazing within a catchment in Inner Mongolia, China, as part of the MAGIM Project (Matter fluxes in grasslands of the Xilin river watershed), Giessen University, Germany. All this work relates to understanding the relationships of the in-situ plant types, their environments and related scaling processes.

Integration of hydrological science to Ecological problems
With the increase of flooding, drought and the over consumption of fresh water around the world, I am keen to look at ways to mitigate the problems related to the unsustainable use of water. In particular, my interests are centred around the understanding of the complexity of water relationships and processes in our environment. Part of this interest has also led me to create an Ecological business in the north of Spain for the research and design of sustainable natural filters and dry compost toilets.

Teaching

Supervising PhD students in their field work and teaching MSc entrance students to organize and analyze data.

Administration

While working for Giessen University, Germany, spent the summer months of field work in Inner Mongolia, China, coordinating 9 research groups and the running of the MAGIM (Matter fluxes in grasslands of the Xilin river watershed) project during the field season.