Staff Profile
Dr Janet Simkin
Lecturer
- Email: janet.simkin@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0191 208 7435
- Address: School of Natural and Environmental Science
Agriculture Building
Newcastle University
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
Janet is a plant ecologist with a particular interest in species-rich grasslands, woodlands, and anthropogenic sites such as churchyards and lead mines. Recent projects have included the whin grassland habitat creation scheme on the green roof of The Sill in Northumberland, and ecological studies of heavy metal mines in the North Pennines and Wales. She is also a lichenologist and past-President of the British Lichen Society.
As well as teaching plant identification and ecology for Newcastle University, Janet also teaches adult education classes and works with local voluntary groups on a variety of projects.
Current and recent projects include:
Calaminarian grassland
- ecological study and surveys (plants, bryophytes and lichens) of heavy metal mines and contaminated river gravels in the North Pennines, investigating successional changes and the potential for conservation management and habitat creation
- ecological study and surveys (plants, bryophytes and lichens) of heavy metal mines and alluvial gravels in mid-Wales and Anglesey
- ecological studies of selected metallophyte plants and lichens, including Minuartia verna, Viola lutea and Peltigera venosa
- habitat creation trial on check weir sediment in the Nent valley
- long term field trial of calaminarian grassland management methods (running since 2002 and monitored annually)
- long term field trial of spoil heap stabilisation methods, including propagation and reintroduction of Minuartia verna
(with Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Tyne Rivers Trust, North Pennines AONB, Environment Agency, Coal Authority and others)
Whin grassland
- ecological study and surveys (plants, bryophytes and lichens) of whin grassland and crag vegetation in Northumberland, investigating successional changes and the potential for conservation management and habitat creation
- habitat creation trials, including the creation of a whin grassland green roof for The Sill, the new Northumberland National Park visitor centre on Hadrian's Wall
(with Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Northumberland National Park, Peregrini Lindisfarne Landscape Partnership)
Brownfield sites
- botanical support to the Newcastle University SUCCESS project
Lichens
- Use of lichen distribution data from the British Lichen Society database to study the effects of environmental changes, particularly atmospheric pollution and changes to land management
- Northern England Epiphytic Lichen Survey (NEELS), a project to collect data on the lichen communities on individual trees across the region to investigate climate and pollution drivers, and tree host specificities
(with CEH and others)
Peatland restoration
- cotton-grass propagation and reintroduction trial, part of the Flow Moss peatland restoration scheme
(with North Pennines AONB)
Note: most of this work has been done independently of Newcastle University, and any views expressed are strictly my own.
Supervision of MPhil and PhD projects
Postgraduate teaching including:
- Plant Identification
- Forest Ecology
- Habitat Assessment (UKHab, NVC and soil survey)
- Soil and Land Resources
- Ecosystem Management
- Biodiversity Conservation Policy and Practice
- MSc dissertation projects on various aspects of plant ecology
Undergraduate teaching:
- Vascular and lower plant identification
- Habitat management
- Dissertation projects on plant ecology
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Articles
- Simkin JM. Northern England Epiphytic Lichen Survey. British Lichen Society Bulletin 2019. In Press.
- Outhwaite CL, Powney G, August T, Chandler R, Rorke S, Pescott O, Harvey M, Roy H, Fox R, Roy D, Alexander K, Ball S, Bantock T, Barber A, Beckmann B, Cook A, Flanagan J, Fowles A, Hammond P, Harvey P, Hepper D, Hubble D, Kramer D, Lee P, MacAdam C, Morris R, Norris A, Palmer S, Plant C, Simkin J, Stubss A, Sutton P, Telfer M, Wallace I, Isaac N. Annual estimates of occupancy for bryophytes, lichens and invertebrates in the UK, 1970–2015. Scientific Data 2019, 6, 259-271.
- Fry EL, Pilgrim ES, Tallowin JRB, Smith RS, Mortimer SR, Beaumont DA, Simkin J, Harris SJ, Shiel RS, Quirk H, Harrison KA, Lawson CS, Hobbs PJ, Bardgett RD. Plant, soil and microbial controls on grassland diversity restoration: a long-term, multi-site mesocosm experiment. Journal of Applied Ecology 2017, 54(5), 1320-1330.
- Kidd J, Manning P, Simkin J, Peacock S, Stockdale E. Impacts of 120 years of fertilizer addition on a temperate grassland ecosystem. PLoS ONE 2017, 12(3), e0174632.
- Smith RS, Shiel RS, Millward D, Simkin JM. Effects of sheep stocking on the plant community and agricultural characteristics of upland Anthoxanthum odoratum-Geranium sylvaticum meadow in northern England. Grass and Forage Science 2017, 72(3), 502-515.
- Pescott OL, Simkin JM, August TA, Randle Z, Dore AJ, Botham MS. Air pollution and its effects on lichens, bryophytes, and lichen‐feeding Lepidoptera: review and evidence from biological records. Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society 2015, 115(3), 611-635.
- Ellis CJ, Eaton S, Theodoropoulos M, Coppins BJ, Seaward MRD, Simkin J. Response of epiphytic lichens to 21st Century climate change and tree disease scenarios. Biological Conservation 2014, 180, 153-164.
- Simkin JM. The BLS database project. British Lichen Society Bulletin 2012.
- Stevens CJ, Smart SM, Henrys PA, Maskell LC, Crowe A, Simkin JM, Cheffings CM, Whitfield C, Gowing DJG, Rowe EC, Dore AJ, Emmett BA. Terricolous lichens as indicators of nitrogen deposition: evidence from national records. Ecological Indicators 2012, 20, 196-203.
- Purvis OW, Simkin JM. The lichens of Moorbank Botanical Garden, Newcastle upon Tyne. British Lichen Society Bulletin 2011.
- Smith RS, Charman D, Rushton SP, Sanderson RA, Simkin JM, Shiel RS. Vegetation change in an ombrotrophic mire in northern England after excluding sheep. Applied Vegetation Science 2003, 6(2), 261-270.
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Authored Book
- Janssen JAM, Rodwell JS, et al ANO, Simkin JS. European Red List of Habitats Part 2. Terrestrial and Freshwater Habitats. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2016.
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Book Chapter
- Simkin JM. Whin grassland. In: Peregrini Lindisfarne : An Anthology. Holy Island, Northumberland: Peregrini Lindisfarne Landscape Partnership, 2017.
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Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
- Simkin JM. Grassland vegetation change over time in response to fertiliser treatments. In: Valuing long-term sites and experiments for agriculture and ecology. 2015, Newcastle upon Tyne: Association of Applied Biologists.
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Letters
- Ellis C, Coppins BJ, Eaton S, Simkin JM. Implications of ash dieback for associated epiphytes. Conservation Biology 2013, 27(5), 899-900.
- Bardgett RD, Smith RS, Shiel RS, Peacock S, Simkin JM, Quirk H, Hobbs PJ. Parasitic plants indirectly regulate below-ground properties in grassland ecosystems. Nature 2006, 439(7079), 969-972.
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Reports
- Simkin JM. The lichen assemblage of heavy metal sites: methods for assessing conservation value. 2018. Natural England Research Reports.
- Simkin JM. OREsome North Pennines Ecological Survey. OREsome project, North Pennines AONB, 2018.
- Simkin JM. Whin grassland monitoring, site portfolios and habitat management recommendations. Peregrini Lindisfarne Landscape Partnership, 2017.
- Simkin JM. NRW Evidence Report 61. A survey of calaminarian grassland in mid-Wales. Cardiff: Natural Resources Wales, 2015.
- Simkin JM. Calaminarian grassland. North Pennines AONB Partnership, 2011.
- Simkin JM. The vegetation and management of calaminarian grassland in the North Pennines, UK. Newcastle University, 2007.
- Swain C, Brewer PA, Macklin MG, Simkin JM. The ecological, geomorphological and geochemical controls on river shingle heath development on the Afon Rheidol and Afon Ystwyth, Ceredigion. CCW contract report RE0492 . Countryside Council of Wales, 2005.