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Dr. Bob McCullochLecturer in Environmental Geography1990 - 1993 PhD - NERC Research Studentship, University of Aberdeen
Room 4U11, Cottrell Building Biological & Environmental Sciences tel: +44 1786 467771
Programme Director: BSc Environmental Geography degree programme . Copy of Environmental Geography prospectus pages > |
Background |
Research |
Teaching |
Publications |
Bob obtained his first degree in Geography (1987-1990) in what is now the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham and where he was first introduced to the wonders of pollen analysis (palaeoecology). He then undertook his PhD, supervised by Professors Chalmers Clapperton and David Sugden at Geography and the Environment, University of Aberdeen (and also at the Institute of Geography, University of Edinburgh, 1990-1993), his thesis is entitled "Palaeoenvironmental evidence for the late Wisconsin/Holocene transition in the Strait of Magellan, southern Patagonia. Bob then worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Geography, Edinburgh, where he continued to develop his research interests in the vegetation and landscape history of southern Patagonia and also branched out to include Mexico and, more closer to home, Scotland. Bob also designed and managed the Physical Geography facilities, including the Palaeoecology laboratory and the first Cosmogenic Isotope extraction laboratory in Scotland at Edinburgh.
In 2007 Bob joined Biological & Environmental Sciences at the University of Stirling and is the Programme Director for the most popular degree programme of Environmental Geography. He continues to pursue his research interests in southern Patagonia and Scotland outlined below. Bob is also Convener of Theme 1: Landscape Dynamics, Scottish Alliance for Geosciences, Environment and Society.
Research interests and collaboration
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Current research interests and research collaborations are:
1) The timing and extent of the first human settlers in Fuego-Patagonia and their potential role in increased frequency of fire versus the role of climate. Collaborators: Flavia Morello and Dr Alfredo Prieto (Universidad de Magallanes), Dr Luis Borrero (Buenos Aires).
2) The timing and nature of inter-hemispheric climate reorganisation during the Last glacial / inter-glacial transition and its role in driving glacier and vegetation changes. Collaborators: Prof. David Sugden (Edinburgh), Dr Michael Bentley (Durham), Dr Ross Purves (Zurich), Professor Tasuku Akagi (Kyushu, Japan), Aloys Borys (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory / Lille).
3) The timing and nature of pre- and post-Hispanic environmental change from multi-proxy lake records in central Mexico. Collaborators: Prof. Sarah Metcalfe (Nottingham), Dr Sarah Davies (Aberystwyth), Dr Anthony Newton (Edinburgh).
4) The Holocene vegetation history of northern and upland Britain, with particular regard to the timing and nature of prehistoric and historic human activities and their impacts. Collaborators: Prof. Ian Simpson, Dr Eileen Tisdall (Stirling) and Dr Jane Downes (ORCA - UHI).
5) The application of tephrochronology, Spheroidal Carbonaceous Particles and 210Pb to establish regional correlations and to test radiometric dating methods. Collaborators: Dr Andrew Dugmore, Prof. Charles Stern (Boulder) and Dr Eileen Tisdall (Stirling)..
Teaching
Chief Examination Officer for Environmental Geography and Environmental Science and teaching on the following geographical modules:
Students exploring the nature of environmental change in Patagonia
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- ENV2LE: Landscape Evolution, physical geography, earth surface processes, geomorphology and biogeography.
- SCI3FC: 2nd year Residential Field Course in the Cairngorms - geographical field techniques
- ENV5T5: Field and Laboratory Techniques, project: monitoring traffic pollution levels across Stirling.
- ENV6T6: Spain (Urra) Residential Fieldcourse, Landscape change in an arid environment.
- ENV6EH: Environmental Hazards (Module co-ordinator) How humans turn environmental hazards into greater risks.
- GEO7EE: Geographical Review Essay (Module co-ordinator) Review of the current literature on physical and socio-economic geography topics
- ENV9PE: Palaeoecology (Module co-ordinator) the reconstruction of past environments using biological proxies.
- ENV9GL: Glaciers and Landscape (Module co-ordinator) Glacial geomorphology and stratigraphy to reconstruct past landscape change
Current PhD Students
Claudia Mansilla Andrade: Reconstructing the Late-glacial and Holocene vegetation history of Tierra del Fuego, southern South America (BECAS Chile)
Anne Winther: Investigating the development of sustainable communities in rural Scotland – measures and policies (Joint NERC & ESRC)
Fiona Thompson: Prediction of morphological adjustment and societal response to channel instability resulting from increased flood frequency in Scotland (co-supervised with Prof. Dave Gilvear) (Joint SEPA & SNH)
Previous PhD Students
Chris Fogwill:The application of cosmogenic exposure dating to glacial landforms: examples from Antarctica and Patagonia (NERC Studentship)
Darcy Gillie: Late Holocene climate variation, vegetation change and human response in the Strath of Kildonan, Sutherland, Scotland
Sarah Gilchrist: Late Quaternary palaeoclimatic reconstructions in Patagonia using chironomid analysis (NERC Studentship)
Keith Turner: The late glacial history of the eastern flank of the North Patagonian Icefield (NERC Studentship)
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Recently supervised Undergraduate and Masters research topics
A reconstruction of tree establishment across Tierra del Fuego during the early Holocene, with regards to westerly migration (UG Hons).
Reconstruction of mid Holocene environmental change at Shebster, Caithness, North East Scotland during the mid Holocene (UG Hons).
Achieving a low carbon footprint in new homes - perspectives from the construction trade and the local authority in Central Scotland (MSc).
Discussions over a pint: The role of the individual in climate change (MSc).
The corporate approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions: A review of the effectiveness of policies implemented in the workplace to reduce energy consumption and increase uptake of small-scale renewables (MSc).
The linking of research to teaching has also led to the supervision of 8 undergraduate projects involving field work in Patagonia, supported by the RGS-IBG Fieldwork apprenticeship scheme, and linking with international research groups. This positive student experience has been highlighted in the media.
Publications
Refereed journal publications
Morello, F., Borrero, L., Massone, M., Stern, C., Garcia-Herbst, A., McCulloch, R., Arroyo-Kalin, M., Calás, E., Torres, J., Prieto, A., Martinez, I., Bahamonde, G. and Cárdenas, P. 2011. Tierra del Fuego peopling during the Holocene: discussing colonization, biogeographic barriers and interactions in southernmost Patagonia, Chile. Antiquity, in press.
David E. Sugden, Robert D. McCulloch, Aloys J.-M. Bory & Andrew S. Hein. 2009 Influence of Patagonian glaciers on Antarctic dust deposition during the last glacial period, Nature Geoscience, 2, 281 - 285. doi:10.1038/ngeo474
Tipping, R., Bunting, M.J., Davies, A.L., Murray, H., Fraser, S. and McCulloch, R. 2009 Modelling land use around an early Neolithic timber 'hall' in north east Scotland from high spatial resolution pollen analyses. Journal of Archaeological Science, 36, 140-149.
Tipping, R., Davies, A., McCulloch, R. and Tisdall, E. 2008 Response to late Bronze Age climate change of farming communities in north east Scotland. Journal of Archaeological Science 35, 2379–2386.
Anderson, S., Rees, A.R., Ballin, T.B., Carter, S., Cressey, M., Hastie, M., Hunter, F., Ingemark, D., Jackson, A., McCulloch, R., Thoms, J. and Wallace, C. 2006. The excavation of a large double-chambered souterrain at Ardownie Farm Cottages, Monifieth, Angus. Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal, 12, 14-60.
Gilli, A., Ariztegui, D., Anselmetti, F.S., McKenzie, J.A., Markgraf, V., Hajdas, I. and McCulloch, R.D. 2006. Mid-Holocene strengthening of the southern westerlies in South America - Sedimentological evidences from Lago Cardiel, Argentina (49oS). Global and Planetary Change, 49, 75-93.
Sugden, D.E, Bentley, M.J., Fogwill, C.J., Hulton, N.R.J., McCulloch, R.D. and Purves, R.S. 2005. Late-glacial glacier events in southernmost South America: a blend of ‘northern’ and ‘southern’ hemispheric climatic signals. Geografiska Annaler, 87A(2) 273-288.
Bentley, M.J., Sugden, D.E., McCulloch, R.D. and Hulton, N.R.J. 2005. The landforms and pattern of deglaciation in the Strait of Magellan and Bahía Inútil, southernmost South America. Geografiska Annaler, 87A(2) 313-334.
McCulloch, R.D., Bentley, M.J., Tipping, R.M. and Clapperton, C.M. 2005. Evidence for Late-glacial ice dammed lakes in the central Strait of Magellan and Bahía Inútil, southernmost South America. Geografiska Annaler, 87A(2) 335-362.
McCulloch, R.D., Fogwill, C.J., Sugden, D.E., Bentley, M.J. and Kubik, P.W. 2005. Chronology of the last glaciation in central Strait of Magellan and Bahía Inútil, southernmost South America. Geografiska Annaler, 87A(2) 289-312.
Bentley, M.J. and McCulloch, R.D. 2005. Impact of neotectonics on the record of glacier and sea level fluctuations, Strait of Magellan, southern Chile. Geografiska Annaler, 87A(2) 393-402.
Turner, K.J., Fogwill, C.J., McCulloch, R.D. and Sugden, D.E. 2005. Deglaciation of the eastern flank of the North Patagonian Icefield and associated continental-scale lake diversions. Geografiska Annaler, 87A(2) 363-374.
Hulton, N.R.J., Purves, R.S., McCulloch, R.D., Sugden, D.E. and Bentley, M.J. 2002. The Last Glacial Maximum and deglaciation in southern South America. Quaternary Science Reviews, 21, 233-241.
Metcalfe, S., Say, A., Black, S., McCulloch, R. and O’Hara, S. 2002. Wet conditions during the Last Glacial in the Chihuahuan desert, Alta Babicora basin, Mexico. Quaternary Research, 57, 91-101.
McCulloch, R.D. and Davies, S.J. 2001. Late-glacial and Holocene palaeoenvironmental change in the central Strait of Magellan, southern Patagonia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 173, 143-173.
McCulloch, R.D. and Sugden, D.E. 2001. Reply: Climatic inferences from glacial and palaeoecological evidence at the last glacial termination, southern South America. Journal of Quaternary Science, 16, 291-294.
McCulloch, R.D., Bentley, M.J., Purves, R.S., Sugden, D.E. and Clapperton, C.M. 2000. Climatic inferences from glacial and palaeoecological evidence at the last glacial termination, southern South America. Journal of Quaternary Science, 15, 409-417.
McCulloch, R.D. and Bentley, M.J. 1998. Late glacial ice advances in the Strait of Magellan, southern Chile. Quaternary Science Reviews, 17, 775-787.
Clapperton, C.M., Sugden, D.E., Kauffman, D. and McCulloch, R.D. 1995. The last glaciation in central Magellan Strait, southernmost Chile. Quaternary Research, 44, 133-148.
Book Chapters
McCulloch, R (2010) Westerlies, effect on glaciers. In: Singh, V.P., Singh, P. & Haritashya, U.K. (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers, Springer, Heidelberg (in press).
McCulloch, R. and Morello, F. 2009 Evidencia glacial y paleoecológica de ambientes tardiglaciales y del Holoceno temprano. Implicanciones para el poblamiento temprano de Tierra del Fuego. In: M. Salemme, F. Santiago, M. Alvarez, E. Piana, M. Vázquez and M.E. Mansur. VII Jornadas de Arqueologia de la Patagonia. Editorial Utopias, Ushuaia. In press.
Morello, F., Borrero, L., Torres, J., Massones, M., Arroyo, M., McCulloch, R., Calas, E., Lucero, M., Martínez, G. and Bahamonde, G. 2009 Evaluando el registro arqueológico de Tierra del Fuego durante el Holoceno temprano y medio. In: M. Salemme, F. Santiago, M. Alvarez, E. Piana, M. Vázquez and M.E. Mansur. VII Jornadas de Arqueologia de la Patagonia. Editorial Utopias, Ushuaia. In press.
Tipping, R., Davies, A.L. and McCulloch, R.D. 2006. Introduced oak woodlands in northern Scotland: pollen-analytical evidence for early historic plantations. In Woolf, A. (ed) Landscape and Environment in Dark Age Scotland. University Press, St. Andrews, 29-47.
McCulloch, R.D., Clapperton, C.M., Rabassa, J. and Currant, A.P. 1997. The natural setting. The glacial and post-glacial environmental history of Fuego-Patagonia. In: C. McEwan, L.A. Brorrero, and A. Prieto (Editors) Patagonia, Natural History, Prehistory and Ethnography at the Uttermost End of the Earth, British Museum Press, London.12-31.
Conference Contributions
McCulloch, R. and Morello, F. 2011. Palaeoenvironmental context of the early peopling of Fuego-Patagonia, southern South America (~53oS). XVIII INQUA Congress, Bern.
McCulloch, R.D. and Sugden, D. 2011. A Patagonian glacial-geomorphological mechanism for variations in dust emissions recorded in Antarctic ice cores. XVIII INQUA Congress, Bern.
McCulloch, R.D., Roberts, S.J., Sterken, M., Heirman, K., Van Wichelen, J., Van de Vyver, E., Verleyen, E., Hodgson, D., Vyverman, W. and de Batist, M. 2011. High resolution palaeoclimate lake and peat records from Fuego-Patagonia from the LGM to the early-Holocene. XVIII INQUA Congress, Bern.
Tisdall, E., McCulloch, R. and Wooward, N. 2011. First peopling of the North Atlantic fringes; Palaeoenvironmental and archaeological evidence from Orkney, Scotland. XVIII INQUA Congress, Bern.
Roberts, S.J., Hodgson, D., Verleyen, E., Vyverman, W., Bentley, M., Watcham, E., Pearson, E.P., Monien, P., McCulloch, R.D. and University of Ghent project members. 2011. Reconstructing Holocene climate change across the Polar Frontal Zone. 11th International Symposium of Antarctic Earth Sciences, Edinburgh.
Winther, A.M., McCulloch, R.D., Moffatt, I. and Hanley, N.D. 2011. Energy justice in 2030 in rural communities in Scotland. RGS-IBG Annual International Conference, London.
McCulloch, M.B. and McCulloch, R.D. 2011. Is fieldwork teaching constructively aligned: and does it matter? RGS-IBG Annual International Conference, London.
Winther, A.M., McCulloch, R.D., Moffatt, I. and Hanley, N.D. 2011. Investigating sustainable communities: methodological insights of a study of three communities in rural Scotland. PRISM, Paradigms, Practices and Possibilities for Sustainability, University of Gloucestershire.
Akagi, T., Oki, S. and McCulloch, R. 2009 Interhemispheric climatic records from sphagnum peat d13 profiles. American Geophysical Union, fall meeting, San Francisco, submitted.
Seigo Oki, Fumio Kitajima, Hiroshi Naraoka, Lars Franzen, Robert Mcculloch, Tasku Akagi. 2009. Relationship between the carbon isotope ratios of Sphagnum from bog cores band the past atomospheric CO2 concentration, Japan Geoscience Union, Chiba City, Japan.,
McCulloch, R. and Morello, F. 2008 Setting the scene: glacial and palaeoecological evidence for Late Glacial and early Holocene environments in Fuego-Patagonia. VII Jornadas de Arqueología de la Patagonia, Ushuaia, Argentina (invited).
Morello, F., Massone, M., Arroyo, M., Calas, E., Torres, J., McCulloch, R., Borrero, L., Lucero, M., Martinez, I. and Bahamonde, G. 2008 Evaluando el registro arqueológico de Tierra del Fuego durante el Holoceno temprano y medio: lo positivo de los balances negativos. VII Jornadas de Arqueología de la Patagonia, Ushuaia, Argentina.
McCulloch, R. 2008 Palaeoenvironmental evidence for Late Glacial and early Holocene environments in Patagonia: providing a context for the early peopling of southernmost South America. Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and material circulation by water systems. Kyushu, Japan (invited)
McCulloch, R. and Fogwill, C. 2007. Climatic inferences from glacial and palaeoecological evidence for the Last glacial / Holocene transition in southern South America and sub-Antarctica. XVII INQUA, Cairns, Australia.
Sugden, D., Hein, A., Fogwill, C.,McCulloch, R. and Bory, A. 2007. Dust and glacier fluctuations in Patagonia since the LGM and links with Antarctica. XVII INQUA, Cairns, Australia.
Sugden, D., McCulloch, R. and Hein, A. 2007. Interpreting Patagonian dust peaks in Antarctic ice cores. International Glaciological Society, Edinburgh.
Tisdall, E., McCulloch, R. and Tipping, R. 2005. Historic landscape and ecological changes on Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve, Perthshire. Discovering a Highland Landscape, BHLP, Battleby, Perth.
Tipping, R. and McCulloch, R.D. 2003. Identifying the prehistory of woodland management: problems and potential from a case-study in northern Scotland. Walking in the footsteps of ghosts, XI Regional Biodiversity Conference, Sheffield.
Tipping, R., Davies, A. and McCulloch, R. 2003. Dark age plantations and woodland management – pollen analytical data from northern Scotland. Landscape and Environment in Dark Age Scotland, St. Andrews.
Davies, S.J., Metcalfe, S.E., Endfield, G.H., MacKenzie, A., Newton, A.J., McCulloch, R.D., Leng, M.J. and Cook, G. 2003. Pre- and Post-Hispanic landscape change in Michoacan, Mexico: a multidisciplinary investigation. XVI INQUA Congress Reno, Nevada.
Turner, K.J., McCulloch, R.D. and Sugden, D.E. 2001. Deglaciation of the late glacial Patagonian icesheet. Earth System Processes, Geological Society of America, Edinburgh.
Sugden, D.E., McCulloch, R.D., Hulton, N.R.J., Purves, R.S. and Bentley, M.J. 2001. Glacier Advance in Southernmost South America Coinciding With the Antarctic Cold Reversal. European Union of Geosciences XI, Strasbourg.
Sugden, D.E., McCulloch, R.D., Purves, R.S., Hulton, N.R.J. and Bentley, M.J. 2000. Glacier Advance in Southernmost South America Coinciding With the Antarctic Cold Reversal. American geophysical Union, San Francisco.
Sugden, D.E., McCulloch, R.D., Bentley, M.J. and Purves, R.S. 2000. Climatic inferences from glacial and palaeoecological evidence at the last glacial termination, southern South America, Global Change in the Last 250,000 Years, PAGES, London.
Tipping, R. and McCulloch, R.D. 2000. Greenlands and Blacklands: Core and periphery in the Later Bronze Age in Northern Scotland. Bronze Age Forum, Edinburgh
McCulloch, R.D., Bentley, M.J., Hulton, N.R.J., Purves, R.S. and Sugden, D.E. 1999. The Migration of the Southern Westerlies during the Glacial/Holocene Transition in Patagonia, Southern South America. Polar Regions and Quaternary Climate: Towards High Resolution Records of the Last Climatic Cycle - The Antarctic Perspective. European Science Foundation, Toulon.
McCulloch, R.D., Davies, S.J. and Bentley, M.J. 1998. Late-glacial and Holocene palaeoenvironments in the Strait of Magellan, southernmost Chile: A multi-proxy approach. Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere Interconnections, AMQUA, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
McCulloch, R.D. and Bentley, M.J. 1997. Latitudinal contrasts in the response of the Patagonian ice cap during the Late-glacial: implications for shifts of the southern westerlies. Earth–Ocean–Atmosphere: Forces for Change, Joint Assemblies of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences and International Association for Physical Sciences of the Oceans, Melbourne.
McCulloch, R.D. 1993. Evidencia palaeoambiental por l'ultima glaciacion en el sur de Chile, Sud America. El Cuaternario de Chile, Universidad de Chile, Santiago.
Clapperton, C.M., Sugden, D.E., Marden, C.J., McCulloch, R.D. and Bentley, M.J. 1993. The last Glacial-Interglacial cycle in the southernmost Andes, Palaeoclimate 93, Natural Environment Research Council - Quaternary Research Association, Durham.
McCulloch, R.D. 1993. Palaeoenvironmental evidence for the last glaciation in southernmost South America. Palaeoclimate 93, Natural Environment Research Council - Quaternary Research Association, Durham.
Palaeoenvironmental Service
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I have been successful in providing a palaeoenvironmental analytical and advisory service for statutory bodies, charitable trusts and commercial sources. Selected topics include:
- Palaeoecological and geomorphological context for a mesolithic fint scatter, Stronsay, Orkney.
- Palaeoecological and sedimentological analysis for the ditch infill surrounding the World Heritage site at the Ring of Brodgar, Orkney.
- Pollen analysis of two peat profiles from beside and below the Roman road of Dere Street, Dunlaw, The Scottish Borders
- Late Holocene invasion of Malus sylvestris on Firth of Forth Islands.Geoarchaeological assessment of Trapain Law, the Scottish Borders.
- Palaeoecological study of a Mesolithic long house and pit alignment, Crathes, Aberdeenshire.
- Palaeoenvironmental assessment from peat stratigraphies from two bogs; Annaholty and Drominboy, Co. Limerick.
- Palaeoecological assessment and detailed study of upland peat, Farr, Strath Nairn.
- Detailed palaeoecological study of the sub-fossil pollen content of floor material from the Ardownie Souterrain, Angus.
- Palaeoecological assessment of Roman ditch deposit near Dalkeith, Midlothian.
- Ocean Drilling Project, pollen analysis of ocean sediments from the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Sea and the Indus margin.
