Debbie Fielding

Research Assistant
Ecological Sciences
T: +44 (0)1224 395184

Debbie is a research assistant in the Ecological Sciences group. Her background is in environmental conservation. She completed a BSc in Environmental Conservation in 2005 and an MSc in Conservation & Land management in 2006 at the University of Wales, Bangor. Following her academic studies, she worked as a field surveyor for an ecological consultancy and then as Conservation Officer for the Countryside Council for Wales, prior to Joining the James Hutton Institute in 2008. In her current role she uses her extensive field skills and experience of working in a variety of habitats to collect data for a range of ecological projects.

Much of Debbie’s work focuses on an assessment of different aspects of biodiversity under different land management regimes.
She is currently working on a variety of projects:

  • The Glen Finglas grazing experiment
  • The effects of controlled fire on the biodiversity of heath communities
  • The effects of deer carcasses on upland food webs
  • Scottish native pinewoods
  • A re-survey of vegetation records form the 1960’s & 70’s to detect long term changes linked to land management and climate change.

Journals

Books

  • Roberts, D.; Torrance, L.; Stirton, G.; Britton, A.J.; Craig, C.-A.; Kyle, C; Newman, C.; Macaulay, C.; Fielding, D.; Watson, H.; Pohle, I.; Robertson, J.; Maxwell, J.; Irvine, K.; Sutherland, L-A.; Dawson, L.A.; Shepherd, L.; Miller, P.; Ellis, R.; Richards, S.; Blok, V.; Hackett, C.; Kettle, H. (2018) Women in Science, The James Hutton Institute, 25pp
  • Newey, S., Mustin, K., Fielding, D. Irvine, J. Redpath, S. Arroyo, B., Bryce, R., Beja, P., Bunnefeld, N. (2016) Consequences of game bird management for non-game species: a European review and Scottish case study., In: Irvine, R.J. (ed.). Biodiversity and Upland Management. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Chapter 1, pp4-5.
  • Pakeman, R.J.; Fielding, D.; Littlewood, N.; Pozsgai, G.; Smith, S. (2016) Grassland management drives trade-offs for biodiversity., In: Pakeman, R.J. (ed.) Grassland Biodiversity. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, pp20-21.
  • Fielding, D.; Littlewood, N.; Pozsgai, G.; Pakeman, R.J.; Evans, D. (2016) Upland grassland management for biodiversity., In: Pakeman, R.J. (ed.). Grassland Biodiversity. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, pp8-9.
  • Fielding, D.; Irvine, R.J. (2016) Heath vegetation recovery after muirburn under different grazing regimes., In: Irvine, R.J. (ed.) Biodiversity and Upland Management. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Chapter 6, pp14-15.
  • Fielding, D.; Newey, S.; Navarro, C.; Irvine, R.J. (2016) The impact of deer carcasses on soil nutrients and invertebrate communities., In: Irvine, R.J. (ed.) Biodiversity and Upland Management. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Chapter 15, pp32-33.
  • Newey, S.; Fielding, D.; Irvine, R.J.; Van der Wal, R. (2016) The use of deer carcasses by avain and mammalian scavengers., In: Irvine, R.J. (ed.) Biodiversity and Upland Management. The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Chapter 16, pp34-56.

Reports

Conference papers

  • Hewison, R.L.; Smith, S.; Fielding, D.; Pakeman, R. (2024) Long-Term Experimental Sites, Environmental Monitoring Programs and Natural Resource Surveys, Poster produced for the Biodiversity Group for the Ecological Sciences Review, February 2024
  • Newey, S.; Mustin, K.; Bryce, R.; Fielding, D.; Daniel, B.; Bunnefeld, N.; Irvine, R.J. (2012) Bird diversity and game management in the Scottish Highlands, UK., International Conference on Hunting for Sustainability: Ecology, Economics and Society, Ciudad Real, Spain, 27-29 March 2012.

Conference posters

  • Taylor, A. F. S.; Fielding, D.; Freitag, T.; Oddi, L.; Robinson, L.; van Paassen, J.; White, D.; Britton, A. J. (2022) Spatial congruity across six kingdoms of alpine biodiversity, International Mountain Conference 2022, 11 – 15 September 2022, Innsbruck, Austria.
  • Britton, A.J.; Freitag, T.; Oddi, L.; Fielding, D.; van Paassen, J.; White, D.; Robinson, L.; Taylor, A.F.S. (2019) Topography drives heterogeneity in alpine soil function., International Mountain Conference 2019, Innsbruck, 8-12 September 2019. (Poster)
  • Iason, G.R.; Beaton, J.K.; Reid, S.; Ellis, C.; Finger, A.; Newey, S.; Irvine, J.; McLeod, J.; Gilbert, L.; Fielding, D.; Dagleish, D.; McInnes, C.; Artz, R.; Miller, P.; Gimona, A.; Poggio, L.; Eastwood, A.; Fisher, A.; Skuce, P. (2018) RESAS Strategic Research Programme: Biodiversity and Ecosystems., Posters presented at The Wild North East – Scotland’s Natural Gem, organised by North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership, James Hutton Institute, 13 April 2018.
  • Fielding, D.; Nazir, S.; Newey, S.; van der Wal, R.; Verdicchio, F.; Irvine, R.J.; Fairhurst, G. (2013) Wireless internet Sensing Environment (WiSE): Resource management using satellite and wireless sensor networks., New Technologies for Monitoring Biodiversity, Symposium, London Zoological Society, London, 16-17 May 2013. (Poster)