Research
My current research work falls into two broad areas: (i) developing and applying experimental approaches to link the soil microbiome to measures of biogeochemical cycling in plant-soil systems, with the aim of understanding the interaction between plant inputs, microbiome and GHG emissions; (ii) using long term field trials, to identify factors in agricultural systems responsible for structuring of microbial communities and how this may affect plant productivity and GHG emissions. I am currently involved in a number of projects;
Past research
- Sustainable soils by quality compost with defined properties (2020-2023) (Interreg).
- Are chitin amendments to soil a means to control potato cyst nematodes? (2023) (BBSRC)
- Using Critical Zone Science to Enhance Soil Fertility and Improve Ecosystem Services for Peri-Urban Agriculture in China – Phase 2 (2019-2021) (NERC)
Current Students
- Haosheng Yang; Composition-function relationship of soil microbial diversity for nutrient cycling under climate change. With the University of Edinburgh.
- Apisit Boupai; Does crop genotype utilisation of soil organic matter lower greenhouse gas emissions from soil? With the University of Edinburgh.
- Maya Subberwal; Understanding the impact of sustainable agricultural practices on crop development by focusing on microbial ecology and the exposome. With the University of Glasgow
Publications
Journals
- Maluk, M.; Giles, M.; Wardell, G.E.; Taqrir Akramin, A.; Ferrando-Molina, F.; Murdoch, A.; Barros, M.; Vasconçelos, M.; Harrison, E.; Daniell, T.J.; Quilliam, R.S.; James, E.; Iannetta, P.P.M. (2023) Biological nitrogen fixation by soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), a novel, high protein crop in Scotland, requires inoculation with non-native bradyrhizobia, Frontiers in Agronomy, 5, Art. 1196873
- Giles, M.; Caul, S.; King, D.; Mitchell, S.; Sim, A.; Neilson, R.; Paterson, E. (2023) Grass variety selection of microbial community composition is associated with differences in soil CO2 emissions, Applied Soil Ecology, 190, Art. 104968
- Xiang, Q.; Qiao, M.; Zhu, D.; Giles, M.; Neilson, R.; Yang, X.-R.; Zhu, Y.-G.; Chen, Q.-L. (2021) Seasonal change is a major driver of soil resistomes at a watershed scale., Isme Communications, 1, Article No. 17
- Zhou, S.-Y.-D.; Zhang, Q.; Neilson, R.; Giles, M.; Li, H.; Yang, X.-R.; Su, J.-Q.; Zhu, Y.-G. (2021) Vertical distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in an urban green façade., Environment International, 152, Article No. 106502
- Zheng, F.; Bi, Q.-F.; Giles, M.E.; Neilson, R.; Chen, Q.-L.; Lin, X.-Y.; Zhu, Y.G.; Yang, X.-R. (2021) Fates of antibiotic resistance genes in the gut microbiome from different soil fauna under long-term fertilization., Environmental Science and Technology, 55(1), 423-432
- Zhou, S.-Y.; Li, H.; Giles, M.E.; Neilson, R.; Yang, X.-R.; Su, J.-Q. (2021) Microbial flow within an air-phyllosphere-soil continuum., Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, Article No. 615481
- Neilson, R.; Caul, S.; Fraser, F.C.; King, D.; Mitchell, S.M.; Roberts, D.M.; Giles, M.E. (2020) Microbial community size is a potential predictor of nematode functional group in limed grasslands., Applied Soil Ecology, 156, Article No.103702.
- Zhou, S.; Wei, M.-Y.; Giles, M.E.; Neilson, R.; Zheng, F.; Zhang, Q.; Zhu, Y.-G.; Yang, X.-R. (2020) Prevalence of antibiotic resistome in ready-to-eat salad., Frontiers in Public Health, 8, Article 92.
- Zhou, S.; Zhu, D.; Giles, M.E.; Daniell, T.J.; Neilson, R.; Yang, X.-R. (2020) Does reduced usage of antibiotics in livestock production mitigate the
spread of antibiotic resistance in soil, earthworm guts, and the
phyllosphere?, Environment International, 136, Article No. 105359.
- Xiang, Q.; Zhu, D.; Giles, M.; Neilson, R.; Yang, X.R.; Qiao, M.; Chen, Q.L. (2020) Agricultural activities affect the pattern of the resistome within the phyllosphere microbiome in peri-urban environments., Journal of Hazardous Materials, 382, Article No. 121068.
- Zhou, S.Y.D.; Zhu, D.; Giles, M.; Yang, X-R.; Daniell, T.; Neilson, R.; Zhu, Y-G. (2019) Phyllosphere of staple crops under pig manure fertilization, a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes., Environmental Pollution, 252, 227-235.
- Zheng, F.; Zhu, D.; Giles, M.E.; Daniell, T.; Neilson, R.; Zhu, Y-G.; Yang, X.R. (2019) Mineral and organic fertilization alters the microbiome of a soil nematode Dorylaimus stagnalis and its resistome., Science of the Total Environment, 680, 70-78.
- Langarica-Fuentes, A.; Manrubia, M.; Giles, M.E.; Mitchell, S.; Daniell, T.J. (2018) Effect of model root exudate on denitrifier community dynamics and activity at different water-filled pore space levels in a fertilised soil, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 120, 70-79
- Herold, M.B.; Giles, M.E.; Alexander, C.J.; Baggs, E.M.; Daniell, T.J. (2018) Variable response of nirK and nirS containing denitrifier communities to long term pH manipulation and cultivation, FEMS Microbiological Letters, 364(7), art.fny035
- Osburn, C.L.; Anderson, N.J.; Stedmon, C.A.; Giles, M.E.; Whiteford, E.J.; McGenity, T.J.; Dumbrell, A.J.; Underwood, G.J.C. (2017) Shifts in the source and composition of dissolved organic matter in Southwest Greenland Lakes along a regional hydro-climatic gradient., Journal of Geophysical Research – Biogeosciences, 122, 3431-3445.
- Giles, M.E.; Daniell, T.J.; Baggs, E.M. (2017) Compound driven differences in N2 and N2O emission from soil; the role of substrate use efficiency and the microbial community., Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 106, 90-98.
- Anderson, N.J.; Saros, J.E.; Bullard, J.E.; Cahoon, S.; McGowan, S.; Bagshaw, E.A.; Barry, C.D.; Bindler, R.; Burpee, B.T.; Carrivick, J.L.; Fowler, R.A.; Fox, A.D.; Fritz, S.C.; Giles, M.E.; Hamerlik, L.; Ingeman-Nielson, T.; Law, A.C.; Mernild, S.H.; Northington, R.M.; Osburn, C.L.; Pla-Rabes, S.; Post, E.; Telling, J.; Stroud, D.A.; Whiteford, E.J.; Yallop, M.L.; Yde, J.C. (2017) The Arctic in the Twenty-First Century: Changing Biogeochemical Linkages across a Paraglacial Landscape of Greenland, BioScience, 67(2), 118-133
- Bender, F.S.; Plantenga, F.; Neftel, A.; Jocher, M.; Oberholzer, H-R.; Kohl, L.; Giles, M.; Daniell, T.; Van der Heijden, M.G.A. (2014) Symbiotic relationships between soil fungi and plants reduce N2O emissions from soil., ISME Journal, 8, 1336-1345.
- Giles, M.E.; Morley, N.; Baggs, E.M.; Daniell, T.J. (2012) Soil nitrate reducing processes – drivers, mechanisms for spatial variation, and significance for nitrous oxide production., Frontiers in Microbiology, 3, 407.
Technical / contract reports
- Matthews, K.; Blackstock, K.L.; Wardell-Johnson, D.H.; Miller, D.G.; Tavana, M.; Thomson, S.; Moxey, A.; Neilson, R.; Baggaley, N.; Giles, M.; Karley, A.; Loades, K.; Paterson, E.; Pakeman, R.; Hawes, C.; Stockan, J.; Stutter, M.; Addy, S.; Wilkinson, M.E.; Juarez-Bourke, A.; Waylen, K.A.; Rivington, M.; Aitkenhead, M.J.; Coull, M.C. (2023) Synthesis Report: Screening Enhanced Conditionality Measures, An output of RESAS commissioned project Supporting
Scotland’s Land Use Transformations (JHI-C3-1),59pp, Published online
- Neilson, R.; Lilly, A.; Aitkenhead, M.; Artz, R.R.E.; Baggaley, N.; Giles, M.E.; Holland, J.; Loades, K.; Ovando Pol, P.; Rivington, M.; Roberts, M.; Yeluripati, J. (2020) Measuring the vulnerability of Scottish soils to a changing climate., ClimateXChange Report, 42pp.
Conference papers
- Giles, M.E.; Daniell, T.J.; Baggs, E.M. (2011) What is the influence of rhizodeposited carbon on the production of N2O and N2 during denitrification?, Rhizosphere 3 International Conference, Perth, Australia, 25-30 September 2011.
- Baggs, E.; Chadwick, K.; Giles, M.; Freitag, T.; Paterson, E. (2011) How strong is the coupling between plant C-flow and rhizosphere denitrification?, Rhizosphere 3 International Conference, Perth, Australia, 25-30 September 2011.
Conference posters / abstracts
- Giles, M. (2023) Soil Management – Plant soil interactions as a control on greenhouse gas emissions, Healthy Soils for a Green Recovery Stakeholder meeting
- Giles, M.; Paterson, E.; Neilson, R. (2018) Selecting grass species to reduce greenhouse gas emissions., Science at the Parliament, Holyrood, 30 May 2018.
- Giles, M.E.; Daniell, T.J.; Baggs, E.M. (2010) Nitrous oxide production in soil in response to addition of different C compounds., Biochemical Society. Enzymology and Ecology of the Nitrogen Cycle, Birmingham, 15-17 September 2010 (Poster).
