Dr Ben Surridge

Lecturer

Research Overview

Human activity has accelerated the movement of phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon through the Earth system by several hundred percent compared to natural or background conditions. Ben is a biogeochemist who is interested in the effects of these increased fluxes on water and soil ecosystems. His research also examines how future human demand for nutrient resources can be met, whilst at the same time minimising the environmental damage that follows inefficient nutrient use.

Research Interests

Ben’s most recent research focuses on developing and applying a novel stable isotope label to understand phosphorus biogeochemistry in natural ecosystems. This work involves measuring the stable oxygen isotope composition of phosphate, in order to provide new insights into the sources and the fate of phosphorus in the environment.

To read Ben’s paper that synthesises this emerging research field, click here. His latest research, involving collaboration with the British Geological Survey, has used the stable oxygen isotope composition of phosphate to trace phosphorus that is added to drinking water in the UK to prevent lead contamination. This work was recently published in Environmental Science and Technology, to access the paper click here and to read a press release related to this research click here.

Current Research

Ben’s research has been funded by NERC, EPSRC, BBSRC, Defra, the UK water industry and private companies. His other current research projects include:

A project under the BBSRC/NERC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Innovation Club (SARIC) programme. This project focusses on how to accurately measure plant-available phosphorus in soil, in order to increase crop yields and minimise nutrient export. The research involves combining diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) with handheld x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to measure plant-available phosphorus. To read a press release covering the project, click here.

A project under the NERC Resource Recovery from Waste programme. This research considers how to maximise the agronomic value of nutrients within biomass ash and anaerobic digestate that are by-products from energy production.

The Policy, Practice and Management-Nutrients project, funded under the Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network, that focusses on future scenarios for nutrient management in food production within China.

Current Teaching

Ben’s teaching includes:

Leading a third year undergraduate module on Water Resources Management, as part of the environment-focussed degrees within LEC.

Teaching material on river restoration, as part of a third year undergraduate module on Issues in Conservation Biology.

Leading a field-based Masters module on the science and management of soil and water resources in river catchments, as part of the Sustainable Water Management MSc within LEC.

Additional Information

Ben is the undergraduate admissions tutor for the Environmental Science, Earth and Environmental Science and Environmental Science and Technology degree programmes in LEC.

For a video providing an introduction to these programmes, click here.

For more information on these programmes, click here.

Show less

Understanding and managing de-icer contamination of airport surface waters: a synthesis and future perspectives
Freeman, A., Surridge, B., Matthews, M., Stewart, M., Haygarth, P. 04/2015 In: Environmental Technology and Innovation. 3, p. 46-62. 17 p.
Journal article

Can industrial by-products enhance phosphorus retention within vegetated buffer strips?
Habibiandehkordi, R., Quinton, J., Surridge, B. 01/2015 In: European Journal of Soil Science. 66, 1, p. 42-52. 11 p.
Journal article

Isotopic fingerprint for phosphorus in drinking water supplies
Gooddy, D.C., Lapworth, D., Ascott, M.J., Bennett, S., Heaton, T.H.E., Surridge, B. 2015 In: Environmental Science and Technology. 9 p.
Journal article

Making sense of landscape change: long-term perceptions among local residents following river restoration
Westling, E., Surridge, B., Sharp, L., Lerner, D. 27/11/2014 In: Journal of Hydrology. 519, Part C, p. 2613-2623. 11 p.
Journal article

A framework for coupling explanation and prediction in hydroecological modelling
Surridge, B., Bizzi, S., Castelletti, A. 11/2014 In: Environmental Modelling and Software. 61, p. 274-286. 13 p.
Journal article

Effect of equilibration time on estimates of the maximum phosphorus sorption capacity of industrial by-products using the Langmuir model
Habibiandehkordi, R., Quinton, J., Surridge, B. 11/2014 In: Journal of Soils and Sediments. 14, 11, p. 1818-1828. 11 p.
Journal article

Enhancing soluble phosphorus removal within buffer strips using industrial by-products
Habibiandehkordi, R., Quinton, J., Surridge, B. 11/2014 In: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 21, 21, p. 12257-12269. 13 p.
Journal article

Phosphate oxygen isotopes within aquatic ecosystems: global data synthesis and future research priorities
Davies, C., Surridge, B., Gooddy, D.C. 15/10/2014 In: Science of the Total Environment. 496, p. 563-575. 13 p.
Journal article

High frequency variability of environmental drivers determining benthic community dynamics in headwater streams
Snell, M., Barker, P., Surridge, B., Large, A., Jonczyk, J., Benskin, C., Reaney, S.M., Perks, M., Owen, G., Cleasby, W., Deasy, C., Haygarth, P. 07/2014 In: Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts. 16, 7, p. 1629-1636. 8 p.
Journal article

Reduced nutrient pollution in a rural stream following septic tank upgrade and installation of runoff retention measures
Ockenden, M., Quinton, J., Favaretto, N., Deasy, C., Surridge, B. 07/2014 In: Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts. 16, 7, p. 1637-1645. 9 p.
Journal article

Using sorbent waste materials to enhance treatment of micro-point source effluents by constructed wetlands
Green, V., Surridge, B., Quinton, J., Matthews, M. 04/2014 In: Geophysical Research Abstracts. European Geosciences Union 1 p.
Conference contribution

Keeping agricultural soil out of rivers: evidence of sediment and nutrient accumulation within field wetlands in the UK
Ockenden, M., Deasy, C., Quinton, J., Surridge, B., Stoate, C. 15/03/2014 In: Journal of Environmental Management. 135, p. 54-62. 19 p.
Journal article

Could organic phosphorus compounds contaminate the analysis of phosphate oxygen isotopes in freshwater matrices?
Davies, C., Surridge, B., Gooddy, D.C. 2014
Abstract

Development and initial application of δ¹⁸O_p to understand phosphorus cycling in river, lake and groundwater ecosystems.
Surridge, B., Gooddy, D.C., Newton, R., Moore, O., Heaton, T.H.E., Lapworth, D., Davies, C. 2014
Abstract

Pollutant swapping: greenhouse gas emissions from wetland systems constructed to mitigate agricultural pollution
Freer, A., Quinton, J., Surridge, B., McNamara, N.P. 2014
Abstract

The effect of water oxygen content on the production of greenhouse gases from shallow pond sediments
Freer, A., Quinton, J., Surridge, B., McNamara, N.P. 2014
Abstract

Structural equation modelling: a novel statistical framework for exploring the spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in riverine ecosystems
Bizzi, S., Surridge, B., Lerner, D. 07/2013 In: River Research and Applications. 29, 6, p. 743-759. 17 p.
Journal article

Evaluation of field wetlands for mitigation of diffuse pollution from agriculture: Sediment retention, cost and effectiveness
Ockenden, M., Deasy, C., Quinton, J., Bailey, A., Surridge, B., Stoate, C. 24/11/2012 In: Environmental Science and Policy. 24, p. 110-119. 10 p.
Journal article

Phosphorus mobilisation and transport within a long-restored floodplain wetland
Surridge, B., Heathwaite, L., Baird, A. 07/2012 In: Ecological Engineering. 44, n/a, p. 348-359. 12 p.
Journal article

Bringing diverse knowledge sources together: a meta-model for supporting integrated catchment management
Holzkaemper, A., Kumar, V., Surridge, B., Paetzold, A., Lerner, D. 04/2012 In: Journal of Environmental Management. 96, 1, p. 116-127. 12 p.
Journal article

The effectiveness of field wetlands in retaining pollutants from agricultural runoff: case studies from the UK
Ockenden, M., Deasy, C., Quinton, J., Favaretto, N., Surridge, B., Stoate, C. 2012 In: Agriculture and the Environment IX: Valuing Ecosystems: Policy, Economic and Management Interactions. Edinburgh p. 244-249. 6 p.
Paper

Water Framework Directive
Surridge, B., Watson, N. 2012 In: Encyclopedia of lakes and reservoirs. Springer Verlag
Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary

Challenges in developing an integrated catchment management model
Lerner, D., Kumar, V., Holzkaemper, A., Surridge, B., Harris, B. 09/2011 In: Water and Environment Journal. 25, 3, p. 345-354. 10 p.
Journal article

Pollution swapping in wetland systems designed to mitigate diffuse pollution from agricultural land
Surridge, B., Deasy, C., Quinton, J. 2011 In: Geophysical Research Abstracts. European Geosciences Union
Conference contribution

Linking local riverbed flow patterns and pore-water chemistry to hydrogeologic and geomorphic features across scales
Ibrahim, T., Thornton, S., Surridge, B., Wainwright, J. 12/2009 In: AGU Research Abstracts. American Geophysical Union
Conference contribution

Pollutant attenuation at the groundwater – surface water interface : A classification scheme and statistical analysis using national-scale nitrate data.
Smith, J.W.N., Surridge, B.W.J., Haxton, T.H., Lerner, D.N. 15/05/2009 In: Journal of Hydrology. 369, 3-4, p. 392-402. 11 p.
Journal article

Analysing biological, chemical and geomorphological interactions in rivers using structural equation modelling
Bizzi, S., Surridge, B., Lerner, D. 2009 In: 18th World IMACS Congress and MODSIM09 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation :. Nedlands, Australia : University of Western Australia p. 1837-1843. 7 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Developing the evidence base for Integrated Catchment Management: Challenges and opportunities.
Surridge, B.W.J., Holt, A., Harris, R. 2009 In: Water System Science and Policy Interfacing. Cambridge : Royal Society of Chemistry ISBN: 1847558615, 9781847558619.
Chapter

Using structural equation modelling to analyse understand the spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates within riverine ecosystems.
Bizzi, S., Surridge, B., Lerner, D. 2009 In: Geophysical Research Abstracts. European Geosciences Union p. 5657. 1 p.
Conference contribution

The hydraulic structure of a raised bog and its implications for ecohydrological modelling of bog development.
Baird, A.J., Eades, P.A., Surridge, B.W.J. 12/2008 In: Ecohydrology. 1, 4, p. 289-298. 10 p.
Journal article

A consistent framework for knowledge integration to support Integrated Catchment Management
Holzkaemper, A., Surridge, B., Paetzold, A., Kumar, V., Lerner, D., Maltby, L., Wainwright, J., Anderson, C., Harris, B. 2008 In: International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software. International Environmental Modelling and Software Society p. 568-575. 8 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Bayesian challenges in integrated catchment modelling
Kumar, V., Holzkaemper, A., Surridge, B., Rockett, P., Niranjan, M., Lerner, D. 2008 In: International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software. International Environmental Modelling and Software Society p. 362-371. 11 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Science-driven Integrated River Basin Management : a mirage?
Surridge, B.W.J., Harris, R.C. 09/2007 In: Interdisciplinary Science Reviews. 32, 3, p. 298-312. 15 p.
Journal article

The release of phosphorus to porewater and surface water from river riparian sediments.
Surridge, B.W.J., Heathwaite, A.L., Baird, A.J. 09/2007 In: Journal of Environmental Quality. 36, 5, p. 1534-1544. 11 p.
Journal article

Bayesian networks for a multi-objective evaluation of River Basin Management Plans
Holzkaemper, A., Surridge, B., Paetzold, A., Lerner, D., Maltby, L., Wainwright, J., Niranjan, M., Harris, B. 2007 In:  Conference proceedings of the 6th European Conference on Ecological  Modelling. p. 223. 1 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

The macro-ecological model: making sense of the conflicts in integrated catchment management
Lerner, D., Surridge, B., Paetzold, A., Holzkaemper, A. 2007 In: Proceedings of the 35th IAH Congress. International Association of Hydrogeologists p. 249-256. 7 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

The role of groundwater in catchment management
Lerner, D., Harris, B., Surridge, B. 2007 In: Proceedings of the 35th IAH Congress. International Association of Hydrogeologists p. 62-71. 9 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Groundwater-surface water interactions and phosphorus biogeochemistry in river floodplains
Surridge, B.W.J., Heathwaite, A.L., Baird, A.J. 2006
Abstract

Evaluating the quality of hydraulic conductivity estimates from piezometer slug tests in peat.
Surridge, B.W.J., Baird, A.J., Heathwaite, A.L. 15/04/2005 In: Hydrological Processes. 19, 6, p. 1227-1244. 18 p.
Journal article

The exchange of phosphorus between riparian wetland sediments, pore water and surface water
Surridge, B., Heathwaite, A.L., Baird, A. 2005 In: Dynamics and Biogeochemistry of River corridors and Wetlands. Wallingford : IAHS Publications p. 37-45. 9 p. ISBN: 1-901502-03-1.
Chapter

An assessment of the piezometer method for measuring the hydraulic conductivity of a Cladium mariscus – Phragmites australis root mat in a Norfolk (UK) fen.
Baird, A., Surridge, B., Money, R. 15/02/2004 In: Hydrological Processes. 18, 2, p. 275-291. 17 p.
Journal article

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Dr Ben Surridge

Research Overview

Research Interests

Current Research

Current Teaching

Additional Information

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