My Research

My research focusses on advancing forest soil sustainability, with an emphasis on soil fauna ecology. Specific areas of research include the links between soil biodiversity, soil quality and soil functions within temperate forest and woodland systems. My main areas of expertise include soil macrofauna and mesofauna ecology in brownfield and natural forest soils, soil carbon and nutrient cycling, and forest soil development. For examples of my work, please take a look at my publication list below.

I’m always open to discussing opportunities for collaboration. If you’re considering me for a research opportunity, please feel free to contact me or click the button below for a pdf of my academic CV (file opens in new window).

My Publications

Potapov, A.M… Ashwood, F., et al., (2024). Global fine-resolution data on springtail abundance and community structure. Scientific Data, 11, 22

Ashwood, F., Barreto, C, Butt, K.R., Doick, K., Lampert, M. & Vanguelova, E.I. (2023). Earthworms and soil mesofauna as early bioindicators for landfill restoration. Soil Research. 61 (4), 311-328.

Potapov, A.M… Ashwood, F., et al. (2022). Global monitoring of soil animal communities using a common methodology. Soil Organisms, 94 (1). pp. 55–68.Azevedo, O. and Ashwood F., (In review). Forest ectomycorrizhae - variety is the spice of life. Front. Young Minds.

Ashwood, F. & Gregory, S.J. (2021). Metatrichoniscoides celticus Oliver & Trew, 1981 new for England (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Trichoniscidae). Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group, 33: 46-51.

Ashwood, F. & Gregory, S.J. (2021). Observations of Trichoniscoides sarsi Patience, 1908 (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Trichoniscidae) on the west coast of Britain. Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group, 33: 72-78.

Ashwood F., Vanguelova E., Benham S. and Butt K. (2020). Looking for Earthworms in Deadwood. Front. Young Minds. 8:547465. doi: 10.3389/frym.2020.547465

Błonska E., Lasota J., Vasconcelos da Silva G.R., Vanguelova E., Ashwood F., Tibbett M., Watts K., Lukac M., (2020). Soil organic matter stabilization and carbon-cycling enzyme activity are affected by land management. Ann. For. Res. 63(1)

Ashwood, F., Watts, K., Park, K., Fuentes-Montemayor, E., Benham, S. and Vanguelova, E. I. (2019). Woodland restoration on agricultural land: long-term impacts on soil quality. Restoration Ecology. 27 (6): 1381-1392.

Ashwood, F., Vanguelova, E. I., Benham, S. and Butt, K. R. (2019). Developing a systematic sampling method for earthworms in and around deadwood. Forest Ecosystems. 6:33.

Mark R Bakker, Ivano Brunner, Francis Ashwood, et al. (2019). Belowground biodiversity relates positively to ecosystem services of European forests. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 2, 6.

Vanguelova, E., Ashwood, F., Benham, S. and Broadmeadow, S. (2019). Environmental factors stressing oak trees. In: Quine, C.P., Atkinson, N., Denman, S., Desprez-Loustau, M-L., Jackson, R., Kirby, K. (eds), Action Oak Knowledge review: an assessment of the current evidence on oak health in the UK, identification of evidence gaps and prioritisation of research needs. Action Oak, Haslemere, UK. ISBN 978-1-5272-4193-0

Vanguelova, E., Chapman, S., Perks, M., Yamulki, S., Randle, T., Ashwood, F. and Morison, J. (2018). Afforestation and restocking on peaty soils – new evidence assessment. ClimateXChange Project Report. Edinburgh, UK.

Ashwood, F., Butt, K. R., Doick, K. J. and Vanguelova, E. I. (2018). Effects of composted green waste on soil quality and tree growth on a reclaimed landfill site. European Journal of Soil Biology. 87: 46–52.

Ashwood, F., Butt, K. R., Doick, K. J. and Vanguelova, E. I. (2017). Interactive effects of composted green waste and earthworm activity on tree growth and reclaimed soil quality: A mesocosm experiment. Applied Soil Ecology. 119: 226– 233.

Ashwood, F., Butt, K. R., Doick, K. J. and Vanguelova, E. I. (2017). Investigating tree foliar preference by the earthworms Aporrectodea longa and Allolobophora chlorotica in reclaimed and loam soil. Applied Soil Ecology. 110: 109–117.

Doick, K. J., Davies, H. J., Handley, P., Vaz Monteiro, M., O'Brien, L. and Ashwood, F. (2016). Introducing England's Urban Forests. Urban Forestry and Woodlands Advisory Committee’s (FWAC) Network.

Ashwood, F. (2016). Woodland Restoration on Landfill Sites: Earthworm Activity and Ecosystem Service Provision. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of Central Lancashire, UK.

Ashwood, F., Albertini, A. and Doick, K. J. (2015). Best Practice Guidance Note for Land Regeneration No. 20: Drought Tolerant Tree Species and Land Regeneration. Forest Research, Farnham.

Ashwood, F. (2015). Best Practice Guidance Note for Land Regeneration No. 18: Lowland Calcareous Grassland – Creation and Management in Land Regeneration. Forest Research, Farnham.

Barsoum, N., Fuller, L, Ashwood, F., Reed, K., Bonnet-Lebrun, A.-S. and Leung, F (2014) Ground-dwelling spider (Araneae) and carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) community assemblages in mixed and monoculture stands of oak (Quercus robur L./Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Forest Ecology and Management. 321: 29–41.

Ashwood, F., Doick, K.J., Atkinson, G.E. and Chenoweth, J. (2014). Under-utilisation of organic wastes during brownfield regeneration to community woodland: Tackling the barriers. Waste Management and Research. 32 (1), 49 – 55.

Doick, K.J. and Ashwood, F. (2011). Brownfield regeneration to a soft-end use: Barriers to using a quality planting medium. Reclamation (the Journal of the BLRS), November 2011, pp.3.