Andreas Heinemeyer
RA in the CTCD-York
Ecosystem Ecologist
University of York
CTCD-York at the Environment Department/
Stockholm Environment Institute(SEI)
Grimston House
Heslington
York YO 10 5YW, UK.
Tel: +44 1904 43 2991
Fax: +44 1904 43 2898
E-mail: [email protected]
Research background
After finishing my A-levels (e.g. Biology; all first) at the Gymnasium Alfeld/Leine, I acquired my Diploma degree (first) in
1998 at the Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany, focusing on botany, soil sciences, plant ecophysiology and
biochemistry. During my PhD at the University of York (1998-2002) I studied the functioning of root systems and their
associated symbionts i.e. arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and their role in the soil carbon cycle. I performed key research
on understanding environmental impacts, notably of temperature and PAR, on carbon allocation within the mycorrhizal
symbiosis and directly on AM fungal growth. With their ubiquitous distribution the mycorrhizal symbioses were a major focus
of my work, both in terms of their impact on root function and as a key pathway of carbon movement from atmosphere to soil.
New research projects
Since 2002 I am based at the Stockholm Environement Institute (SEI-York) and my major research interest is to investigate
the role of soils to function either as carbon sink or sources under global climate change scenarios. I work as a post-doctoral
research assistant alongside Prof. Phil Ineson within the Centre for Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics (CTCD). York's main role
is to reduce terrestrial soil carbon model uncertainties related to lacking process understanding and data input uncertainties.
Whereas the practical work focuses on field data acquisition for improving process understanding of soil carbon fluxes, the
theoretical part includes assisting with model improvements and GIS mapping of data. A main tool is the deployment of a
multiplexed continuous monitoring soil respiration system enabling us to monitor seasonality of different soil respiration flux
components such as root or mycorrhizas separately. I also use stable isotope tracer studies using 13C pulse labeling to
distinguish plant derived from other (heterotrophic) soil respiration. Although most of my work is concentrated on UK forests
and upland soils, CTCD extends the modelling work to the European and global scale. Another aim of my studies is to
upgraded soil organic matter process models within available DGVM models (e.g. CENTURY) with the new findings, this as
well as incorporating earth observation data is done in collaboration with the other CTCD centres. Main York activities can be
summarized as follows:
(i) Assessing the uncertainty in the UK carbon budget using GIS mapping techniques and field based research. Main focus will be the
assessment of the new (2003) UK soil carbon map; I have established links to both Silsoe and MLURI research staff (UK).
(ii) Improving our understanding of soil carbon responses to environmental factors (e.g. temperature) and assessing the
importance of separating soil microbial from root respiration; a main focus will be on forest soils and northern peatlands. A new
approach is the York based mobile continuous-flow mass-spectrometer unit, which should enable us to instantaneously monitor and
partition carbon fluxes under labelled and natural abundance levels in connection with treatments such as soil trenching and soil warming
(e.g. infra-red light). We will also attempt to use this approach to link soil carbon fluxes to changes in the canopy environment via natural
(photosynthetic) discrimination against 13C within the canopy.
(iii) Improving existing soil carbon models (such as Century) in testing basic hypotheses in field and lab based approaches and
feeding results back into the models. My work also assesses how to include or improve future use of other sources of data such as
satellite imagery in order to improve soil carbon models.
(iv) Assessing the importance and potential of Earth Observation (EO) data for improved soil carbon data and processes
understanding. This involves using Ground Penetrating Radar and satellite technology for detecting peat depths and soil water table
dynamics etc.
More on CTCD and soils: http://www.shef.ac.uk/ctcd/science/soil/soil.html
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Representative Publications:
A.H. Fitter, A. Heinemeyer and P.L. Staddon, (2000). The impact of elevated CO2 and global climate change on arbuscular mycorrhizas:
a mycocentric approach. New Phytologist 147: 179-187;
H. Bruelheide and A. Heinemeyer, (2002). Climatic factors controlling the eastern and altitudinal distribution boundary of Digitalis
purpurea L. in Germany. Flora 197: 475-490;
P.L. Staddon, A. Heinemeyer and A.H. Fitter, (2002). Mycorrhizas and global environmental change: research at different scales. Plant
and Soil 244: 253-261;
A. Heinemeyer, K.P. Ridgway, E.J. Edwards, D.G. Benham, J.P.W. Young and A.H. Fitter, (2003). Impact of soil warming and shading
on colonization and community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in roots of a native grassland community. Global Change Biology
10: 52-64;
A. Heinemeyer and A.H. Fitter (2004). Impact of temperature on the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis: growth responses of the
host plant and its AM fungal partner. Journal of Experimental Botany, 55(396): 525-534;
A.H. Fitter, A. Heinemeyer, R. Husband, E. Olsen, K.P. Ridgway and P.L. Staddon (2004). System responses to environmental change:
the mycorrhizal component. Canadian Journal of Botany, 82: 1-7;
A. Heinemeyer, P. Ineson, N. Ostle and A.H. Fitter (2006). Respiration of the external mycelium in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis
shows strong dependence on recent photosynthates and acclimation to temperature. New Phytologist, 171: 159-170;
M.C. Kennedy, C.W. Anderson, A. Heinemeyer, M.R. Lomas, A. O’Hagan, S. Quegan and F.I. Woodward. Quantifying Uncertainty in the
Biospheric Carbon Flux for England and Wales. Journal Royal Statistical Society, (in press);
I.P. Hartley, A. Heinemeyer, S.P. Evans and P. Ineson. The effects of long-term soil warming and shading on the rate of soil respiration:
substrate availability and not thermal acclimation dominate observed responses. Global Change Biology, (in press);
I.P. Hartley, A. Heinemeyer, S.P. Evans and P. Ineson. The effects of soil warming on root versus soil respiration in two crop species.
Global Change Biology, (in press);
A. Heinemeyer, I.P. Hartley, S.P. Evans, J.A. Carreira de la Fuente and P. Ineson. Forest soil CO2 flux: uncovering the contribution and
environmental responses of ectomycorrhizas. Global Change Biology, (in press);
Book/Chapter contributions:
Soil Carbon Dynamics: An Integrated Methodology. Eds. Kutsch W, Bahn M & Heinemeyer A. Cambridge University Press (edited in
2006, to be published in 2007).
Subke J-A, Heinemeyer A and Reichstein M. Experimental design to scale up in time and space and its statistical considerations. In: Soil
Carbon Dynamics: An Integrated Methodology. Eds. Kutsch W., Bahn M. Heinemeyer A. Cambridge University Press (edited in
2006, to be published in 2007).
Moyano FE, Atkin OK, Bahn M, Bruhn D, Burton AJ, Heinemeyer A, Kutsch W and Wieser G. Respiration from Roots and the
Mycorrhizosphere. In: Soil Carbon Dynamics: An Integrated Methodology. Eds. Kutsch W., Bahn M. Heinemeyer A. Cambridge
University Press (edited in 2006, to be published in 2007).
Rodeghiero M, Heinemeyer A, Schrumpf M and Bellamy P. Determination of changes in soil carbon stocks. In: Soil Carbon Dynamics:
An Integrated Methodology. Eds. Kutsch W., Bahn M. Heinemeyer A. Cambridge University Press (edited in 2006, to be published in
2007).
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Recent talks:
 A. Heinemeyer and A.H. Fitter (2000). Influence of temperature on arbuscular mycorrhizal functioning. In: H. Chr. Weber, S.
Imhof and D. Zeuske, Programs, Abstracts and Papers of the Third International Congress on Symbiosis (TICS). Phillips
University of Marburg, Germany, p 87;

A. Heinemeyer, H. Cambridge, S. Cinderby, Iain, Hartley and P. Ineson (2003). The UK carbon budget and soil temperature
responses - a new approach of continuous 13CO2 efflux measurements in the field. In: W. Kutsch, Programs, Abstracts and
Papers of the European Conference “Processes underlying soil carbon fluxes” of the ESF-thematic program “The role of soils in
the terrestrial carbon balance”, Kiel, Germany, p .

M.J.I. Briones, P. Ineson and A. Heinemeyer (2004). Meta-analysis of enchytraeid responses to climate change. Implications for
C cycling. XIVth International Colloquium on Soil Zoology and Ecology "Soil Animals and Ecosystem Services" Université de
ROUEN (Mont Saint Aignan, France), August 30th to September 3rd 2004, p ???.

A. Heinemeyer (2004). Spatial Scales: Their Relevance to Soil Research. Seminar for the UK Population Biology Network (UKPopnet): The impact of spatial scale on populations and the environment (GIS approaches).

A. Heinemeyer (2005). The Holy Grail: Getting the soil carbon right. DEFRA UK LUCF (Land-use change and forestry)
Removals & Emissions Inventory Contract (EPG 1/1/160) Progress Meeting; 16 June 2005, CEH Edinburgh, UK.

A. Heinemeyer, L.M.C. Austin and J. Pellenq (2005). The Holy Grail: Getting the carbon budget right – analytical performance
comparison of site specific modelling of soil organic matter in UK peaty soils using models with increasing abiotic and biotic
complexity. BSSS Soil organic carbon modelling meeting 2005; Aberdeen University, UK.

A. Heinemeyer, I.P. Hartley, R.I. Bradley and P. Ineson (2006). Soil carbon and climate – from the large scale to the nitty gritty
work. British Soil Science Society Annual Meeting; School of Geography, University of Leeds, 13-15 September 2006.

A. Heinemeyer (2006) Soil carbon and the environment. Durham University; Biological Sciences, environmental sciences
seminar. November 2006; INVITED

A. Heinemeyer, I.P. Hartley, I.R. Bradley, P. Ineson (2006) Soil carbon and the environment: from the large scale to the nitty
gritty work. British Soil Science Society annual meeting; Leeds University; September 2006.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recent posters:
 Poster: A. Heinemeyer and A.H. Fitter (1999). The influence of temperature and light on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) functioning.
BES Annual General Meeting in Exeter UK;

Poster: A. Heinemeyer and A.H. Fitter (2000). Influence of temperature and light on arbuscular mycorrhizal functioning and direct
temperature impact on the extra-radical hyphae growth. SEB General Annual Meeting in UK;

Poster: A. Heinemeyer and A.H. Fitter (2001). Influence of temperature and light on the functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizas
(AM), root colonisation (RLC), and the extra-radical mycelium (ERM): implications of climate change. BES Annual General
Meeting in Leeds UK;

Poster: A. Heinemeyer and P. Ineson (2003). Climate and the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle – Centre for Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics.
Meeting HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at the opening of the Biology Department at York University;

Poster: A. Heinemeyer, S. Cinderby, H. Cambridge, P. Ineson, (2004). The UK soil carbon budget and its fluxes: Uncertainties
and responsiveness to. In: UK carbon meeting (2004). 5th-8th Jan. 2004 Sheffield. Organised by the Centre for Terrestrial
Carbon Dynamics (CTCD).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Special activities/outreach activities:
 Disney M, Heinemeyer A & Quegan S. Forests, Carbon and Climate. In: Catalyst a GCSE level science magazine (eds. N
Collins, D Moore, D Sang & J Taylor).

Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2006: “The Breathing Forest”.

Williams M., Heinemeyer A (2006) In: Planet Earth, NERC magazine (Winter 2005/06; p.11): “Carbon Chasers”.
WEB-links
10 links considered to be the most relevant/interesting to my CTCD research field.
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US EPA-Global Climate Change site
GHG: Greenhouse gas information
CEOS: Resources in Earth Observation & explanations of atmospheric terms
ORNL: good database of climate and other datasets
ESF: European Science Foundation
ESF: the role of soils project (RSTCB)
Century WEB-site
RothC WEB-site
AUS: National Carbon Accounting Program
UK: soils catalogue
Last but not Least: Mycorrhizal Information Site
Memberships and past funding bodies
1. UK: British Ecological Society (BES; since 2000)
2. UK: Good Gardeners Association (GGA; since 2003)
3. D: German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – awarded Ph.D. funding in 1999
4. D: German Evangelical Student Organisation (ev. Studienwerk) – awarded Ph.D. funding in 2000
5. UK: NERC small research grant – awarded in 2002