Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

Elaine Hooton
@vickybowskill.bsky.social
@richard-holliman.bsky.social
@tomargles.bsky.social
@fluitans.bsky.social
@nationaltrust.org.uk
@naturalengland.bsky.social
@geologyclare.bsky.social

@centa.bsky.social

Visualising the Benefits of Geodiversity International Geodiversity Day 2025 is approaching, and many people worldwide have organised events based on their professional or personal connections with geodiversity; whether these be around under...

🎨 To help promote the benefits of geodiversity, a team from the Open University have worked with artscientist Dr Vicky Bowskill to produce this amazing new image!

🌍 Read more, and download the image on our website: www.geodiversityday.org/post/visuali...

Floodplain meadows are rich in fungi & carbon stored in the soil. We’re piloting research following a co-creating project that identified fungi as an area to explore. Do fungal communities living on the meadows have an active influence on this incredible long term sequestration? #UKFungusDay #fungi

The fascinating world of fungi More than 90% of fungi are unknown to science. But what we do know about this incredibly adaptable and unique life-form is mind-blowing.

As we celebrate our amazing fungi today take 5 minutes to top up your knowledge with this BBC Ideas video written in partnership with our own FMP Director Professor David Gowing – top facts to make you the fun-guy at parties! 🤪🍄

www.bbc.co.uk/videos/czrgg...

The Open University Mitti Matters is a collaborative project involving a selected group of experts and citizens from Milton Keynes with varying interests in nature and the environment, working with Open University staff....

Floodplain meadows are rich both in fungi and carbon stored in the soil. Our co-created research project looks at fungal communities in meadows influence long-term sequestration, and whether we can seed meadows with the right fungi to store even more! 🍄

university.open.ac.uk/stem/environ...

Carboniferous sandstone quarry surface – building stone for Fountains Abbey: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden. Photo: Elaine Hooton.

Elaine Hooton is researching geodiversity at the @nationaltrust.org.uk.

A new paper calls for a shift in how we value our non-living foundations: 👉 research.open.ac.uk/news/giving-

Co-authors: @richard-holliman.bsky.social @geologyclare.bsky.social Jonathan Larwood & @fluitans.bsky.social

Carlton Wood

Congratulations to Carlton Wood of @ou-eees.bsky.social, ‪@openuniversity.bsky.social‬ on your #NTFS award! With 35 years in HE, he champions student support, assessment, and academic leadership. #NTFS2025

Image shoes a rocky and mossy path that runs through a mountain valley towards snowy mountain peaks and a blue sky with white clouds.

PhD researcher Elaine Hooton is shining a spotlight on geodiversity and calling for a shift in how we talk about the non-living foundations of our planet. Elaine shared this inspiring photo of geodiversity in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

Read more 👉 research.open.ac.uk/news/giving-...

@lizdanner.bsky.social is researching the impact of the UK’s impact agenda. She has published a conference paper (with @richard-holliman.bsky.social, Ann Grand, Betul Khalil & Toni Gladding) where she explores changes UK research assessments in 1986 and 2021.

Paper: oro.open.ac.uk/104638.

ABSTRACT Treated water releases into the Pacific from the Fukushima Dai'ichi nuclear plant in Japan have drawn opposition from fishing communities, who accused proponents of acting irresponsibly in commencing releases before gaining local support. The controversy reflects questions in social licence to operate and social impact assessment about how proponents' responsibilities to host communities encompass knowledge production and fit with broader visions for a locality. Research into geographies of responsibility—how society takes care and enacts responsibility across space and place—helps think through what it means to take responsibility for host communities. Focusing on the Fukushima Dai'ichi treated water releases, we therefore aim to explore how relational responsibility becomes manifest in a complex and emotive environmental situation. Through interviews with people working in coastal Fukushima fisheries, we find that alongside economic motivations, a desire to ‘defend’ the Fukushima coast for future generations drives cooperatives to continue fishing and demonstrate safety and quality of Fukushima seafood. Those working in fisheries understand marine radioactivity cannot neatly be managed across scales, and that providing more and better scientific data is unlikely to bring others on-side if proponents are not seen as taking responsibility for the Fukushima coast. We argue that in a complex and emotive environmental situation like Fukushima Dai'ichi, multiple actors may hold responsibilities to place and people, and that intermediary organisations are important in enabling relational responsibility. However, proponents must be cognisant of power and resourcing differentials, and ensure those assuming responsibility for place receive financial and technical support.

New paper on relationships and responsibility in Fukushima coastal fisheries, and treated water releases from the Daiichi nuclear plant. We share interviews from before and during releases with fishers, managers, sellers +more working on the Fukushima coast.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

SketchNote summary of the event by Vicky Bowskill

I had a fab day creating this #SketchNote at the @openuniversity.bsky.social Challenge Us! Showcase on Monday. An inspiring collection of projects, displays, talks & conversations showcasing the power of collaboration between charities, businesses and academia in tackling real-world challenges ✨🌍🎨

An local park with trees, paths and other infrastructure.

We have a Research Experience Placement with Dr Phil Wheeler advertised for this summer via @centa.bsky.social:
centa.ac.uk/centa-resear...

Project title: Using 3D models from smartphone video to
assess urban tree crown volume

An local park with trees, paths and other infrastructure.

We have a Research Experience Placement with Dr Phil Wheeler advertised for this summer via @centa.bsky.social:
centa.ac.uk/centa-resear...

Project title: Using 3D models from smartphone video to
assess urban tree crown volume

Green roof studied on Milton Keynes Open University building The Open University is the latest building in Milton Keynes to get a green roof.

Great to see this fantastic @ou-eees.bsky.social Open Societal Challenge green roof research project getting some exposure today (not to mention the sunshine it’s getting) bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx25xq6wxldo

Metamorphism of Venus as driver of crustal thickness and recycling - Nature Communications Venusian basaltic crust cannot be thicker than 20–65 km without either causing delamination and crustal recycling or melting and producing volcanic eruptions. The thickest the crust can be is ~65 km f...

🚨 New OA Paper, led by Julia Semprich 🚨

Semprich, J., Filiberto, J., Weller, M. et al. Metamorphism of Venus as driver of crustal thickness and recycling. Nat Commun 16, 2905 (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s414...

@astrobiologyou.bsky.social @neil-r-edwards.bsky.social

We've produced a free course on floodplain meadows on the OU's Open Learn platform @anglianwater.bsky.social

I got to work with the @floodplainmead.bsky.social on these resources.

We had helpful input in the design phase from the Dadima’s Community Walking Group & teachers from Denbigh School in Milton Keynes.

Another one from the CENTA Field TRiPP last week - a group photo by the Lilley Brook! #CENTATRiPP2025

An introduction to floodplain meadows This free course, An introduction to floodplain meadows, explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions that will improve our environment. The course will ...

🚨 The @floodplainmead.bsky.social team has produced a free @ouopenlearn.bsky.social course, 'An Introduction to Floodplain Meadows'.

The course explores how these traditional landscapes can deliver a range of nature-based solutions to improve our environment.

www.open.edu/openlearn/na...

This is a new social media account for the School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences at the @openuniversity.bsky.social.

We're looking forward to sharing work from the school, & hearing about positive actions that respond to the climate emergency.