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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · 9h

20 years ago, almost to the day, I started my PhD in London, and with it my journey into science. Today I was appointed Professor of Biogeoscience by the UnIversity of Leeds. Feeling humble, grateful, exhausted, etc.

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Reposted by Paul J. Morris

Mike Waddington 🇨🇦 @peatofmind.bsky.social · 1d

For over 15 years the McMaster Ecohydro Lab has awarded the #NobelPeatPrize to the authors of the best peatland or peat paper of the year.

It’s that time of year again where we review papers and finalize a list of nominees.

Do you have a fave paper for 2025 you would like us to consider?

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · 1d

Our new paper in QSR, led by Dr. Donna Hawthorne, explores the various successional pathways that the huge peat swamp forests of the central Congo Basin have taken during the late Quaternary. Open access link available until 21 Nov eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Aug 6

Somewhat belatedly, huge congratulations to all our graduates this summer, including Dr. Dan Colson! @danielcolson.bsky.social

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Reposted by Paul J. Morris

Richard Fewster @richard-fewster.bsky.social · Jul 7

Early results from our cutting-edge PIPES project at Queen's University Belfast featured on BBC Northern Ireland this morning.

Toxic metals found in UK peatlands could pose health risk www.bbc.com/news/article...

Toxic metals found in UK peatlands could pose health risk

Wildfires and climate change could see decades' worth of pollutants released into the water courses.

www.bbc.com

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Jul 2

Our new paper in ERL, led by Dr. Greta Dargie, shows peatlands of central Congo Basin are twice as old as previously believed. The oldest peat initiated at least 42,000 years ago and persisted through the Last Glacial Maximum dry phase. Open access and free to all iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...

Timing of peat initiation across the central Congo Basin. - IOPscience

Timing of peat initiation across the central Congo Basin., Dargie, Greta, Gulliver, Pauline, Lawson, Ian T, Morris, Paul J, Crezee, Bart, Bola, Pierre, Emba Botuli, Ovide, Girkin, Nicholas, Kanyama, Joseph, Biddulph, George, Hawthorne, Donna, Boukono, Déo R. V., Louvouandou, Lisa F., Milandou Matoko, Jodrhy P., Milongo, Brice, Kibongui, Gloire J., Schefuß, Enno, Garcin, Yannick, Bocko, Yannick, Young, Dylan M, Baird, Andy J, Boom, Arnoud, Ewango, Corneille E. N., Averti Ifo, Suspense, Kiahtipes, Chris, Mitchard, Edward T.A., Page, Susan, Sjoegersten, Sofie, Schneider, Ralph R., Tshimanga, Raphael, Trigg, Mark A, Lewis, Simon

iopscience.iop.org

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Jun 25

Holly and Andy using a Russian-pattern corer to take a deep peat sample from Lewis’s northern plateau.

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Jun 25

Three intense days of coring across Lewis’s northern plateau with PhD student Holly Addis, ably assisted by Andy Evans (U. Manchester). Holly has collected a nice set of field measurements as well as a 4.35 m long core for palaeo-environmental analysis back in Leeds. Weather damp, spirits high.

Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Jun 21

On the way back to the Isle of Lewis for more fieldwork with PhD student Holly Addis. Incredible sunset coming into Stornoway harbour. Hopefully a good omen for a successful week of coring and exploring.

Sunset over the Isle of Lewis, seen from a ferry

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Jun 7

Great talk by @richard-fewster.bsky.social from QUB to the River Basins cluster here at Leeds Geography. Peatlands, carbon, climate and pollution. Thanks for visiting us Richard!

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · May 16

We are hiring! Vacancy for an ambitious Lecturer (Assistant Prof.) in the Ecology and Global Change research cluster here at Leeds Geography. Research and teaching in any area of ecology and global change. Full details, including contacts for queries, in link below jobs.leeds.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Job Opportunity at University of Leeds: Lecturer in Ecology and Global Change

Lecturer in Ecology and Global Change (Teaching and Research)Salary: Grade 8 (£48,149 – £57,422 p.a. depending on experience) This role will be based on the university campus, with scope for it to be ...

jobs.leeds.ac.uk

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · May 15

Shallow peatlands are often not classified as true peatlands and are therefore excluded from many catalogues and maps of peat extent. Shallow peatlands deserve more attention!

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · May 15

Our new paper in ERL, led by Owen Sutton & @peatofmind.bsky.social, considers how shallow peatlands could help us understand the response of deeper, more established peats and their huge soil C stocks to ongoing climate warming. Open access and free to all iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...

Shallow peatlands as sentinels of climate change - IOPscienceSearch

Shallow peatlands as sentinels of climate change, Sutton, Owen F, Furukawa, Alex K, Moore, Paul A, Morris, Paul J, Waddington, James M

iopscience.iop.org

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · May 7

Great turnout today for our module fair in the School of Geography. Module leaders were on hand to help undergrad students choose their courses for next academic year.

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Apr 4

Thanks! It was a great trip. Breezy but 13 deg C so unseasonably warm. We really lucked out with the weather.

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Apr 3

Day 4 on Lewis, and all good things must come to an end. We walked up to the peat plateau from Siabost on the west coast, before exploring some Hebridean history and culture. Crofters’ traditional black house at Arnol, stone circle at Callanish, and the famous Lewis chessmen at Lews Castle Museum.

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Apr 2

Day 3 on Lewis. Making our way from Sgiogarstaigh on the rocky north coast up onto the peat plateau in the interior of the island. More peat, more potential field sites, and more glorious weather.

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Reposted by Paul J. Morris

@PeatlandCymru @peatlandcymru.bsky.social · Mar 31

Thanks! 👏
At the end of another winter season of peatland restoration, here’s an opportunity to thank the #WalesPeatlandAction practitioners and contractors.
They are our national land healers aiming for #HighNatureLowCarbon
@natreswales.bsky.social @iucn-uk-peat.bsky.social

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Apr 1

Day 2 from Lewis, this time around Borve in the north west. Stunning peatland landscapes, as far as the eye can see in every direction. Bonus points today for great weather. We are starting to get the lie of the land and making firm plans for “real” sampling later in the year.

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Mar 31

Some more views from Lewis today

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Mar 31

Exploring the incredible peatlands of Lewis, day 1. A big loop from the “bridge to nowhere” in the north east, peat depths up to 4.7 m. Lots of hummocks, lots of peat. So much peat. Also saw a herd of deer who followed us for a while, and ruined stone shepherd sheilings (shelters).

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Mar 30

Yeah it was a beautiful day…at times. As well as the sunshine we also had rain, sleet, hail and strong wind! Four seasons in one day

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Mar 30

16 hours of driving and ferries and we’ve made it from Leeds to the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Looking forward to a week scouting out field sites with PhD student Holly Addis and Dr Liam Taylor. Amazed at how far one can travel and still be in the UK

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Paul J. Morris @peatbloke.bsky.social · Mar 30

A rewarding field day on Friday, showing first year geography students around Ilkley Moor as part of the Dynamic Landscapes module. We covered geology, hillslope processes, natural flood management, ancient human occupation and modern land management. Field season 2025 is up and running!

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Reposted by Paul J. Morris

Richard Fewster @richard-fewster.bsky.social · Feb 21

Our new paper shows peat initiating since 1949 C.E. in a rapidly warming and deglaciating valley in Aotearoa/New Zealand. An amazing montane site, with implications for peatland dynamics at high elevations and latitudes under anthropogenic climate change. Open access here: doi.org/10.1029/2024...

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