Dr Robert Dunford is a Senior Research Fellow within the Biodiversity and Climate Adaptation theme at the Environmental Change Institute. He is a specialist in spatial information technology with over 13 years of research experience using Spatial Databases, Remote Sensing and GIS (including the development of Online GIS websites). Since 2010 Rob has been working at Oxford on a number of European-funded projects in which he develops mixed method solutions to research challenges in the fields of climate change, integrated assessment and ecosystem services (CLIMSAVE, BESAFE, OPENNESS and IMPRESSIONS). In 2013, Rob led a consortium of experts in producing the scientific report underpinning the UK Climate Change Committee's Adaptation Subcommittee's (ASC, a government advisory body) report "Managing the land in a changing climate". He also led a report commissioned by the amphibian and reptile conservation trust (ARC-Trust) identifying the key threats of climate change to all UK reptile/amphibian species through to the 2080s.
Overarching Interest:
Understanding our changing environment
- Exploring the implications of environmental change for both environmental management and practice.
- Understanding the social, political and environmental factors that influence environmental management.
- Integrated assessment and interdisciplinary approaches to explore the influences combined environmental and socio-economics drivers across multiple sectors.
- Using mixed-methods techniques to collect and analyse the best available data on the environment.
Specific interests:
Ecosystem services (ES)
- Matching available bio-physical methods for quantifying ES supply with Case Studies aiming to integrate the ES concept into practice (OPENNESS).
- Understanding the contribution biodiversity-offsetting will play to future ecosystem service delivery (OPENNESS).
- Exploring changing patterns of Ecosystem Services provision across sectors and future scenarios using integrated assessment modelling (CLIMSAVE, IMPRESSIONS).
- Mapping and analysing the links identified in the academic literature between ecosystem services (e.g. timber provision), ecosystem service providers (e.g. trees) and their attributes (e.g. species, biomass etc.) using network analysis and systematic literature review (BESAFE).
Climate change impacts and vulnerability
- Integrating species modelling with multi-sectoral integrated assessment modelling to assess future species distributions that respond to changes in both climate and habitat (CLIMSAVE, IMPRESSIONS).
- Developing an index of "coping capacity" based on the 5 capitals approach that can be applied across socio-economic scenarios of the future in response to stake-holder derived storylines (CLIMSAVE).
- Assessing the vulnerability of human wellbeing across multiple sectors in the context of socio-economic and climatic changes (CLIMSAVE).
Uncertainty
- Assessing flows of "holistic" uncertainty within an integrated modelling framework by combining traditional quantitative validation, modeler interviews and network analysis (CLIMSAVE).
- Determining to what extent shifting patterns of ancient settlement certainty can be determined by combining archaeological datasets from any available data sources (Vanishing Landscapes of Syria)
Forestry
- Exploring the opportunities offered by remote sensing to better map, quantify and characterise our forests – with a particular interest in the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.
- Investigating the relationship between forestry and freshwater acidification, particularly in the context of a changing climate.
Course title
2019
- Hauck, J., Schleyer, C., Priess, J.A., Veerkamp, C.J., Dunford, R., Alkemade, R., Berry, P., Primmer, E., et al. (2019) Combining policy analyses, exploratory scenarios, and integrated modelling to assess land use policy options. Environmental Science and Policy, 94: 202-210.
- Papadimitriou, L., Holman, I.P., Dunford, R. and Harrison, P.A. (2019) Trade-offs are unavoidable in multi-objective adaptation even in a post-Paris Agreement world. Science of the Total Environment, 696. 134027.
- Pedde, S., Kok, K., Hölscher, K., Frantzeskaki, N., Holman, I., Dunford, R., Smith, A. and Jäger, J. (2019) Advancing the use of scenarios to understand society’s capacity to achieve the 1.5 degree target. Global Environmental Change, 56: 75-85.
- Priess, J.A., Hauck, J., Haines-Young, R., Alkemade, R., Mandryk, M., Veerkamp, C.J., Bela, G. Berry, P., Dunford, R., Harrison, P., Keune, H., Kok, M., Kopperoinen, L., Maes, J., Pataki, G., Preda, E., Schleyer, C., Vadineanu, A., Aulian, G. (2019) New EU-Level Scenarios on the Future of Ecosystem Services. In, Atlas of Ecosystem Services. . pp. 135-140.
2018
- Dunford, R., Harrison, P., Smith, A., Dick, J., Barton, D.N., Lopez, B., Kelemen, E., Jacobs, S., Saarikoski, H., Turkelboom, F., Verheyden, W., Hauck, J., Antunes, P., Aszalos, R., Badea, O., Baro, F., Berry, P., Carvalho, P., Conte, G., Czuz, B., Blanco, G. and Howard, D. (2018) Integrating methods for ecosystem service assessment: Experiences from real world situations. Ecosystem Services, 29(C): 499-514.
- Harrison, P.A., Dunford, R.W., Holman, I.P., Cojocaru, G., Madsen, M.S., Chen, P-Y., Pedde, S. and Sandars, D. (2018) Differences between low-end and high-end climate change impacts in Europe across multiple sectors. Regional Environmental Change: 1-15.
2017
- Alexander, P., Prestele, R., Verburg, P., Arneth, A., Baranzelli, C., Sliva, F., Brown, C., Butler, A., Calvin, K., Dendoncker, N., Doelman, J., Dunford, R., Engstrom, K., Eitelberg, D., Fujimori, S., Harrison, P., Hasegawa, T., Havlik, P., Holzhauer, S., Humpenoder, F., Joacobs-Crisoni, C., Jain, A., Krisztin, T., Kyle, P., Lavalle, C., Lenton, T., Liu, J.,Meiyappan, P., Popp, A., Powell, T., Sands, R., Schaldach, R., Stehfest, E., Steinbuks, J., Tabeau, A., Meijl, H., Wise, M. and Rounsevell, M. (2017) Assessing uncertainties in land cover projections. Global Change Biology, 23(2): 767-781.
- Dunford, R., Harrison, P. and Bagstad, K. (2017) Computer modelling for ecosystem service assessment. In, Burkhard, B. and Maes, J. (eds.) Mapping Ecosystem Services. Pensoft. Commissioned by EU and Leibniz Universität Hannover. pp. 126-137.
- Dunford, R., Harrison, P., Smith, A., Dick, J., Barton, D.N., Martin-Lopez, B., Keleman, E., Jacobs, S., Saarikoski, H., Tukelboom, F., Verheyden, W., Hack, J., Antunes, P., Aszalos, R., Badea, O., Baro, F., Berry, P., Carvalho, L., Conte, G., Czucz, B., Blanco, G.G., Howard, D., Giuca, R., Gomez-Baggetun, E., Grizetti, B., Izakovicova, Z., Kopperoinen, L., Langemeyer, J., Luque, S., Lapola, D.M., Martinez-Pastur, G., Mukhopadhyay, R., Roy, S.B., Niemela, J., Norton, L., Ochieng, J., Odee, D., Palomo, I., Pinho, P., Priess, J., Rusch, G., Saarela, S., Santos, R., van der Wal, J.T., Vadineanu, A., Vari, A., Woods, H., Yli-Pelkonen, V. (2017) Integrating methods for ecosystem service assessment: Experiences from real world situations. Ecosystem Services.
- Jacobs, S., Martin-Lopez, B., Barton, D.N., Dunford, R., Harrison, P., Kelemen, E., Saarikoski, H., Termansen, M., Garcia-Llorente, M., Gomez-Baggethun, E., Kopperoinen, L., Luque, S., Palomo, I., Priess, J.A., Rusch, G.M., Tenerelli, P., Turkelboom, F., Demeyer, R. and Smith, R. (2017) The means determine the end – Pursuing integrated valuation in practice. Ecosystems Services.
- Priess, J.A., Hauck, J., Haines-Young, R., Alkemade, R., Mandryk, M., Veerkamp, C., Gyorgyi, B., Dunford, R., Berry, P., Harrison, P., Dick, J., Keune, H., Kok, M., Kopperoinen, L., Lazarova, T., Maes, J., Pataki, G., Pataki, G., Preda, E., Schleyer, C. Gorg, C., Vadineanu, A. and Zulian, G. (2017) New EU-scale environmental scenarios until 2050 – Scenario process and initial scenario applications..
- Smith, R.I., Barton, D.N., Dick, J., Haines-Young, R., Madsen, A.L., Rusch, G.M., Terminen, M., Woods, H., Carvalho, L., Guida, R.C., Luque, S., Idee, D., Rusch, V., Saarikoski, H., Adamescu, C.M., Dunford, R., Ochieng, J., Gonzalez-Redin, J., Stange, E., Vadineanu, A., Verweij, P., Vikstrom, S. (2017) Operationalising ecosystem service assessment in Bayesian Belief Networks: Experiences within the OpenNESS project. Ecosystem Services.
2016
- Gómez-Baggethun, E., Barton, D.N., Berry, P., Dunford, R. and Harrison, P.A. (2016) Concepts and Methods in Ecosystem Services Valuation. Chapter 8 in, Potschin, M., Haines-Young, R., Fish, R. and Turner, R.K. (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Ecosystem Services. Routledge.
- Harrison, P., Dunford, R., Holman, I. and Rounsevell, M. (2016) Climate change impact modelling needs to include cross-sectoral interactions. Nature Climate Change, 6: 885-890.
- Hirons, M., Comberti, C. and Dunford, R. (2016) Valuing Cultural Ecosystem Services. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 41: 545-547.
2015
- Dunford, R., Harrison, P.A. and Rounsevell, M.D.A. (2015) Exploring scenario and model uncertainty in cross-sectoral integrated assessment approaches to climate change impacts. Climatic Change, 132(3): 417-432.
- Dunford, R., Harrison, P.A., Jager, J., Rounsevell, M.D.A. and Tinch, R. (2015) Exploring climate change vulnerability across sectors and scenarios using indicators of impacts and coping capacity. Climatic Change, 128(3): 339-354.
- Dunford, R.W., Smith, A.C., Harrison, P.A. and Hanganu, D. (2015) Ecosystem service provision in a changing Europe: adapting to the impacts of combined climate and socio-economic change. Landscape Ecology, 30(3): 443-461.
- Dunford, R.W., Smith, A.C., Harrison, P.A. and Hanganu, D. (2015) Ecosystem service provision in a changing Europe: adapting to the impacts of combined climate and socio-economic change. Landscape Ecology, 30(3): 443-461.
- Harrison, P.A., Dunford, R., Savin, C., Rounsevell, M.D.A., Holman, A.S., Kebede, A.S. and Stuch, B. (2015) Cross-sectoral impacts of climate change and socio-economic change for multiple, European land- and water-based sectors. Climatic Change, 128(3-4).
- Jager, J., Rousevell, M.D.A., Harrison, P.A., Omann, I., Dunford, R., Kammerlander, M. and Pataki, G. (2015) Assessing policy robustness of climate change adaptation measures across sectors and scenarios. Climatic Change, 128(3-4): 395-407.
- Kebede, A.S., Dunford, R., Mokrech, M., Audsley, E., Harrison, P.A., Holman, I.P., Nicholls, R.J., Rickebusch, S., Rounsevell, M.D.A., Sabaté, S., Sallaba, F., Sanchez, A., Savin, C., Trnka, M., Wimmer, F. (2015) Direct and indirect impacts of climate and socio-economic change in Europe: a sensitivity analysis for key land- and water-based sectors. Climatic Change, 128(3-4): 261-277.
- Tinch, R., Jager, J., Omann, I., Harrison, P.A., Wesely, J. and Dunford, R. (2015) Applying a capitals framework to measuring coping and adaptive capacity in integrated assessment models. Climatic Change, 128(3-4): 323-337.
- Wimmer, F., Audsley, E., Malsy, M., Savin, C., Dunford, R., Harrison, P.A., Schaldach, R. and Florke, M. (2015) Modelling the effects of cross-sectoral water allocation schemes in Europe. Climatic Change, 128(3): 229-244.
2014
- Harrison, P.A., Berry, P.M., Simpson, G., Haslett, J.R., Blicharska, M., Bucur, M., Dunford, R., Egoh, B., Garcia-Llorente, M., Geamana, N., Geertsema, W., Lommelen, E., Meiresonne, L. and Turkelboom, F. (2014) Linkages between biodiversity attributes and ecosystem services: A systematic review. Ecosystem Services, 9: 191-203.
- Wilkinson, T.J., Philip, G., Bradbury, J., Dunford, R., Donoghue, D., Galiatsatos, N., Lawrence, D., Ricci, A. and Smith, S.L. (2014) Contextualizing early urbanization: settlement cores, early states and agro-pastoral strategies in the fertile crescent during the fourth and third millennia BC. Journal of world prehistory, April(2014).
2013
2012
- Dunford, R.W. and Berry, P. (2012) Climate change modelling of English amphibians and reptiles. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC-Trust).
- Dunford, R.W., Donoghue, D.N.M and Burt, T.P. (2012) Forest land cover continues to exacerbate freshwater acidification despite decline in sulphate emissions. Environmental Pollution, 167: 58-69.
- Wilkinson, T.J., Galiatsatos, N., Lawrence, D., Ricci, A., Dunford, R. and Philip, G. (2012) Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age Landscapes of Settlement and Mobility in the Middle Euphrates: A Reassessment. Levant, 44(2): 139-185.
2011
- Hervouet, A., Dunford, R., Piegay, H., Belletti, B. and Tremelo, M-L. (2011) Analysis of post-flood recruitment patterns in braided channel rivers at multiple scales based on an image series collected by unmanned aerial vehicles, ultra-light aerial vehicles and satellites. GIScience and Remote Sensing, 48(1): 50-73.
2009
2008
2004
- Donoghue, D.N.M., Watt, P.J., Cox, N.J., Dunford, R.W., Wilson, J., Stables, S. and Smith, S. (2004) An evaluation of the use of satellite data for monitoring early development of young Sitka spruce plantation forest growthAn evaluation of the use of satellite data for monitoring early development of young Sitka spruce plantation forest growth. Forestry, 77(5): 383-396.
2003
