DETAIL
Mr Mark Dearlove
Contact Details
Name: Mr Mark Dearlove
Job Title: research assistant
Address: Duchy College, Rosewarne, Camborne, Cornwall, TR14 OAB
Tel: 01209 721301
Email: mark.dearlove@duchy.ac.uk
Work History
08/06 to Present: Research assistant/
NVQ assessor
05/04 to 08/06: NVQ assessor/
School links tutor
09/00 to 07/03: BSc hons student University of Plymouth
09/99 to 07/00: Extended science course Cornwall college
10/95 to 09/99: Self employed, Garden design & maintenance
Research Details
Field and labroratory studies suggest that geotextile mats constructed from palm leaves are an effective, sustainable and economically viable soil conservation technique (Fullen and Catt, 2004). The current PhD is a sub-work package of the Borassus Research Project (Contract number INCO-CT-2005-510745) and aims to explore and compare the ability of two geotextile palm mats to encourage vegetation establishment for soil erosion control. The species of mats in this study are Mauritia flexuosa (Brazil) and Borassus aethiopicum (Africa)For more information on the project view: http://www.borassus-project.net/
Aims
The study has evolved to explore two aspects of enhanced vegetation establishment under palm leaf geotextiles.
? The potential for enhanced seedling establishment through nutrient loading and phased release within palm leaf geotextiles
? The microclimate provided by palm mats and their effect on water availability and plant function
Work completed in 2007/2008
? Nutrient Loading
Ebb & Flow hydroponic units were set up and a commercially available soluble fertiliser used to load samples of each mat with varying concentrations of nutrient. Mat samples (including controls) will be analysed using XRF.
? Outdoor growth trial
Outdoor plots were established on Rosewarne Campus to conduct Growth Trials. The experiments used Soil moisture, Temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) data loggers as well as traditional growth analysis to understand the role of mat microclimate in seedling establishment. Two selected grass mixes (?Embankment? & ?Backyard?) were compared for the trial. Randomised, split plot block designs were used (n=6) and the experiment has been conducted twice
? Analysis of soil within outdoor plots
Soil samples have been taken across the plots to establish current nutrient composition
? Nutrient Release
Two further plots have been established and Macrorhizon soil moisture samplers (Eijkelkamp Agrisearch) (plate.1) purchased to investigate nutrient release from nutrient loaded geotextile mats.
? Concertation meeting 5 & 6
A Borassus project conference 5 was attended in July 07 in Leuven, Belgium. Work progress was delivered.
A power point of progress was produced and delivered on my behalf at meeting 6 in Thailand, January 08
? Supervisory Work
Two student theses were undertaken utilising Palm leaf geotextiles.
Liana Palumbo (FdSc conducted her final year thesis investigating the composting potential of geotextile mats that have reached the end of their useful lifespan.
Carol Maisie (BSc Hons) undertook growth trials that compare the microclimate effects of Palm leaf geotextiles with geotextiles made from Phormium tenax.
Work completed in 2008/2009
? Nutrient loading
Further nutrient loading experiments were carried out and results sent for analysis of major plant nutrients
Concertation meeting 8 was attended in Vilnius, Lithuenia on July 8th and a progress report presented
'Macrorhizon' soil water samplers were purchased for nutrient release experiments
? Outdoor growth trial 2
A further two 5m2 outdoor experimental plots were prepared for the final round of experiments looking at nutrient release
Selected Publications
1. Fullen MA, Booth CA, Sarsby R, Davies K, Battacharyya R, Poeson J, Smets T, Kertesz A, Toth A, Szalai A, Jakab G, Kozma K, Jankauskas B, Trimirka V, Jankauskiene G, Buhmann C, Paterson G, Guerra A, Mendonca J, Zheng Y, Yongmei L, Panomtarachichigul M, Chau Thu D, Chong T, Toan T, Jonsyn-Ellis F, Corkill C, Mulholland BJ, Dearlove M. (2007) The contribution of biogeotextiles to sustainable development and soil conservation in developing countries: The Borassus Project Coimbra (Portugal) in September 2007 (Submitted).
2. Fullen, M.A., Booth, C.A., Sarsby, R.W., Davies, K., Bhattacharyya, R., Poesen, J., Smets, T., Kertesz, A., Toth, A., Szalai, Z., Jakab, G., Kozma, K., Jankauskas, B., Trimirka, V., Jankauskiene, G., Bühmann, C., Paterson, G., Guerra, A.J.T., Mendonça, J.K.S., Zheng Yi, Li Yongmei, Panomtarachichigul, M., Dao Chau Thu, Tran Huu Cuong, Truong Thi Toan, Jonsyn-Ellis, F., Corkhill, C., Mulholland, B. and Dearlove, M. (2006). The potential contribution of palm mat geotextiles to soil conservation and sustainable development, p. 303-306 In: J.A. Martinez-Casasnovas, I. Pla Sentis, M.C.R. Martin and J.C.B. Solanes (Eds) Soil and Water Conservation under Changing Land Use (Editors), Universitat de Lleida Press, Lleida, Spain.
Booth C.A., Fullen, M.A., Sarsby, R.W., Davies K., Kurgan, R., Bhattacharyya, R., Poesen, J., Smets, T., Kertesz, A., Toth, A., Szalai, Z., Jakab, G., Kozma, K., Jankauskas, B., Trimirka, V., Jankauskiene, Buhmann, C., Paterson, G., Mulibana, E., Nell, J.P., van der Merwe, G.M.E., Guerra, A.J.T., Mendonca, J.K.S., Guerra, T.T., Sathler, R., Zheng Yi, Li Yongmei, Panomtarachichigul, M., Peukrai, S., Thu, D.C., Cuong, T.H., Toan, T.T., Jonsyn-Ellis, F., Jallow, S., Cole, A., Mullholland, B., Dearlove, M. and Corkhill, C. (2007). The BORASSUS Project: aims, objectives and preliminary insights into the environmental and socio-economic contribution of biogeotextiles to sustainable development and soil conservation, p 601-610 In: A.Kungolas, C.A. Brebbia and and E. Beriatos (Eds) Sustainable Development and Planning III, Volume 2, Wessex Institute of Technology (WIT Press), Southampton, UK.
Kertész, Á., Tóth A., Szalai Z., Jakab G., Kozma K., Booth, C.A., Fullen, M.A., Sarsby, R.W., Davies, K., Bhattacharyya, R., Kurgan, R., Poesen, J., Smets, T., Jankauskas, B., Trimirka, V., Jankauskiene, G., Bühmann, C., Paterson, G., Nell, J.P., Mulibana, E., Guerra, A.J.T., Mendonça, J.K.S., Sathler, R., Zheng Yi, Li Yongmei, Panomtarachichigul, M., Peukrai, S., Dao Chau Thu, Tran Huu Cuong, Truong Thi Toan, Jonsyn-Ellis, F., Jallow, S., Cole, A., Mulholland, B., Dearlove, M. and Corkhill, C. (2006). Víz- és szélerózió elleni védekezés növényi alapanyagú geotextíliák használatával. Paper presented in the “Conference on the Day of Science”, 09. November 2006, Szolnok, Hungary. (In Hungarian)
Kertész, Á., Tóth, A., Szalai, Z., Jakab, G., Kozma, K., Booth, C.A., Fullen, M.A., Sarsby, R.W., Davies, K., Bhattacharyya, R., Kurgan, R., Poesen, J., Smets, T., Jankauskas, B., Trimirka, V., Jankauskiene, G., Bühmann, C., Paterson, G., Nell, J.P., Mulibana, E., Guerra, A.J.T., Mendonça, J.K.S., Sathler, R., Zheng Yi, Li Yongmei, Panomtarachichigul, M., Peukrai, S., Dao Chau Thu, Tran Huu Cuong, Truong Thi Toan, Jonsyn-Ellis, F., Jallow, S., Cole, A., Mulholland, B., Dearlove, M. and Corkhill, C. (2006). Talajpusztulás elleni védekezés növényi alapanyagú geotextíliák használatával különböző művelési ágakon, különféle éghajlati körülmények között. (Protection against soil erosion using geotextiles constructed from vegetal materials under different land use types and climatic conditions.) Paper presented in the International conference “Ecological problems of our days – from global to local scale. Vulnerability and adaptation”, 30 November – 1 December 2006, Keszthely, Hungary. (In Hungarian)
Mark's details were last updated on 8th Sep 2009
