Dr Ben Surridge
Senior LecturerResearch Overview
Human activity has accelerated the movement of phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon through the Earth system by several hundred percent compared to natural or background conditions. Ben is a biogeochemist who is interested in the effects of these increased fluxes, primarily on water and soil ecosystems. His research also examines how future human demand for resources can be met, whilst at the same time minimising the environmental damage that follows inefficient resource use.
Research Interests
Ben’s current research includes:
- Understanding the fate and impacts of conventional and biodegradable plastic polymers within soil and freshwater ecosystems. This includes research within the Material Social Futures programme at Lancaster that is examining photo-oxidation of polymer surfaces and the biodegradation of plastic polymers within soil. New research in this area, under the EU Horizon 2020-funded SOPLAS project, is examining the transport of microplastics from agricultural soil systems.
- The development and application of a new stable isotope framework to understand phosphorus biogeochemistry in natural ecosystems. This work involves measuring the stable oxygen isotope composition of phosphate, in order to provide new insights into the sources and the fate of phosphorus in the environment. Ben’s recent publications in this area include a synthesis of this emerging research field in the context of aquatic ecosystems, a new methodology to enable oxygen isotope analysis in phosphate within ecosystems at low ambient phosphate concentration, and collaboration with the British Geological Survey to use the stable oxygen isotope composition of phosphate as a marker of phosphorus that is added to drinking water in the UK to prevent lead contamination.
- Examining the relationships between agricultural production and nutrient biogeochemistry and the fate and impacts of nutrients within networks of freshwater ecosystems. This research includes:
- Work to understand how nutrient elements are transferred through connected river-lake networks, including under the NERC-funded Hydroscape project;
- Examining how to maximise the agronomic value of nutrients with materials such as biomass ash and anaerobic digestate, including via NERC funding under the Resource Recovery from Waste programme;
- Evaluating future scenarios for nutrient management in food production systems within the UK and more widely, including within China under the Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Network.
Ben has published >50 journal papers with research funding >£4.5M to Lancaster as PI or Co-I since 2009 from NERC, EPSRC, BBSRC, the European Commission, Defra, the UK water industry and private companies.
Additional Information
Ben is Associate Editor for the journal Limnology and Oceanography: Methods
Current Teaching
Ben’s teaching includes:
- Convening a third year undergraduate module on Water Resources Management, as part of the environment-focussed degrees within Lancaster Environment Centre.
- Leading a field-based Masters module on the science and management of soil and water resources in river catchments, as part of the Sustainable Water Management MSc within Lancaster Environment Centre.
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Nature-based Solutions and Catchment Water Quality
01/11/2025 → 31/10/2026
Research
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Algal Interactions with Freshwater Mussels in the River Ehen 25/26
01/04/2025 → 31/03/2026
Research
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Algal Interactions with Freshwater Mussels in the River Ehen 24/25
01/04/2024 → 31/03/2025
Research
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River Ehen Review Update
15/09/2023 → 30/08/2024
Research
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Algal Interactions with Freshwater Mussels in the River Ehen
01/04/2023 → 31/03/2024
Research
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Establishing a new palaeothermometer from the speleothem archive of phosphate oxygen isotopes
01/01/2023 → 30/06/2024
Research
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AGILE: Providing rapid evidence-based solutions to the needs of environmental policy-makers
01/07/2022 → 30/09/2023
Research
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Algal Interactions With Freshwater Mussels In the River Ehen
01/04/2022 → 31/03/2023
Research
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Northumbrian Water Catchment Monitoring and Investigation Programme
11/10/2021 → 31/03/2024
Research
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ENVISION - Archita Bhattacharyya - The mysterious microbial ecosystem beneath our feet: Unravelling groundwater microbiology
01/10/2021 → 31/03/2025
Research
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Algal Interactions with Freshwater Mussels in the River Eden
01/04/2021 → 31/03/2022
Research
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MC ITN: SOPLAS
01/01/2021 → 31/12/2024
Research
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CASE : ENVISION : British Geological Survey - Elizabeth Flint
01/10/2020 → 31/03/2024
Research
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Algal Interactions With Freshwater Mussels In the River Eden
01/04/2020 → 31/03/2021
Research
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UKWIR non-SRP forms of phosphorus
20/05/2019 → 30/09/2019
Research
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Eden Demonstration Test Catchments Phase 3
01/04/2018 → 31/05/2025
Research
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STARS: Optimising the economic and environmental benefits of anaerobic digestion within UK agriculture
01/10/2017 → 30/09/2021
Research
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Knowledge, policy and practice for sustainable nutrient management and water resources protection in UK and Chinese agro-ecosystems
01/01/2014 → 31/01/2016
Research
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Algal Interactions with Freshwater Mussels in the River Ehen
22/03/2013 → 31/03/2020
Research
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Knowledge Policy and Practice for Sustainable Nutrient and Water Resources Protection in UK and Chinese Agro-Ecosystems
01/02/2013 → 31/03/2016
Research
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ERDF funded Centre for Global Eco-Innovation: Recovery, Reuse and Sustainable Treatment of Glycol Contaminated Surface Water Run-off at Airports.
30/09/2012 → …
Research
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Implementing Component 2 of Demonstration Test Catchments
01/06/2012 → 30/09/2017
Research
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Diversity in Upland Rivers for Ecosystem Service Sustainability - DURESS
01/05/2012 → 30/06/2016
Research
Windermere Science Festival
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
European Geosciences UnionGeneral Assembly 2017
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Environmental Science
- Centre for Global Eco-innovation
- Environmental Science
- Innovation for a better environment
- Sustainable Catchments
- Understanding a changing planet