Dr Ian Lawson

Dr Ian Lawson

Senior Lecturer

Researcher profile

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 4023
Email
itl2@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Teaching

I convene GG1001 "Welcome to the Anthropocene", GG4245 "Biogeography and the Earth System", and SD5031 "Contemporary Environmental Issues". I am particularly enthusiastic about field and lab teaching, including teaching research and quantitative data analysis methods, and I frequently co-lead residential field classes. I also contribute to various modules at Sub-Honours and Masters level and supervise dissertations.

Research areas

I am a Senior Lecturer in physical geography and co-director of the St Andrews Centre for Critical Sustainabilities.

My PhD training was in Quaternary science - studying the geological history of the most recent part of the geological record, the last ~2.6 million years, which encompasses the dramatic climatic changes of the Ice Ages and the rise of humans as an agent of change on the planet. I was trained in pollen analysis and related palaeoenvironmental techniques and have a publication record in environmental change and human-environment interactions in ecosystems ranging from the sub-arctic to the tropics.

Much of my work concerns questions of environmental management and long-term sustainability of socio-ecological systems, and has contributed to policy-making and other impact agendas around sustainable development. I also have a track record of expertise in the development and functioning of tropical peatlands, including their palaeoecology and geochemistry; quantitative regional-scale synthesis and analysis of environmental data; and long-term (Holocene and older) perspectives on environmental change and human impacts. 

PhD supervision

  • Mugdha Chimote
  • Brian Kipruto
  • Innes Manders
  • Celeste Smith
  • Alasdair Worrell

Selected publications

  • Draft Circular Economy Strategy for Scotland Consultation - Response ID ANON-HSP7-WWMH-5

    Helmcke, C., Hooker, S., Roney-Dougal, C., Skrzypek, E., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Russell, S., High, M., Lawson, I., Cole, L. E. S., Hope, J., Sfrappini, E., Christie, E., Paul, F., Mallows, C., Auxtova, K., Twist, B. & Gregnanin, G., 2026

    Research output: Other contribution

  • Draft Climate Change Plan Consultation - Response ID ANON-DNTH-7RRE-E

    Helmcke, C., Hooker, S., Roney-Dougal, C., Skrzypek, E., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Russell, S., High, M., Lawson, I., Cole, L. E. S., Hope, J., Sfrappini, E., Christie, E., Paul, F., Auxtova , K., Gregnanin, G., Twist, B. & Mallows, C., 2026

    Research output: Other contribution

  • Open access

    Holocene patterns of peat accumulation in Peruvian Amazonia

    Lawson, I., Åkesson, C., Dargie, G. C., del Aguila Pasquel, J., Draper, F. C., Hastie, A., Kelly, T. J., Sassoon, D., Abraham, V., Baker, T. R., Fabel, D., Gulliver, P., Honorio Coronado, E. & Roucoux, K., 15 Mar 2026, In: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 686, 113579.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Inclusive and sustainable futures for Scotland: Project report

    Helmcke, C., Christie, E., Twist, B., Mallows, C., Roney-Dougal, C., Sfrappini, E., Skrzypek, E., Paul, F., Gregnanin, G., Joubert, G., Lawson, I., Hope, J., Auxtova, K., Reid, L., Wishart, L. J., Cole, L. E. S., High, M., Conlan, P. J., Hooker, S. & Russell, S., 27 Mar 2026, Online: University of St Andrews. 11 p.

    Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report

  • A new tephrochronological record of a raised bog in eastern lowland Scotland

    Wang, L., Roucoux, K. H., Davies, A. L., Zhang, S., Sun, C., Streeter, R. T., Hutchison, W. & Lawson, I. T., 1 Feb 2025, In: Quaternary Geochronology. 86, 15 p., 101647.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Long-term interventions by conservation and development projects support successful recovery of tropical peatlands in Amazonia

    Honorio Coronado, E. N., Rios, J. G., Pasquel, J. D. Á., Llampazo, G. F., Oroche, C. C., Huaymacari, J. R., Pizango, G. H., Alvarado, L. F., Murayari, U. P., Reátegui, G. I., Álvarez, C. L., Aleman, E. L., Isasi-Catala, E., Gutierrez-Sotelo, J., Draper, F., Villacorta, M. D. A., Baker, T., Torres, D. D. C., Gamarra, K. D. L. C. & Guerra, D. E. & 5 others, Lawson, I. T., Brañas, M. M., Gonzales, E. M., Chávez, J. R. & Roucoux, K., 6 Mar 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: People and Nature. Early View, p. 1-16 16 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Timing of peat initiation across the central Congo Basin

    Dargie, G. C., Gulliver, P., Lawson, I., Morris, P. J., Crezee, B., Bola, P., Emba, O., Girkin, N. T., Kanyama, J., Biddulph, G. E., Hawthorne, D., Boukono, D. R. V., Louvouandou, L. F., Milandou Matoko, J. P., Milongo, B., Kibongui, G. J., Schefuβ, E., Garcin, Y., Bocko, Y. E. & Young, D. & 12 others, Baird, A. J., Boom, A., Ewango, C., Ifo, S. A., Kiahtipes, C., Mitchard, E., Page, S. E., Sjögersten, S., Schneider, R. R., Tshimanga, R., Trigg, M. & Lewis, S. L., 1 Aug 2025, In: Environmental Research Letters. 20, 8, 16 p., 084080.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Two contrasting swamp forest succession pathways in central Congo Basin peatlands

    Hawthorne, D., Lawson, I. T., Dargie, G. C., Girkin, N. T., Crezee, B., Hiles, W., Biddulph, G. E., Bocko, Y. E., Boom, A., Ewango, C. E. N., Garcin, Y., Gulliver, P., Ifo, S. A., Kanayama, J. T., Kiahtipes, C. A., Page, S. E., Roucoux, K. H., Morris, P. J., Schefuß, E. & Lewis, S. L., 1 Dec 2025, In: Quaternary Science Reviews. 369, 13 p., 109637.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

  • Open access

    Widespread carbon-dense peatlands in the Colombian lowlands

    Winton, R. S., Benavides, J. C., Mendoza, E., Uhde, A., Hastie, A., Honorio Coronado, E. N., Hernandez Ortega, A. G., Paukku, S., Mullins, B., del Aguila Pasquel, J., Aymard-Corredor, G. A., Baker, T. R., Draper, F. C., Flores Llampazo, G., Herrera, R., Phillips, O. L., Reyna Huaymacari, J. M., ter Steege, H., Stropp, J. & Lawson, I. T. & 4 others, Gallego-Sala, A. V., Boom, A., Wehrli, B. & Hoyt, A. M., 1 May 2025, In: Environmental Research Letters. 20, 5, 14 p., 054025.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

  • Open access

    A new data-driven map predicts substantial undocumented peatland areas in Amazonia

    Hastie, A., Householder, J. E., Honorio Coronado, E. N., Hidalgo Pizango, C. G., Herrera, R., Lähteenoja, O., de Jong, J., Winton, R. S., Aymard Corredor, G. A., Reyna, J., Montoya, E., Paukku, S., Mitchard, E. T. A., Åkesson, C. M., Baker, T. R., Cole, L. E. S., Córdova Oroche, C. J., Dávila, N., Águila, J. D. & Draper, F. C. & 13 others, Fluet-Chouinard, E., Grández, J., Janovec, J. P., Reyna, D., W Tobler, M., Del Castillo Torres, D., Roucoux, K. H., Wheeler, C. E., Fernandez Piedade, M. T., Schöngart, J., Wittmann, F., van der Zon, M. & Lawson, I. T., 1 Sept 2024, In: Environmental Research Letters. 19, 9, 14 p., 094019.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

 

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