Staff Profile

Profile

A palaeoecologist, with a keen interest in high latitude regions, climate & environmental change, and quantitative palaeoecology.

Qualifications

Ph.D. Geography, University of Southampton, UK

M.Sc. Quaternary Science, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

B.Sc. (Hons) Geography and Management (INT), University of Leeds, UK, with a year aboard at University of Newcastle, Australia

Roles and responsibilities

GPS Early Career Network Co-organiser

Physical Geography Seminar Co-ordinator

Work experience

2018 Research Placement, Northwestern University, USA

2015 Research Assistant, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

Research interests: 

Climate and environmental change during the Late Quaternary, palaeoecology and palaeolimnology, quantitative palaeoecology, isotope analysis, statistical analysis, ecological modelling, ecological resilience, ecosystem structural change

Current projects:

Past methane from lakes in Alaska - using proxy-based estimates of lake-methane production from warmer periods, such as the early Holocene (8,000 - 11,000 cal BP), to ascertain how much methane might be produced and released in lake systems under warmer climates. Proxies include the stable-carbon isotope values (δ¹³C) of aquatic invertebrate remains and bacterial hopanoids.

DIMA (Developing Innovative Multiproxy Analyses - in Siberia and the Russian Far East) - analysing the timing of the Younger Dryas across Siberia and the Russian Far East using lake and marine proxies.

• Mayfield RJ, Dearing JA, Doncaster CP, Langdon PG. Stability of chironomid community structure during historic climatic and environmental change in subarctic Alaska. Limnology and Oceanography 2022, 67(S1), S444-S460.
• Mayfield RJ, Langdon P, Doncaster C, Dearing J, Wang R, Velle G, Davies K, Brooks S. Late Quaternary chironomid community structure shaped by rate and magnitude of climate change. Journal of Quaternary Science 2021, 36(3), 360-376.
• Lowe JJ, Matthews IP, Mayfield R, Lincoln P, Palmer AP, Staff R, Timms RGO. The Kinghouse 2 record for timing the deglaciation of the Rannoch basin. In: Palmer, AP; Lowe, JJ; Matthews, IP, ed. The Quaternary of the West Grampian Highlands: Field Guide. London, UK: Quaternary Research Association, 2021, pp.12-27.
• Mayfield RJ, Langdon P, Doncaster C, Dearing J, Wang R, Nazarova L, Medeiros A, Brooks S. Metrics of structural change as indicators of chironomid community stability in high latitude lakes. Quaternary Science Reviews 2020, 249, 106594.
• Nazarova L, Syrykh L, Mayfield RJ, Frolova L, Ibragimova A, Grekov I, Subetto D. Palaeoecological and palaeoclimatic conditions on the Karelian Isthmus (northwestern Russia) during the Holocene. Quaternary Research 2020, 95, 65-83.
• Lowe J, Matthews I, Mayfield RJ, Lincoln P, Palmer A, Staff R, Timms R. On the timing of retreat of the Loch Lomond ('Younger Dryas') Readvance icefield in the SW Scottish Highlands and its wider significance. Quaternary Science Reviews 2019, 219, 171-186.