Academic Career
- 2020 onwards: UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, 含羞草视频, UK
- 2018-2020: Postdoctoral Fellow, Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology), Switzerland
- 2017: Research Associate, Nottingham Trent University, UK
- 2017: Research Associate, 含羞草视频, UK
- 2013-2017: PhD, 含羞草视频. Lord Glendonbrook doctoral fellowship. Undertaken in collaboration with the Environment Agency.
Professional Responsibilities
- 2024 onwards: Associate Editor of Aquatic Sciences
- 2023 onwards: Associate Editor of Insect Conservation and Diversity
- 2023 onwards: NERC Peer Review College
- 2022 - Guest editor of Special Issue of River Research and Applications – Biological Invasions
- 2019 onwards: Early Career Member of River Research and Applications editorial board
- 2017 – Guest editor of Special Issue of River Research and Applications – Fine sediment dynamics
Academic Prizes
- 2019: Francesca Gherardi International Memorial Prize
- 2016: 含羞草视频 Graduate School Research Student Prize
- 2016: 含羞草视频 Academic Output Award
- 2016: 含羞草视频 PhD Teaching Award
- 2013: 含羞草视频 Graduate School Prize
Kate is a freshwater scientist whose research sits on the interface of aquatic ecology, hydrology and fluvial geomorphology. Kate is passionate about the management and conservation of freshwater ecosystems, undertaking applied research that contributes to our understanding and sustainable management of freshwater systems. Her research aims to provide advancements in our understanding of how disturbances (anthropogenic and natural) affect aquatic ecosystems. Her research has focussed on three main themes to date:
- Sediment dynamics and its interactions with and implications for instream organisms
- Response of aquatic communities to disturbances (i.e. biological invasions, hydrological, sedimentation)
- Ecohydrology of hyporheic zone environments
Her Fellowship continues her interest of fine sediment dynamics (particles <2mm) and will tackle the interdisciplinary issue by developing mechanistic understanding of how environmental controls drive fine sediment impacts for freshwater biota. Her programme of research combines datasets from across the globe in addition to multi-country field and outdoor flume experimentation, and manipulations of microcosms and mesocosms, to develop and validate theories spanning different environmental settings.
Her teaching explores aquatic ecology and sedimentology.
Current Postgraduate Students
- Alisha Higgins: “The role of freshwater connectivity in facilitating the range expansion of invertebrate invasive species.” (2024 onwards)
- Charlie Patel: "Quantifying the hidden biodiversity, conservation value and effectiveness of fine sediment detention ponds in agri-environment schemes" (2022 onwards)
- Molly Bridger: "The river restoration ecological toolbox" (2022 onwards)
- David Whitfield: “How does river morphology respond to climate change? How will this influence future UK flood risk?” (commenced 2021)
Recent Postgraduate Students
- Dr Noah Davis: "Effects of fine sediment pulses on NZ stream communities" (Otago University, New Zealand with Prof Christoph Matthaei; 2020 - 2023)
- Mathers, K.L., Doretto, A., Fenoglio, S., Hill, M.J. and Wood, P.J. (2022). Temporal effects of fine sediment deposition on benthic macroinvertebrate community structure, function and biodiversity likely reflects landscape setting. Science of the Total Environment, 829, p.154612.
- Mathers, K.L., Guareschi, S., Patel, C. and Wood, P.J., 2022. Response of freshwater snails to invasive crayfish varies with physiochemical exposure cues and predator experience. Freshwater Biology, 67(3), pp.473-486.
- Mathers, K.L., Robinson, C.T. and Weber, C., 2021. Artificial flood reduces fine sediment clogging enhancing hyporheic zone physicochemistry and accessibility for macroinvertebrates. Ecological Solutions and Evidence, 2(4), p.e12103.
- Hill, M.J., Wood, P.J. and Mathers, K.L., 2021. Taxonomic and functional macroinvertebrate diversity of high鈥恆ltitude ponds in the Macun Cirque, Switzerland. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 31(11), pp.3201-3214.
- Mathers, K.L., Michalec, F-G., Holzner, M and Weber, C. (2020) Beneath the surface: Application of super absorbent polymer substrates to track faunal activity within the sediment layer. Freshwater Biology. 65, 1923-1935.
- Mathers, K.L., White, J.C, Fornaroli, R. and Chadd, R. (2020) Flow regimes control the establishment of invasive crayfish and alter their effects on lotic macroinvertebrate communities. Journal of Applied Ecology. 57, 886-902.
- Gething, K.J., Ripley, M.C., Mathers, K.L., Chadd, R.P. and Wood, P.J. (2020). The influence of substrate type on macroinvertebrate assemblages within agricultural drainage ditches. Hydrobiologia, 847, 4273-4284.
- Mckenzie, M, Mathers, K.L., Wood, P.J., England, J., Forster, I., Lawler, D. and Wilkes, M (2020). Physical effects of suspended fine sediment on lotic macroinvertebrates. Hydrobiologia. 8467, 697-711.
- Mathers, K.L., White, J.C., Guareschi, S., Hill, M.J., Heino, J. and Chadd, R. (2020). Invasive crayfish alter the long鈥恡erm functional biodiversity of lotic macroinvertebrate communities. Functional Ecology, 34,2350-2361.
- Beatty, C., Mathers, K.L., Patel, C., Constable, D. and Wood, P.J (2020). Substrate mediated predator-prey Interactions between invasive crayfish and native and non-native amphipods. Biological Invasions. 22, 2713-2724.
- Mathers, K.L., Stubbington, R., England, J., Leeming, D. and Westwood, C. (2019) Structural and functional responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to long-term flow variability and nonperennial sites intermittence. Ecohydrology. e2112.
- Wilkes, M.A., Gittens, J., Mathers, K.L., Mason, R., Casas-Mulet, R., Vanzo, D., Mckenzie, M., Murray-Bligh, J., England, J., Gurnell, A. and Jones, J.I. (2019) Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers. WIREs Water. 6,e1331.