Biography on Martin Coombes

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BIOGRAPHY OF MARTIN COOMBES
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Major Research Interests
Martin Coombes is a renowned bio-geomorphologist with particular interest in how organisms and the physical environment they are in interact with each other. A bigger percentage of his research encompasses various disciplines like the biology, engineering and different sections of geography including geology and ecology. This includes the influence of micro-organisms in the weathering of the coastal rocks and subsequent engineering materials, the roles of plants like algae on the ecological enhancement of the coastal areas not forgetting the bioturbation by large animals and their influence on urban biodiversity and their contribution to the general facelift of the surrounding ecosystem.Coombes laid particular interest in the development of a theoretical bio-geomorphology framework and how this framework applies to the development of a guide system for the ecological design of batter hard coastal structures. This mainly concerned the engineering materials and even revamped characteristics of coastal materials and how they could gain engineering applications in the current system.
Contribution to Bio-geomorphology
Bio-geomorphology is a wide field. Many researches have been executed involving the study of the interaction of the environment and the organisms. Notable pieces in this field were by Martin Coombes. Through the vast knowledge gained over time, Coombes gained appreciable success in the Environmental Agency (EA) particularly Flood Risk Management where he helped draft and even implement the Catchment Flood Management Plans (CFMPs) and the Flood Risk Assessments. His continued collaboration with Environmental Agency, ports and harbors and various environmentalists widened the scope of his knowledge and opened newer applications of his research.Currently, Coombes is stationed at the Oxford Rock Breakdown Laboratory (OxRBL) as a postdoctoral researcher in partnership with Prof. Heather Viles. Their project, Ivy (Hedera helix) on Walls, is funded by the English Heritage and are in Phase 2 of the project. This project involves both field and laboratory research to understand the characteristics of the English ivy and its influence on the place it grows, particularly the historic stone walls and products. This project uses sample test walls to monitor and quantify the effects of the English ivy on the micro-climate of the walls and other general ecological variables like moisture and we...