Professor Lorraine Maltby, OBE

School of Biosciences

Professor of Environmental Biology

Professor of Environmental Biology, Lorraine Maltby
Profile picture of Professor of Environmental Biology, Lorraine Maltby
l.maltby@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4827

Full contact details

Professor Lorraine Maltby, OBE
School of Biosciences
E206
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile

Career

  • Deputy Vice-President Research, University of Sheffield (2017–2022)
  • Professor of Environmental Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield (2004-present)
  • NERC/Scottish Government High Level Policy Placement Fellow (2015-2017)
  • NERC/Defra High Level Policy Placement Fellow (2013-2014)
  • High-End Expert, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2012-2013)
  • Head of Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield (2008-2012)
  • Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Reader in Zoology, University of Sheffield (1988-2004)
  • NERC Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Research Associate, University of Sheffield (1984-1988)
  • PhD (1984) University of Glasgow
  • BSc (1981) University of Newcastle
Research interests

The human global population is predicted to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 and managing landscapes to provide the food, water, fuel, housing and other resources required by this growing population, whilst protecting the ecosystems that provide them, is a major challenge. My research addresses this challenge and is concerned with understanding the impact of anthropogenic activities (including pollution and climate change) on freshwater ecosystems and their catchments. A major research aim is to gain a mechanistic understanding of key ecosystem services and the ecological processes that underpin them, and to investigate how they are affected by anthropogenic inputs and activities. The output from this research is used to inform environmental decision making and to influence policy development and implementation.

Current research projects:

  • EESE: EU Environmental scenarios for ERA of non-target organisms (EFSA, 2023-2027)
  • ECOMIX: Assessing and managing the impact of mixtures of chemicals on freshwater biodiversity in a changing world Ecosystem services and environmental stressors (NERC, 2022-2026)
  • AENEAS: Advancing the environmental risk assessment of non-target arthropods in agroecosystems (EFSA, 2022-2026)
  • ECORISC CDT (NERC, 2020-2027)
  • PRORISK ITN (EU, 2020-2024)
Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

All publications

Books

  • Maltby L, Arnold D, Arts G, Davies J, Heimbach F, Pickl C & Poulsen V (2010) Aquatic Macrophyte Risk Assessment for Pesticides. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Maltby L, Arnold D, Arts G, Davies J, Heimbach F, Pickl C & Poulsen V () Aquatic Macrophyte Risk Assessment for Pesticides. CRC Press. RIS download Bibtex download

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

  • Devos Y, Munns WR, Forbes VE, Maltby L, Stenseke M, Brussaard L, Streissl F & Hardy A (2019) Applying ecosystem services for pre‐market environmental risk assessments of regulated stressors. EFSA Journal, Vol. 17(S1). Parma, Italy, 18 September 2018 - 21 September 2018. RIS download Bibtex download
  • Holmes C, Hamer M, Brown C, Jones R, Maltby L, Silberhorn E, Teeter J, Warne M & Weltje L (2017) Prospective risk assessment for mixtures of agricultural chemicals in surface water: Results of two case studies. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, Vol. 254 View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Devos Y, Gaugitsch H, Gray AJ, Maltby L, Martin J, Pettis JS, Romeis J, Rortais A, Schoonjans R, Smith J , Streissl F et al (2016) Advancing environmental risk assessment of regulated products under EFSA's remit. EFSA Journal, Vol. 14(S1). Milan, Italy, 14 October 2015 - 16 October 2015. View this article in WRRO RIS download Bibtex download
  • Maltby L, Holt A & Alix A (2014) Ecosystem services framework for pesticide risk management. ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY, Vol. 248 RIS download Bibtex download
  • Schlekat CE, Kidd KA, Adams WJ, Baird DJ, Farag AM, Maltby L & Stewart AR (2005) Toxic effects of dietborne metals: Field studies. TOXICITY OF DIETBORNE METALS TO AQUATIC ORGANISMS (pp 113-152) RIS download Bibtex download
  • Maltby L, Kedwards TJ, Forbes VE, Grasman K, Kammenga JE, Munns WR, Ringwood AH, Weis JS & Wood SN (2001) Linking individual-level responses and population-level consequences. ECOLOGICAL VARIABILITY: SEPARATING NATURAL FROM ANTHROPOGENIC CAUSES OF ECOSYSTEM IMPAIRMENT (pp 27-82) RIS download Bibtex download
  • MALTBY L (1992) THE USE OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL ENERGETICS OF GAMMARUS-PULEX TO ASSESS TOXICITY - A STUDY USING ARTIFICIAL STREAMS. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY, Vol. 11(1) (pp 79-85) RIS download Bibtex download
  • MALTBY L & NAYLOR C (1990) PRELIMINARY-OBSERVATIONS ON THE ECOLOGICAL RELEVANCE OF THE GAMMARUS SCOPE FOR GROWTH ASSAY - EFFECT OF ZINC ON REPRODUCTION. FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Vol. 4(3) (pp 393-397) RIS download Bibtex download
  • SEAGER J & MALTBY L (1989) ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF EPISODIC POLLUTION. HYDROBIOLOGIA, Vol. 188 (pp 633-640) RIS download Bibtex download
  • MALTBY L & CALOW P (1989) THE APPLICATION OF BIOASSAYS IN THE RESOLUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL-PROBLEMS - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. HYDROBIOLOGIA, Vol. 188 (pp 65-76) RIS download Bibtex download
  • NAYLOR C, MALTBY L & CALOW P (1989) SCOPE FOR GROWTH IN GAMMARUS-PULEX, A FRESH-WATER BENTHIC DETRITIVORE. HYDROBIOLOGIA, Vol. 188 (pp 517-523) RIS download Bibtex download

Preprints

Research group

PhD students:

  • Niamh O'Connor: Linking individual and community level effects (jointly supervised with Prof Philip Warren). Funding: EU PRORISK ITN
  • Susanna Mölkänen: Ecosystem services and risk assessment (jointly supervised with Prof Philip Warren). Funding: EU PRORISK ITN
  • Thomas Malpas: Ecological risk assessment and food webs: identifying ecosystem tipping points under multistress (jointly supervised with Prof Dylan Childs and Prof Andrew Beckerman (Sheffield) and Dr Claudia Rivetti (Unilever)). Funding: NERC ACCE DTP and Unilever
  • Hana Mayall: Ecological risk assessment and food webs: mathematical modelling of multiple stressor effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function (jointly supervised with Prof Andrew Beckerman and Prof Dylan Childs (Sheffield) and Dr Claudia Rivetti (Unilever)). Funding: NERC ACCE DTP and Unilever
  • Lowenna Jones: Environmental risk assessment of chemicals post-Brexit: Science, policy and regulation (jointly supervised with Prof Charlotte Burns (Sheffield) and Kate Arnold (York)). Funding: NERC ECORISC CDT
  • Judith Mugambi: Understanding the impact of chemical pollutants on freshwater ecosystem services (jointly supervised with Dr Ross Brown (Exeter)). Funding: NERC ECORISC CDT
  • Dylan Asbury: Impacts of mixtures of chemicals on mixtures of freshwater species in a changing world (jointly supervised with Profs Andrew Beckerman (Sheffield) and Alistair Boxall (York) and Dr Claudia Rivetti and Regiane Sanches-Natumi (Unilever)).  Funding: University of Sheffield and Unilever
  • Marianne Lotter-Jones: Towards design of chemical-resilient agricultural landscapes (jointly supervised with Prof Colin Brown (York), Dr Roman Ashauer (Syngenta) and Mike Fryer (Health & Safety Executive, Chemicals Regulation Division)). Funding: NERC ECORISC CDT
  • Katie Plaisted: Predicting the effects of chemical contaminants on biodiversity loss in a changing environment: the role of toxicokinetics (jointly supervised with Prof Alistair Boxall (York) and Claudia Rivetti (Unilever)). Funding: NERC ACCE DTP and Unilever
  • Lalita Chomphen: Primary producers, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (jointly supervised with Alistair Boxall (York))

Research technicians:

  • Anthony Turner (ECOMIX)
  • Nicola White (ECOMIX)

Research Assistants/Associates:

  • Rana Al-Jaibachi (ECOMIX)
  • Amy Ockenden (ECOMIX)
  • Grzegorz Sowa (AENEAS)
Teaching activities

I teach applied ecology, in particular freshwater ecology and ecotoxicology. My teaching is informed by my own research and my passion for understanding how ecosystems function and how we can best manage them to balance environmental protection with our use of ecosystems and the services they provide.

I was awarded the Environmental Education Award by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Professional activities and memberships

Chair of:

  • UK-SCAPE Programme Advisory Board
  • Irish Research Council COALESCE International Review Panel
  • NERC peer review panels

Member of:

  • European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals Scientific Committee (2010- )
  • European Food Safety Authority Stakeholder Bureau (2023-)
  • SETAC Panel on Chemicals Management (2023 - )

Peer review panels for:

  • Italian Ministry of University and Research (PRIN)
  • Czech Science Foundation (GACR)
  • Belgian Research Council (FWO)
  • New Zealand Government, Endeavour Fund
  • Portuguese Research Council (FCT)
  • Irish Research Council
Awards
  • Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Environmental Biology and Animal and Plant Sciences (2020)
  • Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (2021)
  • Elected Fellow of the Freshwater Biological Association (2019) 
  • Portrait of a Woman Exhibition (2017)
  • Elected Fellow of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (2016)
  • Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Environmental Education Award (2009)
  • Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Exceptional Service Award (2005)