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Murray Lark

Contact Information

Summary

I am responsible for the activities of the Environmetrics research group. We are interested in the spatial variation of soil and related variables, and its implications for sampling, surveying, modelling and doing experiments in the landscape. In 2004 the group was transferred from Silsoe Research Institute to the newly-founded Biomathematics and Bioinformatics Division at Rothamsted.

I graduated in Natural Sciences at Oxford University (1987) with particular interests in soil science and biometrics. I completed my D.Phil. in 1991, on the spatial analysis of satellite imagery, which was supervised by Dr Philip Beckett of the Soil Science Laboratory at Oxford. After holding a University of Wales

Fellowship, I started at Silsoe Research Institute in 1995, eventually moving to the Mathematics group where I established the environmetrics programme on a basis of BBSRC response mode funding, and Government and Industry projects in addition to core funds.

Projects

• Environmetrics

Publications

Reference Type: Report

2003

• King, J. A. , Dampney, P. M. R. , Lark, R. M. , Wheeler, H. C. , Bradley, R. I. , Mayr, T. and Russill, N. (2003) "Evaluation of Non-Intrusive Sensors for Measuring Soil Physical Properties", HGCA, 302
• Lark, R. M. , Wheeler, H. C. , Bradley, R. I. , Mayr, T. R. and Dampney, P. M. R. (2003) "Developing a Cost-Effective Procedure for Investigating within-Field Variation of Soil Conditions.", HGCA, 296

1998

• Lark, R. M. , Bolam, H. C. , Mayr, T. , Bradley, I. , Burton, R. G. O. and Dampney, P. M. R. (1998) "The Development of Cost-Effective Methods for Analysing Soil Information to Define Crop Management Zones.", HGCA, 171

Reference Type: Journal Article

2009

• Frogbrook, Z. L. , Bell, J. , Bradley, R. I. , Evans, C. , Lark, R. M. , Reynolds, B. , Smith, P. and Towers, W. (2009) "Quantifying Terrestrial Carbon Stocks: Examining the Spatial Variation in Two Upland Areas in the Uk and a Comparison to Mapped Estimates of Soil Carbon ", Soil Use and Management, 25, 320-332
• Lark, R. M. (2009) "Estimating the Regional Mean Status and Change of Soil Properties: Two Distinct Objectives for Soil Survey", European Journal of Soil Science, 60, 748-756
• Marchant, B. P. , Newman, S. , Corstanje, R. , Reddy, K. R. , Osbourne, T. Z. and Lark, R. (2009) "Spatial Monitoring of a Non-Stationary Soil Property; Phosphorous in a Florida Water Conservation Area ", European Journal of Soil Science, 60, 757-769
  See Paper
• Milne, A. E. and Lark, R. M. (2009) "Wavelet Transforms Applied to Irregularly Sampled Soil Data", Mathematical Geosciences, 41, 661-678
  See Paper
• Orton, T. G. and Lark, R. M. (2009) "The Bayesian Maximum Entropy Method for Lognormal Variables", Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment , 23, 318-328
  See Paper
• Orton, T. G. , Rawlins, B. G. and Lark, R. M. (2009) "Using Measurements to a Detection Limit in a Geostatistical Case Study to Predict Selenium Concentrations in Topsoil ", Geoderma, 152, 269-282
  See Paper
• Rawlins, B. G. , Marchant, B. P. , Smyth, D. , Scheib, C. , Lark, R. M. and Jordan, C. (2009) "Airborne Radiometric Survey Data and a Dtm as Covariates for Regional Scale Mapping of Soil Organic Carbon across Northern Ireland", European Journal of Soil Science , 60, 44-54
  See Paper
• Rawlins, B. G. , Scheib, A. J. , Lark, R. M. and Lister, T. R. (2009) "Sampling and Analytical Plus Subsampling Variance Components for Five Soil Indicators Observed at Regional Scale", European Journal of Soil Science, 60, 740-747
  See Paper

2008

• Lark, R. M. (2008) "Science on the Normandy Beaches: J D Bernal and the Prediction of Soil Trafficability for Operation Overlord", Soil Survey Horizons, 49, 12 - 15
• Schelle, E. , Rawlins, B. G. , Lark, R. M. , Webster, R. , Staton, I. and Mcleod, C. W. (2008) "Mapping Aerial Metal Deposition in Metropolitan Areas from Tree Bark: A Case Study in Seffield, England. ", Environmental Pollution, 166, 164 - 173
  See Paper

2007

• Bishop, T. F. A. and Lark, R. M. (2007) "A Landscape-Scale Experiment on the Changes in Available Potassium over a Winter Wheat Cropping Season", Geoderma, 141, 384-396
  See Paper
• Corstanje, R. , Schulin, R. and Lark, R. M. (2007) "Scale Dependant Relationships between Soil Organic Carbon and Urease Activity", European Journal of Soil Science, 58
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (2007) "Inference About Soil Variability from the Structure of the Best Wavelet Packet Basis", European Journal of Soil Science, 58, 822-831
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Bishop, T. (2007) "Cokriging Particle Size Fractions of the Soil ", European Journal of Soil Science, 58, 763-774
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. , Bishop, T. and Webster, R. (2007) "Using Expert Knowledge with Control of False Discovery Rate to Select Regressors for Prediction of Soil Properties", Geoderma, 138, 65-78
  See Paper
• Marchant, B. P. and Lark, R. M. (2007) "Robust Estimation of the Variogram by Reml", Geoderma, 140, 62-72
  See Paper
• Marchant, B. P. and Lark, R. M. (2007) "The Matern Variogram Model: Implications for Uncertainty Propagation and Sampling in Geostatistical Surveys", Geoderma, 140, 337-345
  See Paper
• Marchant, B. P. and Lark, R. M. (2007) "Estimation of Linear Models of Coregionalisation by Residual Maximum Likelihood", European Journal of Soil Science, 58, 1506-1513
  See Paper
• Pringle, M. J. , Romano, N. , Minasny, B. , Chrico, G. B. and Lark, R. M. (2007) "Spatial Evaluation of Pedotransfer Functions Using Wavelet Analysis ", Journal of Hydrology, 333, 182-198
  See Paper

2006

• Barnes, R. J. , Baxter, S. J. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "Spatial Covariation of Azotobacter Abundance and Soil Properties: A Case Study Using the Wavelet Transform", Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 1, 295-310
  See Paper
• Bishop, T. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "The Geostatistical Analysis of Experiments at the Landscape-Scale ", Geoderma, 133, 87-106
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (2006) "The Representation of Complex Soil Variation on Wavelet Packet Bases", European Journal of Soil Science , 57, 868-882
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. , Bellamy, P. H. and Kirk, G. J. D. (2006) "Baseline Valves and Change in the Soil, and Implications for Monitoring", European Journal of Soil Science, 57, 916-921
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. , Bellamy, P. H. and Rawlins, B. G. (2006) "Spatio-Temporal Variability of Some Metal Concentrations in the Soil of Eastern England, and Implications for Soil Monitoring", Geoderma, 133, 363-379
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Webster, R. (2006) "Geostatistical Mapping of Geomorphic Variables in the Presence of Trend", Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 31, 862-874
  See Paper
• Marchant, B. P. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "Adaptive Sampling and Reconnaisance Surveys for Geostatistical Mapping of the Soil.", European Journal of Soil Science , 57, 831-845
  See Paper
• Milne, A. E. , Ferguson, R. B. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "Estimating a Boundary Line Model for a Biological Response by Maximum Likelihood", Annals of Applied Biology., 149, 223-234
  See Paper
• Milne, A. E. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "A New Method to Estimate Boundary Models for Biological Datasets", Journal Agricultural Science, 144, 463-464
  See Paper
• Milne, A. E. , Wheeler, H. C. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "On Testing Biological Data for the Presence of a Boundary", Annals of Applied Biology., 149, 213-222
  See Paper
• Orton, T. G. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "Estimating the Local Mean for Bayesian Maximum Entropy by Generalised Least Squares and Maximum Likelihood, and an Application to the Spatial Analysis of a Censored Soil Variable", European Journal of Soil Science, 58, 60-73
  See Paper
• Pringle, M. J. and Lark, R. M. (2006) "Spatial Analysis of Model Error, Illustrated by Soil Carbon Dioxide Emissions", Vadose Zone Journal, 5, 168-183
• Stacey, K. F. , Lark, R. M. , Whitmore, A. and Milne, A. E. (2006) "Using a Process Model and Regression Kriging to Improve Predictions of Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Soil", Geoderma, 135, 107-117
  See Paper

2005

• Lark, R. M. (2005) "Scale-Dependent Correlation between Soil Properties: Analysis of Data from Nested Spatial Sampling.", European Journal of Soil Science.
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. , Cullis, B. and Welham, S. J. (2005) "On Spatial Prediction of Soil Properties in the Presence of a Spatial Trend: The Empirical Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (E-Blup) with Reml.", European Journal of Soil Science, 57, 787-799
  See Paper
• Milne, A. E. , Lark, R. M. , Addiscott, T. M. , Goulding, K. W. T. , Webster, C. P. and O’flaherty, S. (2005) "Wavelet Analysis of the Scale- and Location-Dependent Correlation of Modelled and Measured Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Soil", European Journal of Soil Science, 55, 3-17
  See Paper

2004

• Lark, R. M. and Cullis, B. R. (2004) "Model-Based Analysis Using Reml for Inference from Systematically Sampled Data on Soil.", European Journal of Soil Science., 55, 799-813
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Ferguson, R. B. (2004) "Mapping the Conditional Probability of Deficiency or Excess of Soil Phosphorous, a Comparison of Ordinary Indicator Kriging and Disjunctive Krigin", Geoderma, 118, 39-53
• Lark, R. M. , Milne, A. E. , Addiscott, T. M. , Goulding, K. W. T. , Webster, C. P. and O’flaherty, S. (2004) "Scale- and Location-Dependent Correlation of Nitrous Oxide Emissions with Soil Properties: An Analysis Using Wavelets", European Journal of Soil Science, 55, 601-610
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. , Milne, A. E. , Addiscott, T. M. , Goulding, K. W. T. , Webster, C. P. and O’flaherty, S. (2004) "Analysing Spatially Intermittent Variation of Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Soil with Wavelets and the Implications for Sampling", European Journal of Soil Science, 55, 611-627
• Lark, R. M. and Webster, R. (2004) "Analysing Soil Variation in Two Dimensions with the Discrete Wavelet Transform.", European Journal of Soil Science, 55, 777-797
  See Paper
• Marchant, B. P. and Lark, R. M. (2004) "Estimating Variogram Uncertainty.", Mathematical Geology, 36, 867-898
  See Paper

2003

• Ferguson, R. B. , Lark, R. M. and Slater, G. P. (2003) "Site-Specific Nitrification Inhibitor Use: Empirical and Fuzzy Cluster Analysis Classification of Management Zones.", Soil Science Society of America Journal, 67, 937-947
• Lark, R. M. (2003) "Two Robust Estimators of the Cross-Variogram for Multivariate Geostatistical Analysis of Soil Properties.", European Journal of Soil Science., 54, 187-201
• Lark, R. M. , Kaffka, S. R. and Corwin, D. L. (2003) "Multiresolution Analysis of Data on Electrical Conductivity of Soil Using Wavelets.", Journal of Hydrology, 272, 276-290
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Papritz, A. (2003) "Fitting a Linear Model of Coregionalization for Soil Properties Using Simulated Annealing.", Geoderma, 115, 245-260
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Wheeler, H. C. (2003) "A Method to Investigate within-Field Variation of the Response of Combinable Crops to an Input.", Agronomy Journal, 95, 1093-1104

2002

• Lark, R. M. (2002) "Optimized Spatial Sampling of Soil for Estimation of the Variogram by Maximum Likelihood.", Geoderma, 105, 49-80
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (2002) "Modelling Complex Soil Properties as Contaminated Regionalized Variables.", 106, 171-188
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (2002) "Robust Estimation of the Pseudo Cross-Variogram for Cokriging Soil Properties.", European Journal of Soil Science., 53, 253-270
  See Paper

2001

• Lark, R. M. (2001) "Some Tools for Parsimonious Analysis and Interpretation of Withinfield Variation.", Soil and Tillage Research., 58, 99-111
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Webster, R. (2001) "Changes in Variance and Correlation of Soil Properties with Scale and Location: Analysis Using an Adapted Maximal Overlap Discrete Wavelet Transform.", European Journal of Soil Science., 52, 547-562
• Pedersen S.M. , Ferguson, R. B. and Lark, R. M. (2001) "A Multinational Survey of Precision Farming Early Adopters", Farm Management, 11, 147-162

2000

• Lark, R. M. (2000) "Regression Analysis with Spatially Autocorrelated Error: Examples with Simulated Data and from Mapping of Soil Organic Matter Content.", International Journal of Geographical Information Science., 14, 247-264
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (2000) "A Comparison of Some Robust Estimators of the Variogram for Use in Soil Survey.", European Journal of Soil Science., 51, 137-157
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (2000) "A Geostatistical Extension of the Sectioning Procedure for Handling Differences of Scale between Functional Models of Soil Processes and Information on One or More Input Variables.", Geoderma, 95, 89-112
• Lark, R. M. (2000) "Designing Sampling Grids from Imprecise Information on Soil Variability: An Approach Based on Fuzzy Kriging Variance.", Geoderma, 98, 35-59
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (2000) "Estimation of the Variograms of Soil Properties by the Method-of-Moments and Maximum Likelihood; a Comparison.", European Journal of Soil Science., 51, 717-728
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Wheeler, H. C. (2000) "Understanding and Using Yield Maps of Combinable Crops", Outlook on Agriculture, 29, 39-45

1999

• Lark, R. M. (1999) "Soil-Landform Relationships at within-Field Scales: An Investigation Using Continuous Classification.", Geoderma, 92, 141-165
• Lark, R. M. , Nielsen, B. L. and Mottram, T. T. (1999) "A Time Series Model of Daily Milk Yields, and Its Possible Use for Detection of a Disease (Ketosis).", Animal Science., 69, 573-582
• Lark, R. M. and Webster, R. (1999) "Analysis and Elucidation of Soil Variation Using Wavelets.", 50, 185-206
  See Paper

1998

• Lark, R. M. (1998) "Forming Spatially Coherent Regions by Classification of Multivariate Data.", International Journal of Geographical Information Science., 12, 83-98
• Lark, R. M. and Beckett, P. H. T. (1998) "A Geostatistical Descriptor of the Spatial Distribution of Soil Classes, and Its Use in Predicting the Purity of Possible Soil Map Units.", Geoderma, 83, 243-267
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Stafford, J. V. (1998) "Information on within-Field Variability from Sequences of Yield Maps: Multivariate Classification as a First Step of Interpretation.", Nutrient Cycling in Agro-ecosystems, 50, 277-281

1997

• Lark, R. M. (1997) "An Empirical Method for Describing the Joint Effects of Environmental and Other Variables on Crop Yield.", Annals of Applied Biology., 131, 141-159
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (1997) "Variation in Soil Conditions and Crop Performance.", Precision Agriculture ’97., Volume II: Technology, IT and Management, 887-894
• Lark, R. M. and Bolam, H. C. (1997) "Uncertainty in Prediction and Interpretation of Spatially Variable Data on Soils.", Geoderma, 77, 263-282
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. , Bolam, H. C. and Stafford, J. V. (1997) "Limits to the Spatial Resolution of Yield Mapping Systems for Combinable Crops", Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, 66, 183-193
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Stafford, J. V. (1997) "Classification as a First Step in the Interpretation of Temporal and Spatial Variability of Crop Yield", Annals of Applied Biology., 130, 111-121
  See Paper

1996

• Lark, R. M. (1996) "Geostatistical Description of Texture on an Aerial Photograph for Discriminating Classes of Land Cover", International Journal of Remote Sensing., 17, 2115-2133
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Stafford, J. V. (1996) "Classification as a First Step in the Interpretation of Temporal and Spatial Variability of Crop Yield.", Aspects of Applied Biology 46, Modelling in Applied Biology: Spatial Aspects., 46, 139-142
  See Paper
• Stafford, J. V. , Ambler, B. , Lark, R. M. and Catt, J. A. (1996) "Mapping and Interpreting the Yield Variation in Cereal Crops", Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 14, 101-119
  See Paper

1995

• Lark, R. M. (1995) "Contributions of Principal Components to Discrimination of Classes of Land Cover in Multispectral Imagery", International Journal of Remote Sensing., 16, 779-787
• Lark, R. M. (1995) "A Reappraisal of Unsupervised Classification. Ii Optimal Adjustment of the Map Legend and a Neighbourhood Approach for Mapping Legend Units.", International Journal of Remote Sensing., 16, 1445-1460
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. (1995) "Components of Accuracy of Maps with Special Reference to Discriminant Analysis on Remote Sensor Data", International Journal of Remote Sensing., 16, 1461-1480
  See Paper
• Lark, R. M. and Beckett, P. H. T. (1995) "A Regular Pattern in the Relative Areas of Soil Profile Classes and Possible Applications in Reconnaissance Soil Survey.", Geoderma, 68, 27-37
  See Paper

1994

• Lark, R. M. (1994) "Sample Size and Class Variability in the Choice of a Method of Discriminant Analysis", International Journal of Remote Sensing., 15, 1551-1555
  See Paper

1984

• Lark, R. M. (1984) "A Comparison between Techniques for Determining the Age of African Elephants, Loxodonta Africana", African Journal of Ecology., 22, 69-71

Reference Type: Generic

1996

• Clarke, J. , Froment, M. A. , Dampney, P. M. R. , Goodlass, G. , Stafford, J. V. and Lark, R. M. (1996) "An Investigation into the Relationship between Yield Maps, Soil Variation and Crop Development in the Uk", Minnesota, USA

Reference Type: Conference Proceedings

2004

• Lark, R. M. (2004) "Decomposing Digital Soil Information by Spatial Scale.", Global Workshop on Digital Soil Mapping
• Lark, R. M. (2004) "Analysis of Complex Soil Variation Using Wavelets.", 23rd Leeds Annual Statistics Research Workshop, 61-64

2003

• Dampney, P. M. R. , King, J. A. , Lark, R. M. , Wheeler, H. C. , Bradley, R. I. and Mayer, T. R. (2003) "Automated Methods for Mapping Patterns of Soil Physical Properties as a Basis for Variable Management of Crops within Fields.", 4th European Conference on Precision Agriculture,, 135-140
• Lark, R. M. and Wheeler, H. C. (2003) "Experimental and Analytical Methods for Studying within-Field Variation of Crop Responses to Inputs.", 4th European Conference on Precision Agriculture, 341-346
• Marchant, B. P. and Lark, R. M. (2003) "Adaptive Schemes for Geostatistical Sampling and Survey.", MODSIM 2003,

2002

• Lark, R. M. (2002) "Estimating within-Field Variation of Crop Responses to Inputs.", XXI International Biometrics Conference,, 265-278

2001

• King, J. A. , Dampney, P. M. R. , Lark, R. M. , Mayr, T. R. and Bradley, R. I. (2001) "Sensing Soil Spatial Variability by Electromagnetic Induction (Emi): Its Potential in Precision Farming.", 3rd European Conference on Precision Agriculture,, 419-424

2000

• Jaggard, K. W. , Lark, R. M. and Stafford, J. V. (2000) "Are There Opportunities for Profitable Use of Precision Agriculture in Sugar Beet Crops?", Proceedings of the IIRB
• Lark, R. M. (2000) "The Use of Ancillary Data in Field Investigations for Site-Specific Agriculture.", 4th International Symposium on Spatial Accuracy Assessment, 397-404
• Mottram, T. T. , Lark, R. M. , Lane, A. , Wathes, D. C. , Persaud, K. C. , Swan, M. and Cooper, J. M. (2000) "Techniques to Allow the Detection of Oestrus in Dairy Cows with an Electronic Nose. Electronic Noses and Olfaction:", 7th International Symposium on Olfaction and Electronic Noses, 201-208

1999

• Lark, R. M. (1999) "Use of Ancillary Data Sources to Aid Spatial Prediction of Soil Properties at within-Field Scales.", 2nd European Conference on Precision Agriculture, 407-417
• Lark, R. M. , Bolam, H. C. , Mayr, T. , Bradley, I. , Burton, R. G. O. and Dampney, P. M. R. (1999) "Analysis of Yield Maps in Support of Field Investigations of Soil Variation.", 2nd European Conference on Precision Agriculture., 151-161

1998

• Lark, R. M. , Bolam, H. C. and Stafford, J. V. (1998) "Using Yield Maps to Regionalise Fields into Potential Management Units.", Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Precision Agriculture.

1997

• Lark, R. M. , Stafford, J. V. and M.A., F. (1997) "Exploratory Analysis of Yield Maps of Combinable Crops.", Precision Agriculture ’97., II Technology IT and Management, 127-135

1996

• Lark, R. M. (1996) "Towards the Interpretation of Yield Maps.", British Crop Protection Council Brighton Conference, 10-2, 1215-1220
• Lark, R. M. , Bolam, H. C. and Stafford, J. V. (1996) "Using Yield Maps to Regionalise Fields into Potential Management Units.", 4th International Conference on Precision Agriculture.
• Lark, R. M. and Stafford, J. V. (1996) "Consistency and Change in Spatial Variability of Crop Yield over Successive Seasons: Methods of Data Analysis.", Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Precision Agriculture

Reference Type: Book Section

2002

• Mcbratney, A. B. , Anderson , Lark, R. M. and Odeh, I. A. (2002) "Newer Techniques in Warrick, A. And Van Es, H. Soil Sampling and Statistical Procedures. Chapter 1 of Methods of Soil Analysis,", In: Soil Sampling and Statistical Procedures.-- Soil Science Society of America.

Full list of Publications while at Rothamsted

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