Neil Crout

Contact

• workRoom C18 Gateway Building/Biology Building
  Sutton Bonington Campus
  Sutton Bonington
  Leicestershire
  LE12 5RD
  UK
• work0115 951 6253
• fax0115 951 6261
• neil.crout@nottingham.ac.uk
• www.nottingham.ac.uk/environmental-modelling

Biography

Neil trained as a physicist (Universities of Exeter and Birmingham) but thanks to an accident of history ended up working in the environmental/agricultural science area at the University of Nottingham (literally an accident of history, namely the Chernobyl nuclear accident which led to funding for environmental radioactivity research). He has been involved in model work related to the fate of trace elements in the environment (especially radionuclides) as well as models of crop growth in response to environmental conditions. In recent years he has been interested in ways to measure how the representation of processes in models influences predictions.

Teaching Summary

Neil's teaching work ranges from chit-chat on the role of science through to sums:

• The role of science in society, including understanding the limitations of the scientific approach
• The use of statistical analysis
• The development of mathematical models of environmental and biological systems

Research Summary

Neil's work is in the development and application of simulation models of environmental and agricultural systems. His work is highly collaborative with a close integration between modelling and… read more

Selected Publications

• CROUT, N.M.J, TARSITANO, D. and WOOD, A.T.A., 2009. Is my model too complex? Evaluating model formulation using model reduction Environmental Modelling & Software. 24(1), 1-7.
• CROUT, N.M.J., TYE, A.M., ZHANG, H., MCGRATH, S.P. and YOUNG, S.D., 2006. Kinetics of metal fixation in soils: measurement and modeling by isotopic dilution Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 25(3), 659-663
• TARSITANO, D., YOUNG, S.D. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2011. Evaluating and reducing a model of radiocaesium soil-plant uptake Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 102(3), 262-269
• AHMED, I.A.M., YOUNG, S.D. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2010. Ageing and structural effects on the sorption characteristics of Cd2+ by clinoptilolite and Y-type zeolite studied using isotope exchange technique Journal Of Hazardous Materials. 184(1-3), 574-584

• View all publications

Neil is currently 'University Academic Lead for Impact'

He is a member of the NERC peer review college and has served on BBSRC research grant panels.

Current Research

Neil's work is in the development and application of simulation models of environmental and agricultural systems. His work is highly collaborative with a close integration between modelling and experimental/observational work. Neil is also particularly interested in the predictive performance of environmental models, especially in relation to their complexity and the development of methods to create 'parsimonious' models.

Major areas of work include:

• predicting the food chain transfer of radioactive contamination
• predicting the bioavailability and plant uptake of trace elements
• modelling the growth of crops in response to their environment.
• development of methods for the creation of reliable models

For more information see: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/environmental-modelling

• MOSSA, A.W., DICKINSON, M.J., WEST, H.M., YOUNG, S.D. and CROUT, N.M., 2017. The response of soil microbial diversity and abundance to long-term application of biosolids. Environmental Pollution. 224, 16-25
• BOWLEY H.E., MATHERS A.W., YOUNG S.D., MACDONALD A.J., ANDER E.L., WATTS M.J., ZHAO F.J., MCGRATH S.P., CROUT N.M.J. and BAILEY E.H., 2017. Historical trends in iodine and selenium in soil and herbage at the Park Grass experiment, Rothamsted Research Soil Use and Management. 33(2), 252-262
• PENROSE B., BERESFORD N.A., CROUT N.M.J., LOVATT J.A., THOMSON R. and BROADLEY M.R., 2017. Forage grasses with lower uptake of caesium and strontium could provide ‘safer’ crops for radiologically contaminated areas PLOS ONE. 12(5), e0176040
• BOWLEY, H. E., YOUNG, S. D., ANDER, E. L., CROUT, N. M. J., WATTS, M. J. and BAILEY, E. H., 2016. Iodine binding to humic acid CHEMOSPHERE. 157, 208-214
• PENROSE, B., PAYNE, K. A. JOHNSON NEE, ARKHIPOV, A., MAKSIMENKO, A., GASCHAK, S., MEACHAM, M. C., CROUT, N. J. M., WHITE, P. J., BERESFORD, N. A. and BROADLEY, M. R., 2016. Inter-cultivar variation in soil-to-plant transfer of radiocaesium and radiostrontium in Brassica oleracea JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY. 155, 112-121
• ALMAHAYNI T. and CROUT N.M.J., 2016. Derivation of irrigation requirements for radiological impact assessments Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 164, 91-103
• DALY KR, MOONEY SJ, BENNETT MJ, CROUT N, ROOSE T and TRACY SR, 2015. Assessing the influence of the rhizosphere on soil hydraulic properties using X-ray micro computed tomography Journal of Experimental Botany. 66(8),
• PENROSE B, BERESFORD NA, BROADLEY MR and CROUT NMJ, 2015. Inter-varietal variation in caesium and strontium uptake by plants: a meta-analysis Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 139, 103-117
• TRACY, SAOIRSE R., DALY, KEITH R., STURROCK, CRAIG J., CROUT, NEIL M. J., MOONEY, SACHA J. and ROOSE, TIINA, 2015. Three-dimensional quantification of soil hydraulic properties using X-ray Computed Tomography and image-based modeling WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH. 51(2), 1006-1022
• NAZIF W, MARZOUK ER, PERVEEN S, CROUT NM and YOUNG SD, 2015. Zinc solubility and fractionation in cultivated calcareous soils irrigated with wastewater. The Science of the total environment. 518-519, 310-9
• CROUT NMJ, CRAIGON J, COX GM, JAO Y, TARSITANO D, WOOD ATA and SEMENOV M, 2014. An objective approach to model reduction: Application to the Sirius wheat model. Agricultural and forest meteorology. 189-190(100), 211-219
• PENROSE B, BERESFORD NA, BROADLEY MR and CROUT NM, 2014. Inter-varietal variation in caesium and strontium uptake by plants: a meta-analysis. Journal of environmental radioactivity. 139, 103-17
• VAISANEN M, YLANNE H, KAARLEJARVI E, SJOGERSTEN S, OLOFSSON J, CROUT NMJ and STARK S, 2014. Consequences of warming on tundra carbon balance determined by reindeer grazing history NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE. 4, 384-388
• KARUNARATNE, A.S., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2011. BAMGRO: a simple model to simulate the response of bambara groundnut to abiotic stress EXPERIMENTAL AGRICULTURE. VOL 47(NUMB 3), 489-508
• TARSITANO, D., YOUNG, S.D. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2011. Evaluating and reducing a model of radiocaesium soil-plant uptake Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 102(3), 262-269
• KARUNARATNE, A.S., AZAM-ALI, S.N., AL-SHAREEF, I., SESAY, A., JORGENSEN, S. T. and CROUT, N. M., 2010. Modelling the canopy development of bambara groundnut Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 150(7-8), 1007-1015
• AHMED, I.A.M., YOUNG, S.D. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2010. Ageing and structural effects on the sorption characteristics of Cd2+ by clinoptilolite and Y-type zeolite studied using isotope exchange technique Journal Of Hazardous Materials. 184(1-3), 574-584
• GIBBONS, J.M., WOOD, A.T.A., CRAIGON, J., RAMSDEN, S.J. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2010. Semi-automatic reduction and upscaling of large models: a farm management example Ecological Modelling. 221(4), 590-598
• THORNTON, I., FARAGO, M.E., THUMS, C.R., PARRISH, R.R., MCGILL, R.A.R., BREWARD, N., FORTY, N.J., SIMPSON, P., YOUNG, S.D., TYE, A.M., CROUT, N.M.J., HOUGH, R.L. and WATT, J., 2009. Urban geochemistry: research strategies to assist risk assessment and remediation of brownfield sites in urban areas. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 30, 565-576
• CROUT, N.M.J, TARSITANO, D. and WOOD, A.T.A., 2009. Is my model too complex? Evaluating model formulation using model reduction Environmental Modelling & Software. 24(1), 1-7.
• GALERIU, D, MELINTESCU, A, BERESFORD, N A, TAKEDA, H and CROUT, N M J, 2009. The dynamic transfer of 3H and 14C in mammals: a proposed generic model. Radiation and environmental biophysics. 48(1), 29-45
• AHMED, I.A.M., YOUNG, S.D., MOSSELMANS, J.F.W., CROUT, N.M.J. and BAILEY, E.H., 2009. Coordination of Cd²⁺ ions in the internal pore system of zeolite-X: a combined EXAFS and isotopic exchange study Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 73(6), 1577-1587
• AHMED, I.A.M., CROUT, N.M.J. and YOUNG, S.D., 2008. Kinetics of Cd sorption, desorption and fixation by calcite: a long-term radiotracer study Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 72(6), 1498-1512
• REID, T. and CROUT, N., 2008. A thermodynamic model of freshwater Antarctic lake ice ECOLOGICAL MODELLING. VOL 210(NUMBER 3), 231-241
• GIBBONS, J.M., COX, G.M., WOOD, A.T.A., CRAIGON, J., RAMSDEN, S.J., TARSITANO, D. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2008. Applying Bayesian model averaging to mechanistic models: an example and comparison of methods Environmental Modelling and Software. 23(8), 973-985
• MAXTED A.P, BLACK C.R, WEST H.M, CROUT N.M.J and MCGRATH S.P. AND YOUNG S.D., 2007. Phytoextraction of cadmium and zinc in arable soils amended with sewage sludge using Thlaspi caerulescens: development of a predictive model Environmental Pollution. 150, 363-372
• MAXTED A.P, BLACK C.R, WEST H.M, CROUT N.M.J and MCGRATH S.P. AND YOUNG S.D., 2007. Phytoextraction of cadmium and zinc by Salix from soil historically contaminated with sewage sludge Plant and Soil. 290, 157-172
• YOUNG, S.D, CROUT, N.M.J, HUTCHINSON, J, TYE, A and TANDY, S. AND NAKHONE, L., 2007. Techniques for Measuring Attenuation: Isotopic Dilution Methods.. In: REBECCA H, MCLAUGHLIN, M and LOMBI, E., eds., Natural Attenuation of Trace Element Availability in Soils. Setac press. 19 - 40
• GIBBONS, J. M., CROUT, N. M. and HEALEY, J. R., 2007. What role should null-hypothesis significance tests have in statistical education and hypothesis falsification? TRENDS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. VOL 22(NUMBER 9), 445-446
• GALERIU, D., MELINTESCU, A., BERESFORD, N. A., CROUT, N. M., PETERSON, R. and TAKEDA, H., 2007. Modelling 3H and 14C transfer to farm animals and their products under steady state conditions JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY. VOL 98(NUMBER 1-2), 205-217
• BERESFORD, N. A., BARNETT, C. L., WRIGHT, S. M., HOWARD, B. J. and CROUT, N. M., 2007. Factors contributing to radiocaesium variability in upland sheep flocks in west Cumbria (United Kingdom) JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY. VOL 98(NUMBER 1-2), 50-68
• COX, G. M., GIBBONS, J. M., WOOD, A. T., CRAIGON, J., RAMSDEN, S. J. and CROUT, N. M., 2006. Towards the systematic simplification of mechanistic models ECOLOGICAL MODELLING. VOL 198(NUMBER 1-2), 240-246
• AHMED, I.A.M., YOUNG, S.D. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2006. Time-dependent sorption of Cd²⁺ on CaX zeolite: Experimental observations and model predictions Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 70(19), 4850-4861
• CROUT, N.M.J., TYE, A.M., ZHANG, H., MCGRATH, S.P. and YOUNG, S.D., 2006. Kinetics of metal fixation in soils: measurement and modeling by isotopic dilution Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 25(3), 659-663
• STAPLETON, L.M, LAYBOURN-PARRY, J, POULTON, P.R, TYE, A.M, WEST, H.M and YOUNG, S.D. AND CROUT, N.M.J., 2006. Parsimonious modelling of nutrient fluxes for a terrestrial ecosystem on Svalbard. Biogeochemistry. 80, 57 - 69
• HOUGH, R.L., TYE, A.M., CROUT, N.M.J., MCGRATH, S.P., ZHANG, H. and YOUNG, S.D., 2005. Evaluating a 'Free Ion Activity Model' applied to metal uptake by Lolium perenne L. grown in contaminated soils. Plant and Soil. 270(1), 1-12
• COX, G, BERESFORD, N A, ALVAREZ-FARIZO, B, OUGHTON, D, KIS, Z, EGED, K, THØRRING, H, HUNT, J, WRIGHT, S, BARNETT, C L, GIL, J M, HOWARD, B J and CROUT, N M J, 2005. Identifying optimal agricultural countermeasure strategies for a hypothetical contamination scenario using the strategy model. Journal of environmental radioactivity. 83(3), 383-97
• STAPLETON, L. M., CROUT, N. M., SAWSTROM, C., MARSHALL, W. A., POULTON, P. R., TYE, A. M. and LAYBOURN-PARRY, J., 2005. Microbial carbon dynamics in nitrogen amended Arctic tundra soil: Measurement and model testing SOIL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY. VOL 37(NUMBER 11), 2088-2098
• HOUGH, R.L., BREWARD, N., YOUNG, S.D., CROUT, N.M.J., TYE, A.M., MOIR, A.M. and THORNTON, I., 2004. Assessing potential risk of heavy metal exposure from consumption of home-produced vegetables by urban populations Environmental Health Perspectives. 112(2), 215-221
• TYE, A. M., YOUNG, S., CROUT, N. M., ZHANG, H., PRESTON, S., ZHAO, F. J. and MCGRATH, S. P., 2004. Speciation and solubility of Cu, Ni and Pb in contaminated soils European Journal of Soil Science. VOL 55(NUMBER 3), 579-590
• CROUT, N. M. J., BERESFORD, N. A., DAWSON, J. M., SOAR, J. and MAYES, R. W., 2004. The transfer of 73As, 109Cd and 203Hg to the milk and tissues of dairy cattle Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 142(PART 2), 203-212
• TYE, A. M., YOUNG, S. D., CROUT, N. M., ZHANG, H., PRESTON, S., BARBOSA-JEFFERSON, V. L., DAVISON, W., MCGRATH, S. P., PATON, G. I. and KILHAM, K., 2003. Predicting the activity of Cd2+ and Zn2+ in soil pore water from the radio-labile metal fraction Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. VOL 67(NUMBER 3), 375-385
• HOUGH, R. L., YOUNG, S. D. and CROUT, N. M. J., 2003. Modelling of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn uptake, by winter wheat and forage maize, from a sewage disposal farm Soil Use and Management. VOL 19(PART 1), 19-27
• BARRATT, C., BROGNI, A., CHALMERS, M., COBERN, W.R., CROWE, J., CRUICKSHANK, D., DAVIES, N., DE ROURE, D., FRIDAY, A., HAMPSHIRE, A., OLIVER J. GIBSON, CHRIS GREENHALGH, BARRIE HAYES-GILL, JAN HUMBLE, MULLER, H., PALETHORPE, B., RODDEN, T., SETCHELL, C., SUMNER, M., STORZ, O. and TARASSENKO, L., 2003. Extending the Grid to Support Remote Medical Monitoring In: Proc UK e-Science All Hands Meeting.
• YOUNG, S.D., CROUT, N.M., HUTCHINSON, J., TYE, A., TANDY, S. and NAKHONE, L., 2003. Techniques for Measuring Attenuation: Isotopic Dilution Methods.. In: Natural Attenuatuion of Trace element Availability in Soils. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), Brussels, BEL and Pensacola, FL, USA.
• BANNAYAN, M., CROUT, N. M. J. and HOOGENBOOM, G., 2003. Application of the CERES-Wheat Model for Within-Season Prediction of Winter Wheat Yield in the United Kingdom Agronomy Journal. VOL 95(PART 1), 114-125
• BENFORD, S., CROUT, N., CROWE, J., RENNICK EGGLESTONE, S., FOSTER, M., GREENHALGH, C., HAMPSHIRE, A., HAYES-GILL, B., HUMBLE, J., IRUNE, A., LAYBOURN-PARRY, J., PALETHORPE, B., REID, T. and SUMNER, M., 2003. e-Science from the Antarctic to the Grid. In: Proceedings of the 2003 UK eScience All Hands Meeting,
• TYE, A. M., YOUNG, S. D., CROUT, N. M. J., ZHANG, H., PRESTON, S., BAILEY, E. H., DAVISON, W., MCGRATH, S. P., PATON, C. I. and KILHAM, K., 2002. Predicting Arsenic Solubility in Contaminated Soils Using Isotopic Dilution Techniques Environmental Science and Technology. VOL 36(PART 5), 982-988
• CROUT, N.M. and AZAM-ALI, S.N., 2002. Crop Yield Modelling and Forecasting
• ABSALOM, J. P., YOUNG, S. D., CROUT, N. M., SANCHEZ, A., WRIGHT, S. M., SMOLDERS, E., NISBET, A. F. and GILLETT, A. G., 2001. Predicting the transfer of radiocaesium from organic soils to plants using soil characteristics Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. VOL 52(NUMBER 1), 31-43
• GILLETT, A. G., CROUT, N. M., ABSALOM, J. P., WRIGHT, S. M., YOUNG, S. D., HOWARD, B. J., BARNETT, C. L., MCGRATH, S. P., BERESFORD, N. A. and VOIGT, G., 2001. Temporal and spatial prediction of radiocaesium transfer to food products Radiation and Environmental Biophysics. VOL 40(PART 3), 227-236
• GILLETT, A. G., CROUT, N. M. J., STOKES, D. T., SYLVESTER-BRADLEY, R. and SCOTT, R. K., 2001. An approach to modelling the effect of environmental and physiological factors upon biomass accumulation in winter wheat Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 136(PART 4), 369-382
• BERESFORD, N. A., CROUT, N. M. J. and MAYES, R. W., 2001. The transfer of arsenic to sheep tissues Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 136(PART 3), 331-344
• GALERIU,D., CROUT,N.M.J., MELINTESCU,A., BERESFORD,N.A., PETERSON,S.R. and VANHEES,M, 2001. A metabolic derivation of tritium transfer coefficients in animal products Radiation and Environmental Biophysics. 40(4), 325-334
• CLIFFORD SC, STRONACH IM, BLACK C.R, SINGLETON-JONES P.R and AZAM-ALI S.N. AND CROUT N.M.J., 2000. Effects of elevated CO2, drought and temperature on the water relations and gas exchange of groundnut stands (Arachis hypogaea) grown in controlled environment glasshouses Physiologia Plantarum. 110, 78-88
• YOUNG, S. D., TYE, A., CARSTENSEN, A., RESENDE, L. and CROUT, N., 2000. Methods for determining labile cadmium and zinc in soil European Journal of Soil Science. VOL 51(PART 1), 129-136
• VAN DER PERK, M., LEV, T., GILLETT, A. G., ABSALOM, J. P., BURROUGH, P. A., CROUT, N. M., GARGER, E. K., SEMIOCHKINA, N., STEPHANISHIN, Y. V. and VOIGT, G., 2000. Spatial modelling of transfer of long-lived radionuclides from soil to agricultural products in the Chernigov region, Ukraine Ecological Modelling. VOL 128(NUMBER 1), 35 - 50
• GILLETT, A.G. and CROUT, N.M.J., 2000. A review of ^1^3^7Cs transfer to fungi and consequences for modelling environmental transfer Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. VOL 48(NUMBER 1), 95-121
• ABSALOM, J. P., YOUNG, S. D., CROUT, N. M. J., NISBET, A. F., WOODMAN, R. F. M., SMOLDERS, E. and GILLETT, A. G., 1999. Predicting Soil to Plant Transfer of Radiocesium Using Soil Characteristics Environmental Science and Technology. VOL 33(NUMBER 8), 1218-1223
• GILLETT, A. G., CROUT, N. M. J., STOKES, D. T., SYLVESTER-BRADLEY, R. and SCOTT, R. K., 1999. Simple winter wheat green area index model under UK conditions Journal of Agricultural Science. VOL 132(NUMBER 3), 263-272
• BANNAYAN, M. and CROUT, N.M.J., 1999. A stochastic modelling approach for real-time forecasting of winter wheat yield Field Crops Research. VOL 62(NUMBER 1), 85-95
• BERESFORD, N. A., MAYES, R. W., CROUT, N. M. J., MACEACHERN, P. J., DODD, B. A., BARNETT, C. L. and LAMB, C. S., 1999. Transfer of Cadmium and Mercury to Sheep Tissues Environmental Science and Technology. VOL 33(NUMBER 14), 2395-2402
• COLLINSON, S.T., AZAM-ALI, S.N. and CROUT, N.M., 1998. Assessing the yield potential and ecological requirements of Bambara groundnut (<i>Vigna subterranea</i>). In: International Symposium on Applied Agrometeorology and Agroclimatology, Proceedings Volos, Greece, 24-26 April 1996 European Commission, Brussels, Belgium. 463-468
• CROUT, N. M. J., BERESFORD, N. A., HOWARD, B. J., MAYES, R. W. and HANSEN, H. S., 1998. A Model of Radiostrontium Transfer in Dairy Goats Based on Calcium Metabolism Journal of Dairy Science. VOL 81(NUMBER 1), 92-99
• CROUT, N. M. J., MAYES, R. W., BERESFORD, N. A., LAMB, C. S. and HOWARD, B. J., 1998. A metabolic approach to simulating the dynamics of C-14, H-3 and S-35 in sheep tissues Radiation and Environmental Biophysics. VOL 36(NUMBER 4), 243-250
• ABSALOM, J. P., CROUT, N. M. J. and YOUNG, S. D., 1996. Modeling Radiocesium Fixation in Upland Organic Soils of Northwest England Environmental Science and Technology. VOL 30(NUMBER 9), 2735-2741
• ABSALOM, J., YOUNG, S.D. and CROUT, N., 1995. Radiocaesium fixation dynamics: measurement in six Cumbrian soils. European Journal of Soil Science. 46, 461 - 469 (In Press.)
• KARUNARATNE AS, AZAM-ALI SN, AL-SHAREEF I, SESAY A , JORGENSEN ST , CROUT NMJ, Modelling the canopy development of bambara groundnut AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY. 150(7-8), 1007-1015