Phil Hughes

2006- Lecturer in Physical Geography. Geography, School of Environment & Development, The University of Manchester .

2004-2006 Postdoctoral Research Fellow. Geography, School of Environment & Development, The University of Manchester .

2000-2001 Research and Teaching Technician. Department of Geography, University of Cambridge.

Glaciers, Glaciation, Quaternary, Geomorphology, Mediterranean, North Africa, Wales.

I am working on the glacial and periglacial history of the Mediterranean region. I currently have glacial projects underway in the Balkans: Montenegro, Croatia and Albania; Spain: Sanabria National Park; Morocco: Jbel Toubkal National Park; Greece: Tayegetos. In addition, I also have glacial projects underway in the UK, in the Rhondda Valleys of South Wales and in the Bala area of North Wales. I am interested in geochronology and the application of U-series and cosmogenic nuclide analyses to date glacial deposits and landforms and I have research links with NERC facilities at the Open University (U-series) and SUERC (cosmogenics). The ultimate aim is to use glacial records for reconstructing past climates. Recent papers have employed a simple degree-day model to reconstruct palaeoclimate using glacial evidence. Simple Degree-day Model File (PDF, 100KB)

Project areas:

1. The glacial history of the Atlas Mountains, North Africa

The glacial history of the Atlas Mountains, Morocco, North Africa A comprehensive field programme studying the glaciation of the High Atlas of Morocco began in January 2007. A total of six field trips have so far taken place (Jan 2009) and a further series fo fieldtrips are planned for 2009. This project is investigating the evidence of Pleistocene glaciation in the High Atlas. Extensive geomorphological mapping has been undertaken in the Jbel Toubkal area and neighbouring mountains. Samples have been taken for 10Be and 36Cl analyses in order to provide a geochronological framework for the glacial sequence in the High Atlas.

• Hughes, P.D. (2008) The glacial history of the Atlas Mountains (PDF, 90KB), Morocco. Quaternary Newsletter, No. 116, p. 48-50.
• P.D. Hughes , P.L. Gibbard and J.C. Woodward, Quaternary glaciation in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa (PDF 260KB).

Funded by the Thesiger-Oman International Fellowship (Royal Geographical Society - with IBG), the Natural Environment Research Council, the School of Environment and Development at The University of Manchester and the Quaternary Research Association.

2. Modern glaciers and climate change in the Balkans

This project is investigating modern glaciers in Albania and Montenegro and their behaviour over the past 150 years. Key sites include the Debeli Namet glacier in the Durmitor massif and the Maja Jezerce glaciers in the Prokletije Mountains. An important focus of this research is to understand the effects of climate change on the cryosphere in marginal glaciated regions.

Funded by the Peter Fleming Award of the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Society, Quaternary Research Association and the British Society for Geomorphology.

3. Glacial and periglacial landforms in Mid-Wales

Glacial and periglacial landforms in Wales This project examines glacial and periglacial landforms and associated climates in North and Mid Wales. Glacial and nival landforms in the Aran, Arenig and Berwyn Mountains are a particular focus of the research.

4. The Pleistocene glacial history of Montenegro

An extensive fieldwork programme, is currently underway [since 2004] in the Orjen, Durmitor, Kapa Morača, Sinjajevina, Bjelasica, Komovi and Prokletije mountains of Montenegro. This fieldwork is supported by a Uranium-series dating programme, sponsored by NERC, in association with the Open University. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Jamie Woodward (The University of Manchester).

Funded by the Peter Fleming Award of the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Society, Quaternary Research Association and the British Society for Geomorphology.

5. The Pleistocene glacial history of Greece

Extensive fieldwork combined with a detailed dating programme has been carried out in the northern Pindus Mountains [ Mount Tymphi , Mount Smolikas ] to establish the glacial history of Greece . This project was in collaboration with PhD supervisors Professor Phil Gibbard ( University of Cambridge ) and Dr. Jamie Woodward ( Manchester ).

Funded by the University of Cambridge , Natural Environment Research Council, Quaternary Research Association and the British Society for Geomorphology.

Year 1

• Tutorials.

Year 2

• Glacial Processes and the Climate System.
• Overseas Field Course: High Atlas, Morocco.
• Dissertations.

Year 3

• Quaternary Environments: Global and Mediterranean Perspectives.

Team Project.

Postgraduate

• Course Director, MSc. Environmental, Monitoring Modelling and Reconstruction.

2010

Hughes, P.D. (2010) Little Ice Age glaciers in Balkans: low altitude glaciation enabled by cooler temperatures and local topoclimatic controls. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. [accepted - in press]

2009

Hughes, P.D. (2009) Twenty-first Century Glaciers in the Prokletije Mountains, Albania. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research. [accepted - in press]

Hughes, P.D. (2009) Loch Lomond Stadial (Younger Dryas) glaciers and climate in Wales. Geological Journal 44, 375-391

Cowton, T., Hughes, P.D. and Gibbard, P.L. (2009) Palaeoglaciation of Parque Natural Lago de Sanabria, northwest Spain. Geomorphology 108, 282-291.

Hughes, P.D. and Woodward, J.C. (2009) Chapter 12: Glacial and Periglacial Environments. In Woodward, J.C. (ed) The Physical Geography of the Mediterranean Basin. Oxford University Press: Oxford. p. 353-383.

2008

Woodward, J.C., Hamlin, R.H.B., Macklin, M.G., Hughes, P.D. & Lewin, J. (2008) Glacial activity and catchment dynamics in northwest Greece: Long-term river behaviour and the slackwater sediment record for the last glacial to interglacial transition. Geomorphology 101, 44-67.

Hughes, P.D. (2008) Response of a Montenegro glacier to extreme summer heatwaves in 2003 and 2007. Geografiska Annaler 192, 259-267.

Hughes, P.D and Woodward, J.C. (2008) Timing of glaciation in the Mediterranean mountains during the last cold stage. Journal of Quaternary Science 23,575-588.

Hughes, P.D. and Braithwaite, R.J. (2008) Application of a degree-day model to reconstruct Pleistocene glacial climates. Quaternary Research 69, 110-116.

2007

Hughes, P.D. (2007) Allostratigraphy/morphostratigraphy. In Elias, S. (ed) Section 3: Quaternary Stratigraphy. Encyclopedia of Quaternary Sciences. Elsevier: Amsterdam, p. 2841-2846.

Hughes, P.D. (2007) Recent behaviour of the Debeli Namet glacier, Durmitor, Montenegro. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 32, 1593-1602.

Hughes, P.D., Gibbard, P.L. and Woodward, J.C. (2007) Geological controls on Pleistocene glaciation and cirque form in Greece. Geomorphology 88, 242-253.

Hughes, P.D., Woodward, J.C. and Gibbard, P.L. (2007) Middle Pleistocene cold stage climates in the Mediterranean: new evidence from the glacial record. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 253, 50-56.

2006

Hughes, P.D., Woodward, J.C., Gibbard, P.L., Macklin, M.G., Gilmour, M.A. and Smith, G.R. (2006) The glacial history of the Pindus Mountains, Greece. Journal of Geology, 114, 413-434.

Hughes, P.D., Gibbard, P.L. and Woodward, J.C. (2006) Middle Pleistocene glacier behaviour in the Mediterranean: sedimentological evidence from the Pindus Mountains, Greece. Journal of the Geological Society, London 163, 857–867.

Hughes, P.D., Woodward J.C. and Gibbard, P.L. (2006). The last glaciers of Greece. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, 50, 37-61.

Hughes, P.D., Woodward, J.C. and Gibbard, P.L.(2006) Late Pleistocene glaciers and climate in the Mediterranean region. Global and Planetary Change, 46, 83-98.

Hughes, P.D., Woodward, J.C. and Gibbard, P.L. (2006) Glacial history of the Mediterranean mountains. Progress in Physical Geography, 30, 334-364.

2005

Hughes, P.D., Gibbard, P.L. and Woodward, J.C. (2005) A Formal Stratigraphical Approach for Quaternary Glacial Records in Mountain Regions. (pdf, 991KB) Episodes 28, 85-92.

2004

Hughes, P.D. (2004) Quaternary glaciation in the Pindus Mountains, Northwest Greece (PDF, 5590KB). PhD thesis. University of Cambridge. 341 pp.

Hughes, P.D., Gibbard, P.L. and Woodward, J.C. (2004) Quaternary glaciation in the Atlas Mountains, North Africa. In Ehlers, J. and Gibbard, P.L. (eds) Quaternary Glaciation - Extent and Chronology. Volume 3: Asia, Latin America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica. Elsevier: Amsterdam. p. 255-260.

2003

Hughes, P.D., Gibbard, P.L. and Woodward, J.C. (2003) Relict rock glaciers as indicators of Mediterranean palaeoclimate during the Last Glacial Maximum (Late Würmian) of northwest Greece. Journal of Quaternary Science 18, 431-440.

2002

Hughes, P.D. (2002) Nunataks and the surface altitude of the last ice sheet in southern Snowdonia, Wales: A Reply to McCarroll and Ballantyne (2002). Quaternary Newsletter 98, 15-17.

Hughes, P.D. (2002) Nunataks and the surface altitude of the last ice sheet in southern Snowdonia, Wales. Quaternary Newsletter 97, 19-26.

Hughes, P.D. (2002) Loch Lomond Stadial glaciers in the Aran and Arenig Mountains, North Wales. Geological Journal 37, 9-15.

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Research funding

Dec 2009, N.E.R.C. Grant, Cosmogenic Isotope Support (£25,500).
Dec 2009, N.E.R.C. Grant, Cosmogenic Isotope Support (£11,400) (with N. Glasser, Aberystwyth University)
May 2009, N.E.R.C. Grant, Uranium Series Support (£10,300).
May 2009, N.E.R.C. Grant, Cosmogenic Isotope Support (£6,740) (with A.G. Brown & C. Rolfe, University of Southampton).
May 2009, Manchester Geographical Society (£1,468)
Dec 2008, N.E.R.C. Grant, Cosmogenic Isotope Support (£4,320) (with A.G. Brown & C. Rolfe, University of Southampton).
Feb 2008, Thesiger-Oman International Fellowship - Royal Geographical Society (£8,000).
Dec 2007, N.E.R.C. Grant, Cosmogenic Isotope Support (£11,620).
Feb 2007, Quaternary Research Association (£450).
Nov 2006, EU Marie Curie Grant (£500).
Oct 2006, Geography RAE fund, SED (£1840).
July 2006, International Union for Quaternary Research (£545).
May 2006, SED Research Support Fund (£1,800).
Dec 2005, N.E.R.C. Grant, Uranium Series Support (£15,000).
May 2005, Dudley Stamp Memorial Trust - The Royal Society (£150).
May 2005, Peter Fleming Award - Royal Geographical Society (£9,000).
Dec 2004, British Geomorphological Research Group (£600).
Oct 2004, Quaternary Research Association (£500).
Apr 2003, Worts Travelling Scholars Award (£350).
Nov 2002, Philip Lake Fund, University of Cambridge (£250).
May 2002, N.E.R.C. Grant, Uranium Series Support (£12,500).
May 2002, Philip Lake Fund, University of Cambridge (£80).
Apr 2002, British Geomorphological Research Group (£200).
Feb 2002, Cambridge European Trust (£300).
Aug 2001, Darwin College Travel Grant (£70).
Nov 2001, Philip Lake Fund, University of Cambridge (£300).
June 2001, Quaternary Research Association (£225).
Feb 2001, Philip Lake Fund, University of Cambridge (£400).
2001-2004, Domestic Research Studentship, University of Cambridge

Educational background

2001-2004 Ph.D. Geography. University of Cambridge. "Quaternary glaciation in the Pindus Mountains, Northwest Greece". Supervisors: Dr. P.L. Gibbard (Cambridge) and Dr. J.C. Woodward (Manchester).

1999-2000 M.Phil. Quaternary Science. University of Cambridge. Distinction.

1996-1999 B.Sc. (Hons) Geography. University of Exeter. 1st class. William Ravenhill prize for excellence in Geography.

Academic websites of interest

Quaternary Environments and Geoarchaeology (QEG)