Dr Charlotte Bickler
Job title:
Academic qualifications:
- PhD in Evolutionary Ecology (University of Bristol)
- MRes in Biodiversity and Conservation (University of Leeds)
- BSc in Biology (University of Nottingham)
Role and responsibilities:
I lead the Knowledge Exchange and Policy team at the Organic Research Centre, ensuring that ORC’s research gets out to our key stakeholders in the best format possible. We aim to bridge the gap between knowledge development and its application and use in a practical setting.
Research interests:
My research interests lie in developing an improved understanding of how ecological and evolutionary responses can be quantified to promote their successful integration in land management for agricultural productivity, sustainability, and conservation.
I have developed this interest further within the Crops team at ORC; studying how we can effectively increase biological diversity in agricultural systems. For example, within the H2020 project LIVESEED we have explored the application of evolutionary breeding within organic systems. Working within the H2020 project DIVERSify, and on the marketing of a the genetically diverse wheat ‘ORC Wakelyns Population ’, I have increased my awareness and understanding of the integrated approach necessary to facilitate the transition to an agroecological food and farming system and the role of research within this.
In my role as Knowledge Exchange and Policy Manager, I am interested in exploring the best ways that researchers can share their work to deliver this change. I aim to understand the different ways that researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders can work together to develop and improve their systems with a particular focus on the optimisation and adoption of diversification practices.
Publications:
- Brannan T, Bickler C, Hansson H, Karley A, Weih M, Manevska-Tasevska G (2023) Overcoming barriers to crop diversification uptake in Europe: A mini review
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems (Volume 7) https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1107700 - Kiær LP, Weedon OD, Bedoussac L, Bickler C, Finckh MR, Haug B, Iannetta PPM, Raaphorst-Travaille G, Weih M, Karley A J (2022) Supply Chain Perspectives on Breeding for Legume–Cereal Intercrops Frontiers in Plant Science (Volume 13) https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.844635
- Costanzo A, Amos D, Bickler C, Trump A (2021) Agronomic and genetic assessment of organic wheat performance in England: a field-scale cultivar evaluation with a network of farms. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 41, 54 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-021-00706-y
- Bliss K, Bickler C, Villa A, Tippin L, Vieweger A, Meldrum J, Padel S, Pearce B, Lea M (2019). ‘Getting out of the commodity trap: Enabling diversity through alternative food networks’. Messéan A, Drexler D, Heim I, Paresys L, Stilmant D and Willer H: First European Conference on Crop Diversification, Budapest, Hungary, 18 – 21 September. https://zenodo.org/record/3516329#.XwcIeShKiUl
- Karley A, Banfield-Zadin J, Bickler C, Bliss K, Brooker R, Iannetta P, Midmer A, Mitchell C, Newton A, Pakeman R, Pearce B, Tippin L, George D (2019). ‘Knowledge Exchange in ‘Plant Team’ Cropping with On-Farm Participatory Research’. Messéan A, Drexler D, Heim I, Paresys L, Stilmant D and Willer H: First European Conference on Crop Diversification, Budapest, Hungary, 18 – 21 September. https://zenodo.org/record/3516329#.XwcIeShKiUl
- Tippin L, Banfield-Zanin J, Midmer A, Bickler C, Manfield A, Karley A, George D, Pearce B (2019). ‘The perceived or realised practical restrictions imposed by Plant Teams’. Messéan A, Drexler D, Heim I, Paresys L, Stilmant D and Willer H: First European Conference on Crop Diversification, Budapest, Hungary, 18 – 21 September. https://zenodo.org/record/3516329#.XwcIeShKiUl
- Bickler, C (2019). ‘Organic heterogeneous material – opportunities and challenges’. Biofach Congress, Nürnberg, Germany, 13 – 16 February. https://orgprints.org/34953/
- Bickler, C, Taylor L, Mousavi-Derazmahalleh M, Wyse SV, Cockel C, Eastwood RJ, Muller JV, Nelson MN (2019) Searching for new genetic and adaptive diversity for carrot improvement. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Carrot and other Apiaceae. Leuven: International Society for Horticultural Science, pp. 19 – 28.
- Bickler C, Costanzo A, Pearce B (2018). ‘Marketing of a genetically diverse wheat (ORC Wakelyns population): Lessons learn and routes forward’. Baćanović-Šišić J, Dennenmoser D and Finckh MR: EUCARPIA Symposium on Breeding for Diversification, University of Kassel, Witzenhausen, Germany, 19 – 21 February.