Dr Tory Milner is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography, who specialises in ecohydrology, river science, fluvial geomorphology, extreme hydrological events and community ecology. Tory joined the University of Huddersfield in April 2019, after previously working at the University of Worcester for 8.5 years as a Lecturer, and later a Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography and Geography Course Leader.

My research focuses on how aquatic biota respond to natural environmental variability (e.g., floods, drought and streambed drying) and human-induced disturbances (e.g., abstraction, hydropower, fine sediment input from agricultural activities). For each of these disturbances, I examine the impact on the physical habitat structure and the effects on aquatic biota, such as on macroinvertebrate communities. 

1. The influence of flow variability on instream macroinvertebrates.
2. The colonisation of terrestrial vegetation in an intermittent river: diversity responses to increased drying.
3. The effect of natural flood management wood structures on aquatic macroinvertebrate communities.
4. The conservation and management of rivers, streams and ponds.
5. Biotic responses to fine sediment disturbances within lotic environments.

Research Degree Supervision

Current PG students:

• Melanie Milin (PhD student; Oct 2018-present): Aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity in an intermittent river network: implications for freshwater biodiversity conservation. Supervisors: Dr Tory Milner (Director of Studies), Dr Matt Hill (University of Huddersfield), Professor Ian Maddock  (University of Worcester), and Dr Judy England (Environment Agency).
• Summer Cunningham (MRes student; Oct 2021-present): The effects of anthropogenic litter on macroinvertebrate diversity in urban freshwaters. Supervisors: Dr Tory Milner (Director of Studies) and Dr Matt Hill (University of Hudddersfield).
• Abigail Lucas (MRes student; Oct 2022): The effect of natural flood management (NFM) structures on aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity. Supervisors: Dr Tory Milner (Director of Studies), Dr Ryan Wilson (University of Huddersfield, Dr Matt Hill (University of Hudddersfield) and Mr Bede Mullen (Slow the Flow).

Previous PG students and Research Assistants:

• Melanie Milin and Summer Cunningham (RAs for a research project funded by Yorkshire Water Plc; April 2022-current): Increasing aquatic biodiversity and ecological resilience by pond creation.
• Dr Chloe Hayes (RA for a research project funded by the RGS-IBG; April 2021-February 2022): Colonisation of terrestrial vegetation in an intermittent river: diversity responses to increased drying.
• Dr George Bunting (PhD student; Sep 2014-April 2019): The effect of sediment characteritics and a fine sediment pulse on invertebrate distributional patterns. Supervisors: Dr Tory Milner (Director of Studies), Professor Ian Maddock (University of Worcester), Dr Iwan Jones (Queen Mary University of London).
• David Wilson (MRes River Science; Oct 2017-Mar 2019): The effects of streambed contraction on macroinvertebrate community composition and biodiversity.
• Jason Trueman (Research Assistant; Jun-Oct 2018): Macroinvertebrate diversity responses to flow recession in headwater streams.
• Dr Matthew Hill (Postdoctoral researcher; Mar 2016-Mar 2018): The impacts of flow intermittency on invertebrate diversity and community composition in a temporary river network.
• Anna Matczak (Research Assistant; Jun-Sep 2017): The importance of microhabitats in bedrock channels to aquatic biodiversity conservation.