Dr Holly Croft

School of Biosciences

Future Leaders Fellow (Senior)

A photo of Holly Croft
Profile picture of A photo of Holly Croft
h.croft@sheffield.ac.uk
D210, Alfred Denny Building

Full contact details

Dr Holly Croft
School of Biosciences
D210
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile
  • UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK (2020-)
  • MSCA Independent Research Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK (2018-2020)
  • Research Associate, University of Toronto, Canada (2011-2018)
  • Research Assistant, University of Basel, Switzerland (2010-2011)
  • PhD Physical Geography, University of Exeter, UK (2010)
  • MSc Environmental Monitoring, Modeling and Reconstruction, University of Manchester (2006)
  • BSc (Hons) Physical Geography, University of Manchester, UK (2002)
Research interests

I am an ecological remote sensing scientist with interests in agricultural, forested and Arctic terrestrial ecosystems. My research is focused on the use of remotely sensed data in the measurement and modelling of biophysical and ecological variables that influence vegetation productivity, carbon exchange and nutrient use, along with the effects of disturbance on ecosystem structure and function. I use remote sensing data, acquired from a range of platforms from UAVs to satellites, ground-based field experiments and novel analytical methods to improve our understanding of vegetated systems for research and management applications.

Current research projects

RESOLVE: ‘Remote sensing of photosynthetic traits for high latitude plant productivity modelling’ Funding Agency: Horizon 2020 MSCA

The arctic is predicted to warm faster and to a greater extent than anywhere on earth. Environmental drivers such as increased temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration, are resulting in unprecedented changes to the structure, function and/or species composition of arctic and boreal vegetation. Recent developments in remote sensing methods and satellite technologies and have opened up exciting new opportunities to use chlorophyll fluorescence and modeled leaf biochemical estimates as indicators of plant physiological status, in order to address biome-scale questions on climate-induced changes in vegetation productivity. This research will contribute to: improving our understanding of the spatially-dependent dominant environmental drivers affecting ABB vegetation change at local and regional scales, determining the terrestrial carbon budget for the ABB, and the consequent implications for atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

Publications

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All publications

Journal articles

  • Mokhtari A, Yang H, Croft H, Luca SV, Li F, Minceva M, Schmidthalter U & Yu K (2025) . Field Crops Research, 333, 110106-110106.
  • Zhang Y, Liu J, Croft H, Staebler R, Wang MS, Luo X, He L, Gonsamo A & Chen JM (2025) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 373, 110748-110748.
  • Li D, Croft H, Duveiller G, Schreiner-McGraw AP, Belwalkar A, Cheng T, Zhu Y, Cao W & Yu K (2025) . Remote Sensing of Environment, 328, 114845-114845.
  • Absalom E, Turner A, Clements M, Croft H & Edmondson J (2025) . Plant-Environment Interactions, 6(3).
  • Wang Y, Braghiere RK, Fischer WW, Yao Y, Shen Z, Schneider T, Bloom AA, Schimel D, Croft H, Winkler AJ , Reichstein M et al (2025) . Nature Communications, 16.
  • Thum T, Miinalainen T, Seppälä O, Croft H, Rogers C, Staebler R, Caldararu S & Zaehle S (2025) . Biogeosciences, 22(7), 1781-1807.
  • Blackman R, Edmondson J, Densley-Tingley D & Croft H (2025) .
  • Miinalainen T, Ojasalo A, Croft H, Zaehle S, Caldararu S & Thum T (2025) .
  • Dechant B, Kattge J, Pavlick R, Schneider FD, Sabatini FM, Moreno-Martínez Á, Butler EE, van Bodegom PM, Vallicrosa H, Kattenborn T , Boonman CCF et al (2024) . Remote Sensing of Environment, 311, 114276-114276.
  • Yu L, Luo X, Croft H, Rogers CA & Chen JM (2024) . Plant, Cell & Environment, 47(10), 3953-3965.
  • Leng J, Chen JM, Li W, Luo X, Rogers C, Croft H, Xie X & Staebler RM (2024) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 350, 109999-109999.
  • Caine RS, Khan MS, Brench RA, Walker HJ & Croft HL (2024) . Plant, Cell & Environment, 47(9), 3494-3513.
  • Chen B, Wang P, Wang S, Liu Z & Croft H (2024) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 129(3).
  • Chen B, Li Y, Wang S, Chen J, Zhang X, Liu Z & Croft H (2024) . Ecological Modelling, 488, 110593-110593.
  • Kooistra L, Berger K, Brede B, Graf LV, Aasen H, Roujean J-L, Machwitz M, Schlerf M, Atzberger C, Prikaziuk E , Ganeva D et al (2024) . Biogeosciences, 21(2), 473-511.
  • Thum T, Seppälä O, Croft H, Caldararu S, Ojasalo A, Rogers C, Staebler R & Zaehle S (2023) .
  • Caine RS, Harrison EL, Sloan J, Flis PM, Fischer S, Khan MS, Nguyen PT, Nguyen LT, Gray JE & Croft H (2023) . New Phytologist, 237(6), 2180-2195.
  • Zhang H, Li J, Liu Q, Lin S, Huete A, Liu L, Croft H, Clevers JGPW, Zeng Y, Wang X , Gu C et al (2022) . Methods in Ecology and Evolution.
  • Xu M, Liu R, Chen JM, Shang R, Liu Y, Qi L, Croft H, Ju W, Zhang Y, He Y , Qiu F et al (2022) . ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 192, 66-82.
  • Chen JM, Wang R, Liu Y, He L, Croft H, Luo X, Wang H, Smith NG, Keenan TF, Prentice IC , Zhang Y et al (2022) . Earth System Science Data, 14(9), 4077-4093.
  • Xu M, Liu R, Chen JM, Liu Y, Wolanin A, Croft H, He L, Shang R, Ju W, Zhang Y , He Y et al (2022) . IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 60, 1-13.
  • Lu X, Croft H, Chen JM, Luo Y & Ju W (2022) . Environmental Research Letters, 17(1).
  • Li Y, Ma Q, Chen JM, Croft H, Luo X, Zheng T, Rogers C & Liu J (2021) . Remote Sensing of Environment, 264, 112618-112618.
  • Luo X, Keenan TF, Chen JM, Croft H, Colin Prentice I, Smith NG, Walker AP, Wang H, Wang R, Xu C & Zhang Y (2021) . Nature Communications, 12.
  • Rogers C, Chen JM, Croft H, Gonsamo A, Luo X, Bartlett P & Staebler RM (2021) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 304-305, 108407-108407.
  • Qian X, Liu L, Croft H & Chen J (2021) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 126(2).
  • Rogers CA, Chen JM, Zheng T, Croft H, Gonsamo A, Luo X & Staebler RM (2020) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 125(10).
  • Lu X, Ju W, Li J, Croft H, Chen JM, Luo Y, Yu H & Hu H (2020) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 125(8).
  • Croft H, Arabian J, Chen JM, Shang J & Liu J (2020) . Precision Agriculture, 21(4), 856-880.
  • Chou S, Chen B, Chen J, Wang M, Wang S, Croft H & Shi Q (2020) . Ecological Indicators, 110, 105867-105867.
  • Wang S, Li Y, Ju W, Chen B, Chen J, Croft H, Mickler RA & Yang F (2020) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 125(2).
  • Croft H, Chen JM, Wang R, Mo G, Luo S, Luo X, He L, Gonsamo A, Arabian J, Zhang Y , Simic-Milas A et al (2020) . Remote Sensing of Environment, 236.
  • Chen B, Chen JM, Baldocchi DD, Liu Y, Wang S, Zheng T, Black TA & Croft H (2019) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 276-277, 107649-107649.
  • Qian X, Liu L, Croft H & Chen J (2019) .
  • Luo X, Croft H, Chen JM, He L & Keenan TF (2019) . Global Change Biology, 25(7), 2499-2514.
  • Chan FCC, Altaf Arain M, Khomik M, Brodeur JJ, Peichl M, Restrepo-Coupe N, Thorne R, Beamesderfer E, McKenzie S, Xu B , Croft H et al (2018) . Forest Ecology and Management, 410, 12-26.
  • Luo X, Chen JM, Liu J, Black TA, Croft H, Staebler R, He L, Arain MA, Chen B, Mo G , Gonsamo A et al (2018) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 123(1), 207-225.
  • Luo X, Croft H, Chen JM, Bartlett P, Staebler R & Froelich N (2018) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 248, 156-168.
  • He L, Chen JM, Croft H, Gonsamo A, Luo X, Liu J, Zheng T, Liu R & Liu Y (2017) . Geophysical Research Letters, 44(22).
  • Croft H, Chen JM, Luo X, Bartlett P, Chen B & Staebler RM (2017) . Global Change Biology, 23(9), 3513-3524.
  • Dong T, Liu J, Qian B, Jing Q, Croft H, Chen J, Wang J, Huffman T, Shang J & Chen P (2017) . IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 10(1), 104-117.
  • Chen B, Arain MA, Chen JM, Croft H, Grant RF, Kurz WA, Bernier P, Guindon L, Price D & Wang Z (2016) . Ecological Modelling, 321, 98-109.
  • Chen B, Liu J, Chen JM, Croft H, Gonsamo A, He L & Luo X (2016) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 216, 82-92.
  • He L, Liu J, Chen JM, Croft H, Wang R, Sprintsin M, Zheng T, Ryu Y, Pisek J, Gonsamo A , Deng F et al (2016) . International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 44, 53-60.
  • Froelich N, Croft H, Chen JM, Gonsamo A & Staebler RM (2015) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 211-212, 72-84.
  • Croft H, Chen JM, Froelich NJ, Chen B & Staebler RM (2015) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 120(8), 1576-1586.
  • Croft H, Chen JM, Zhang Y, Simic A, Noland TL, Nesbitt N & Arabian J (2015) . ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 102, 85-95.
  • Gonsamo A, Croft H, Chen JM, Wu C, Froelich N & Staebler RM (2015) . Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 201, 8-16.
  • He L, Chen JM, Liu J, Mo G, Bélair S, Zheng T, Wang R, Chen B, Croft H, Arain MA & Barr AG (2014) . Ecological Modelling, 294, 94-104.
  • Croft H, Chen JM & Noland TL (2014) . Forest Ecology and Management, 328, 202-208.
  • Croft H, Anderson K & Kuhn NJ (2014) . European Journal of Soil Science, 65(4), 605-612.
  • Croft H, Chen JM & Zhang Y (2014) . International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 33, 312-320.
  • Croft H, Chen JM & Zhang Y (2014) . Ecological Complexity, 17, 119-130.
  • Simic A, Chen JM, Leblanc SG, Dyk A, Croft H & Han T (2014) . IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 7(1), 92-104.
  • Croft H, Chen JM, Zhang Y & Simic A (2013) . Remote Sensing of Environment, 133, 128-140.
  • Croft H, Anderson K, Brazier RE & Kuhn NJ (2013) . Water Resources Research, 49(4), 1858-1870.
  • Croft H, Kuhn NJ & Anderson K (2012) . CATENA, 94, 64-74.
  • Croft H, Anderson K & Kuhn NJ (2012) . CATENA, 93, 87-96.
  • Anderson K, Croft H, Milton EJ & Kuhn NJ (2012) . Remote Sensing Letters, 3(2), 131-140.
  • Anderson K & Croft H (2009) . Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment, 33(4), 457-473.
  • Croft H, Anderson K & Kuhn NJ (2009) . European Journal of Soil Science, 60(3), 431-442.
  • Qiu F, Chen JM, Croft H, Li J, Zhang Q, Zhang Y & Ju W () . Remote Sensing, 11(13), 1572-1572.
  • Canisius F, Wang S, Croft H, Leblanc SG, Russell HAJ, Chen J & Wang R () . Drones, 3(1), 27-27.
  • Chou S, Chen J, Yu H, Chen B, Zhang X, Croft H, Khalid S, Li M & Shi Q () . Remote Sensing, 9(8), 794-794.

Book chapters

  • Croft H, Chen JM & Berger K (2026) , Comprehensive Remote Sensing (pp. 100-132). Elsevier
  • Song C, Chen JM, Hwang T, Gonsamo A, Croft H, Zhang Q, Dannenberg M, Zhang Y, Hakkenberg C & Li J (2024) , Remote Sensing Handbook, Volume IV (pp. 249-308). CRC Press
  • (2018) , Remote Sensing Handbook - Three Volume Set (pp. 1267-1310). CRC Press
  • Croft H & Chen JM (2018) , Comprehensive Remote Sensing (pp. 117-142). Elsevier
  • () In Thenkabail PDPS (Ed.) CRC Press

Conference proceedings

  • Ma Q, Chen JM, Li Y, Croft H, Luo X, Zheng T & Zamaria S (2017) . 2017 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) (pp 2915-2918), 23 July 2017 - 28 July 2017.
  • Chen JM, Croft H & Zheng T (2016) . 2016 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) (pp 1703-1706), 10 July 2016 - 15 July 2016.

Other

  • Khan MS, Caine RS, Morrison R & Croft HL (2025) .
  • Croft H, Caine R & Khan M (2025) .
  • Caine R, Berry P, Storer K & Croft H (2025) .
  • Cunningham ST, Bryant RG, Khan MS, Caine RS, Edmondson J, Absalom ECP, Turner A, Blackman R & Croft H (2025) .

Preprints

  • Miinalainen T, Ojasalo A, Croft H, Aurela M, Peltoniemi M, Caldararu S, Zaehle S & Thum T (2025) , Copernicus GmbH.
  • Lamour J, Serbin SP, Rogers A, Acebron KT, Ainsworth E, Albert LP, Alonzo M, Anderson J, Atkin OK, Barbier N , Barnes ML et al (2025) , Copernicus GmbH.
  • Caine RS, Berry PM, Storer KE & Croft HL (2025) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Caine RS, Khan MS, Shan Y, Osborne CP & Croft HL (2025) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Thum T, Miinalainen T, Seppälä O, Croft H, Rogers C, Staebler R, Caldararu S & Zaehle S (2024) , Copernicus GmbH.
  • Leng J, Chen JM, Li W, Luo X, Rogers C, Croft H, Xie X & Staebler RM (2024) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Caine RS, Khan MS, Brench RA, Walker HJ & Croft HL (2023) , Wiley.
  • Kooistra L, Berger K, Brede B, Graf LV, Aasen H, Roujean J-L, Machwitz M, Schlerf M, Atzberger C, Prikaziuk E , Ganeva D et al (2023) , Copernicus GmbH.
  • Caine RS, Harrison EL, Sloan JM, Flis PM, Fischer S, Phuoc NT, Lang NT, Gray JE & Croft HL (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Chen JM, Wang R, Liu Y, He L, Croft H, Luo X, Wang H, Smith NG, Keenan TF, Prentice IC , Zhang Y et al (2022) , Copernicus GmbH.
Professional activities and memberships
  • Editorial board – American Geophysical Union books
  • Editorial board – MDPI Remote Sensing journal
  • Grant proposal reviewer for: NSERC (Canada), European Research Council, NERC (UK), BELSPO (Belgium) national research programme for earth observation.

Links