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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
The Government’s proposed extension of the badger cull to Oxfordshire and Berkshire could result in thousands of healthy badgers being killed, put more cattle at risk of contracting bovine TB by forcing movement of infected badgers, and will waste taxpayers’ money already committed to vaccinating badgers in these counties, says the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust. Vaccinating a badger costs less than £100; culling a badger costs
£6,000. Pic: Tom Marshall In response to the Government’s consultation to issue local badger
cull licences, Julia Lofthouse, the Mammal Project Officer, stated:
“From 2002 to 2005 in Government trials in the ‘high risk area’ where
bovine TB is more prevalent, the majority of badgers culled, 83%, were
tested TB free; only 17% of the badgers culled were infected. In
Oxfordshire and Berkshire the infection rate in our local badgers is
likely to be significantly lower than 17%. A recent study carried out by
the University of Surrey, which analysed more than 100 local road-killed
badgers revealed that none tested positive for TB.” Julia Lofthouse added: “Culling activity could also potentially put
our own and our graziers’ livestock at increased risk of contracting
bovine TB. The Randomised Badger Culling Trial from 1998 to 2006 showed
how the perturbation effect of badgers, which leave the culled area
because of the disturbance, could cause the spread of bovine TB into new
areas currently unaffected by the disease.” In 2014 the Wildlife Trust set up a programme to trap and vaccinate
badgers on its own land in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Over the last four
years, and with the support of neighbouring landowners, this has
expanded to include private estates and farms. The Wildlife Trust receives funding from Defra to vaccinate badgers: “Last month Defra awarded us a £66,000 grant to continue and expand our vaccination work for the next four years. This will be wasted if the cull goes ahead and badgers that have been vaccinated are killed,” said Julia Lofthouse.
Great Welsh science helps solve pollinator puzzle – Swansea University
Welsh
scientists piecing together the giant jigsaw puzzle of plant pollination
are a step closer to knowing how it all fits thanks to a new paper led
by PhD researcher Andrew Lucas from Swansea University. The findings are
published in Journal of Animal Ecology. Eristalis tenax hoverfly - Kevin Bandage Andrew Lucas has spent the past seven years studying a much
under-appreciated and regularly mis-identified player in the complex
world of pollinators: the hoverfly. Vital behaviours are revealed in his study, which forms part of the ‘Saving
Pollinators’ programme run by the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Dr Natasha de Vere, Head of Science at the Botanic Garden and lead
researcher of ‘Saving Pollinators’ says: “This is a great example of
Welsh science. It involves co-operation in research between Swansea and
Aberystwyth universities, with an international element from Emory
University, Atlanta, in the USA. And it has all been led from
Carmarthenshire by the National Botanic Garden of Wales.” Read the full article (freely available for a limited time): Lucas A, Bodger O, Brosi BJ, et al. Generalisation and specialisation in hoverfly (Syrphidae) grassland pollen transport networks revealed by DNA metabarcoding. J Anim Ecol. 2018;00:1–14. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12828
Experts shine a light on invisible wildlife crime with a new annual
report – Wildlife & Countryside Link The first ever annual
wildlife crime report for England and Wales is being launched
tomorrow (Weds 18 April) by 18 NGOs, co-ordinated by Wildlife and
Countryside Link and Wales Environment Link. Wildlife and conservation
experts are committing to publishing a report each year on the number of
crimes against wild animals and birds they record, in the absence of
government and police data. They aim to shine a light on the hidden
deaths, suffering, and conservation impacts of wildlife crime in England
and Wales. The report shows that there were almost 1,300 wildlife crime
incidents recorded by NGOs in 2016 (the most recent data available).
However, this figure is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg. Most
wildlife crimes are not officially recorded through the Home Office
crime recording system, so the best available data is information that
comes through directly to NGOs. However, many types of offences are not
collected by NGOs, and wildlife organisations use different methods to
collect the data. Some types of wildlife crimes are also less visible
than others and therefore are more likely to go unreported.
Timing is everything : How climate change is affecting predator-prey
interactions - University of Ottawa Shifts in the timing of life cycle events – known as phenology - of
interacting species, such as predator versus prey and plant versus
pollinator,
are often listed as a consequence of climate change. Herd of Caribou (University of Ottawa) New research by University of Ottawa professor Heather Kharouba shows
that shifts in the relative timing between key biological events are
greater in magnitude than before recent climate change began. This
suggests that there will be widespread climate change-related shifts in
the synchrony of species interactions in the future. “We were able to show that on average the relative timing between key
biological events, such as the date of first flower vs. when insects
emerge in the spring, is different than it was before the early 1980s,”
explains Dr. Kharouba. Using a new global database they put together on the seasonal timing
of biological events for pair-wise species interactions, Kharouba and
colleagues compared changes in the relative timing of 54 interrelating
species pairs, both terrestrial and aquatic, between 1951 and 2013. The
authors found that on average, individual species shifted their
phenology four days earlier per decade after 1981, compared to 2.7 days
per decade before 1981. Synchrony between species pairs has changed on
average from 0.97 days/decade pre-1981 to 6.1 days/decade post-1981. “Changes at the bottom of the food chain could have a domino effect.
For example, the relative timing of the blooms of unicellular plant-like
organisms and microscopic animals at the bottom of Lake Washington, WA,
US is now off by almost 34 days,” adds Dr. Kharouba. Honeybees are struggling to get enough good bacteria – Lancaster University Modern monoculture farming, commercial forestry and even well-intentioned gardeners could be making it harder for honeybees to store food and fight off diseases, a new study suggests. Honeybees - picture credit Dr Philip Donkersley Human changes to the landscape, such as large areas of monoculture
grassland for livestock grazing, and coniferous forests for timber
production, is affecting the diversity of the ‘microbiome’ associated
with honeybees’ long-term food supply. Scientists at Lancaster University’s Lancaster
Environment Centre and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH)
examined the mix of bacteria, known as a microbiome, of bee bread –
which is the long-term food supply stored within a hive for young bees. They found that the bee bread within hives close to agriculturally
improved grasslands, made up of single grass varieties, and those near
coniferous woodland contained lower bacterial diversity than hives near
habitats with more plant variety such as broadleaf woodland, rough
grasslands and coastal landscapes.
Engineering a plastic-eating enzyme -
University of Portsmouth
Scientists have engineered an enzyme which can digest some of our
most commonly polluting plastics, providing a potential solution to one
of the world’s biggest environmental problems. The
discovery could result in a recycling solution for millions of tonnes of
plastic bottles, made of polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, which
currently persists for hundreds of years in the environment. Global blight: Plastic bottles take centuries to biodegrade, but
new enzyme discovery brings hope Credit: David Jones The research was led by teams at the University of Portsmouth and the
US Department of Energy’s National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and is published in Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Professor John McGeehan at the University of Portsmouth and Dr Gregg
Beckham at NREL solved the crystal structure of PETase - a recently
discovered enzyme that digests PET - and used this 3D information to
understand how it works. During this study, they inadvertently
engineered an enzyme that is even better at degrading the plastic than
the one that evolved in nature. The researchers are now working on improving the enzyme further to
allow it to be used industrially to break down plastics in a fraction of
the time. Professor McGeehan, Director of the Institute
of Biological and Biomedical Sciences in the School
of Biological Sciences at Portsmouth, said: “Few could have
predicted that since plastics became popular in the 1960s huge plastic
waste patches would be found floating in oceans, or washed up on once
pristine beaches all over the world. We can all play a significant part
in dealing with the plastic problem, but the scientific community who
ultimately created these ‘wonder-materials’, must now use all the
technology at their disposal to develop real solutions.”
New research reveals nature’s beauty increases happiness
– Norfolk Wildlife Trust
The 30 Days Wild challenge from The Wildlife Trusts encourages people
to notice nature on their doorsteps every single day and gives them a
multitude of exciting and fun ways of doing it: the Random Acts of
Wildness.
New hedgerows boost Danbury's rich wildlife -
Essex Wildlife Trust A collaborative project run by Essex Wildlife Trust has planted over
a kilometre of hedgerows throughout the Danbury Ridge Living Landscape
area, for the benefit of wildlife.
The
Danbury Ridge, east of Chelmsford, is home to many amazing species of
wildlife, including the adorable Hazel Dormice, shy Brown Hares and
beautiful Yellowhammers, but continued fragmentation of their habitat
here and elsewhere in Essex means they need our help. Wildlife needs to
move to survive – to find food, to find shelter, to breed and to escape
threats. Planting hedgerows helps them to do it. (image: Essex Wildlife Trust) So, over the winter, 7,000 native species saplings, covering close to
1,500 metres, were planted across private land in Danbury, by staff from
Essex Highways, Ground Control Limited, the Environment Agency and the
Danbury Ridge Living Landscape volunteers. Their hard work will help
recreate lost wildlife corridors and reconnect isolated and vulnerable
woodlands. The project, part of the thriving Essex Wildlife Trust Danbury Ridge
Living Landscape, saw collaboration between a variety of organisations,
including Essex Wildlife Trust, the British Naturalist Society, Little
Baddow Conservation Society, the National Trust, Danbury and Little
Baddow Parish Councils, Chelmsford City Council and Essex County
Council. It was conducted as part of The Wildlife Trusts’ Living Landscapes
initiative to restore, recreate and reconnect important wildlife
habitats, so wildlife can move freely through the Essex landscape.
The Government will launch a consultation on banning single use
plastic products later this year. The Government has announced the end to the sale of plastic straws,
drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds at the start of the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit. The Prime Minister will also call on all other Commonwealth countries
to join in the fight against plastic pollution. Subject to the consultation, which the Environment Secretary will
launch later this year, the Government is prepared to ban the sale of
these items in England under plans to protect our rivers and seas and
meet our 25 Year Environment Plan ambition to eliminate avoidable
plastic waste. This forms part of the wider government waste strategy –
including the government’s current call for evidence on how we can use
the tax system to address single use plastics waste. In order to eliminate these items from use the Government will work
with industry to develop alternatives and ensure there is sufficient
time to adapt. It will also propose excluding plastic straws for medical
reasons. Single-use plastic items such as straws, stirrers and plastic-stemmed
cotton buds have a significant impact on our environment, both on land
and in our seas and rivers when they are either littered or discarded
incorrectly after use – with a recent study showing 8.5 billion plastic
straws are thrown away each year in the UK.
Pathway to Healthy Peatlands Set out in UK Peatland Strategy
– IUCN UK Peatland Programme The UK’s first collaborative Peatland Strategy has been launched
today, setting out a shared vision for a brighter future for our vital,
but damaged peatlands. In developing the strategy, the IUCN UK Peatland
Programme has involved stakeholders from across Government, third
sector, scientific and land managing communities. All are coming
together to celebrate this momentous step forward in the conservation of
UK peatlands and to discuss implementation of the strategy to bring
about positive change at an event in York.
Irish
peatland - credit Clifton Bain Dr Emma Goodyer, strategy lead and Programme Manager of the IUCN UK
Peatland Programme said: Peatlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. Occupying
just 3% of the Earth’s land surface, peatlands are our largest carbon
store on land. They provide clean water and food, and can act as buffers
for environmental disasters, such as flooding. They are also globally
significant for wildlife. Whilst our knowledge of this habitat continues to improve, there is
clear scientific evidence of the often immediate benefits to be gained
for water, climate change, wildlife and land management. Only healthy,
functioning peatlands can deliver these benefits.
RSB and University of Gloucestershire spider citizen science project
leads to publication - Royal Society of
Biology New research, fueled by thousands of sightings recorded by the
public, has shed new light on UK house spider behaviour. Despite not always receiving the warmest of welcomes, spiders are
frequently spotted within UK households from late autumn onwards, with
this influx often being referred to as the annual “spider season”. Now, analysis of the biggest data set ever gathered on UK house
spiders has shed new light on the behavioural patterns of these spiders
as they come crawling inside looking for a mate. Researchers at the University of Gloucestershire and the Royal
Society of Biology analysed the data, collected via a free mobile phone
app, with their findings published in the journal Arachnology. More than 80% of sightings were of males; with autumn being their
mating season, males roam around looking for females, who tend to stay
in one place. Although many are not spider fans, as predators they are a crucially
important part of the ecosystem, keeping other invertebrate populations
in check and encouraging biodiversity.
Boosting livelihoods and conservation practices among small-scale
fishermen - University of Plymouth round the UK, there are hundreds of coastal communities supporting
the livelihoods of hard-working small-scale fishermen. Enabling them to secure a sustainable income has always been a major
challenge, even without endeavouring to meet national and international
conservation goals. Now a major new research project led by the Blue Marine Foundation
(BLUE) and the University of Plymouth’s Marine Institute aims to
identify the tools through which fishermen across the country can
contribute to those dual aims. The research is being funded thanks to a generous donation made to
BLUE from Superdry co-founder, Julian Dunkerton. It will build on the
existing project in Lyme Bay, on the south coast of Devon and Dorset,
which for the past decade has proved it is possible to deliver
conservation gains while benefitting small-scale fishermen. BLUE and the University have worked together on that project, and it
was also featured in the 25-year Environment Plan, the Government’s
long-term vision for protecting the environment for future generations. The new project will aim to use the blueprint developed at Lyme Bay
to potentially support other coastal communities while addressing some
of the many and complex challenges being faced by policy makers.
Appeal for help to save vulnerable corncrakes
- BIAZA Members of the public are being encouraged to listen out for one of
the world’s most distinct bird cries in a bid to gauge the success of a
local breed and release programme. Corncrakes, which were once widespread across the UK, are in decline
with numbers now at their lowest since 2003.
After
making the 8,000-mile migratory round trip to the Democratic Republic of
Congo, where corncrakes spend the winter, the birds will start to return
to the UK at the end of April and into May. Corncrake (image: Mike Powles) The Wensum Valley is an area expected to attract a number of the
returning birds thanks to a breed and release programme spearheaded by
the Pensthorpe Conservation Trust based at Pensthorpe Natural Park near
Fakenham in Norfolk. Last year, 154 corncrakes were hatched and reared by the Pensthorpe
Conservation Trust team, including a dedicated ‘corncrake nanny’ who
lived on site to help with late night feeding. The birds were released
from a location within the Wensum Valley in the summer of 2017 and it is
hoped that 15 to 20 percent of these birds will return to the area in
spring, ready for the breeding season. Success of the 2017 release can only be determined by listening out
for and recording the location of the “crex crex” call of the male birds
which is characteristically loud and made at night. By keeping a record
of the numbers of detected birds, Pensthorpe can calculate how many of
the birds from its breed and release programme have survived the winter
and migration to return to the area.
Cause for celebration over crane chicks - WWT Spring has arrived along with the pitter patter of tiny feet at WWT
Welney Wetland Centre, where the common crane has bred successfully for
the first time.
These
scarce birds are shy and secretive during the breeding season, but to
the delight of staff and visitors two chicks arrived on March 21. Crane Chick (image: Mark Hughes) The baby birds are just six inches tall (15cm) when they hatch, and
are quickly able to walk, swim and run. Over the next 10 weeks
both the parent birds will protect these precious chicks from predation
and teach them how to find the food they need to grow. Leigh Marshall, Centre Manager, said: ‘The area of wetlands that the
cranes have chosen to nest on is less than ten years old, and was
previously arable farmland. The development of this habitat was
specifically for wet springs, such as the one we have experienced this
year, when the Ouse Washes are storing water to protect the surrounding
land and communities. This most recent breeding success is adding
to an increasingly impressive list of species which include the
black-winged stilt and black-tailed godwit.’ Mum and dad both take an active role in the incubation process,
sharing the responsibility of brooding the eggs, swapping over every
couple of hours. Hetty Grant, Warden, said: ‘The cranes have done well to protect the
eggs from the cold, wet weather we have had this spring. Staff and
volunteers monitored the cranes and their nest, this meant we could
glean insight into some of their most secret behaviours, ensure that
they weren’t disturbed, and react quickly to prevent the nest from
flooding.’ In recent years crane sightings have become more regular at WWT
Welney as the Fens population increases and begins to expand across the
region. Up to 30 cranes gathered in a post-breeding flock last
autumn, feeding on the Ouse Washes right in front of the birdwatching
hides. This may mean that the family group will stay close to the
wetlands at WWT Welney even after the chicks have fledged.
Scottish Wildcat Action report theft and vandalism of conservation
equipment to Police - Scottish Wildcat Action An investigation is currently underway into vandalism and the theft
of property belonging to Scottish Wildcat Action in Aberdeenshire’s
Clashindarroch Forest, near Huntly. On Wednesday 27 March 2018 Scottish Wildcat Action contacted Police
Scotland after finding evidence that several of its trail cameras had
been vandalised or stolen as well as the theft of valuable information.
The project also discovered evidence that a cage trap (inactive at the
time) used for the live humane trapping (for neutering and health
screening) of feral and obviously hybridised cats, had been vandalised. This was discovered by staff and volunteers during routine visits to
wildlife monitoring sites that are part of a winter wildlife survey,
undertaken with all appropriate licenses from Scottish Natural Heritage
(SNH) and access permission from Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS). The
various incidents took place between 1 March and 27 March in
Clashindarroch Forest, near Huntly. Anyone who may have witnessed anything is asked to contact Police
Scotland quoting reference number 2301 of 27 March. Alternatively anyone
can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. SWA Priorities Area Manager, Dr Roo Campbell, commented: “We are
extremely disappointed by what has happened in Clashindarroch. Our
conservation work is crucial to the continued survival of the critically
endangered Scottish wildcat. Those responsible have not only damaged our
equipment and robbed the project of vital scientific information but
they have also curtailed work crucial to the conservation of the
Scottish wildcat. “What is particularly disappointing is the theft
of our volunteers’ information. We have nearly 50 local people
generously giving their time to help the project and they are devastated
that their hard work has been stolen. We would appeal to anyone with
information to get in touch with the Police.”
DNA breakthrough for wildlife crime -
Scottish Government Recovery of human DNA to help solve bird of prey offences. Wildlife crime investigations could be supported by new research into
retrieving human DNA found at the scene, even days after the incident
has taken place. The research was initiated by the Partnership for Action Against
Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland and carried out by the Scottish Police
Authority’s (SPA) Forensic Services, the Scottish Government and the
University of Strathclyde. It found DNA can be traced on traps
that have been outside for at least 10 days, and from rabbit baits and
bird carcasses at crime scenes after at least 24 hours. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham, who is also chair of PAW
Scotland, said: “Poisoning, trapping and shooting are all methods used
to illegally target birds of prey, however investigations can often be
hampered by a lack of evidence. This new research will unlock the
potential of using DNA profiles to track criminals and could play a
crucial role in helping secure convictions for wildlife crime. We
continue to prioritise wildlife crime and are working to develop new
ways to protect our precious birds of prey, including through a new
wildlife crime detective post at Police Scotland HQ and a new team of
special constables to tackle rural crime in the Cairngorms National
Park.” Steven Ferguson, Lead Forensic Scientist at SPA Forensic Services,
said: “This exciting research in support of tackling wildlife crime
demonstrates that DNA profiles can be obtained from items exposed to the
elements in Scotland's sometimes harsh climate. In recent years,
over £6 million has been invested in new forensic capability in Scotland
including DNA24, robotics and powerful software to successfully obtain
DNA profiles in support of the Scottish justice system. The research
undertaken by PAW has demonstrated that these same techniques, used in
crimes ranging from housebreaking to murder, can also be used to
identify those involved in persecuting birds of prey.”
Mysterious mushroom mixture set to boost reforestation of the Highlands
- Trees for Life In an innovative trial beginning this spring, Trees for Life will
harness the power of local mushrooms to boost reforestation at its
Dundreggan Conservation Estate in Glenmoriston near Loch Ness. The
conservation charity’s experts and volunteers are to introduce a special
mix of spores collected from mushrooms on the Highland estate when
planting native trees on the hills and when growing seedlings in
Dundreggan’s tree nursery during this spring. A pinch of the black
granules containing the spores will be added to the planting holes of
20,000 trees in one section of the estate, and will also be applied to a
selection of seedlings.
The
results of this trial will be monitored to see if treating selected
trees and seedlings in this way improves their growth and decreases the
need for fertiliser application. It is hoped the trees will have greater
resistance to drought and heat, and protection against pests. Trees for Life's mysterious mushroom mixture
(image: Trees for Life) “In tough, windswept environments such as those where we plant, newly
planted trees need all the help they can get – especially in their early
years. This magical mushroom mixture could speed up the return of the
Caledonian Forest and its wildlife,” said Doug Gilbert, Trees for Life’s
Operations Manager at Dundreggan. Natural forest soils are full of these important fungi. But in very deforested areas such as the Highlands, forests still containing mushrooms are rare, small or fragmented, and are often separated by huge swathes of farmland and moorland. This means it can take years for fungi spores to land in the right place by newly planted trees – by which time the trees may be stunted or dead. Last autumn, the first batch of a new mycorrhizal fungi treatment was made containing 59 species collected from the old-growth forests at Dundreggan by expert Jacob Whitson. Commercially available mycorrhizal treatments for trees are usually made from only a few mushroom species that may not be adapted to conditions in Scotland
Scientific publications Bauer, S., Lisovski, S., Eikelenboom-Kil, R.J.F.M., Shariati, M. &
Nolet, B.A. (2018)
Shooting may aggravate rather than alleviate conflicts between migratory
geese and agriculture. Journal of Applied Ecology.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13152
Louis G. O'Neill, Timothy H. Parker, Simon C. Griffith Nest size is predicted by female identity and the local environment in the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), but is not related to the nest size of the genetic or foster mother R. Soc. open sci. 2018 5 172036; DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172036.
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