Scottish Natural Heritage
Science Newsletter
Issue 15 – March 2016
_________________________________________________________
In this issue:











Page
Welcome from the Chair
Understanding Predation Report – a ‘turning point’
in developing a shared understanding of predation
Atlas of Living Scotland
European workshop on river hydromorphology
Latest seabird Indicator for Scotland published
Crop Wild Relatives – further coverage
Commissioned Research Reports
Conferences and meetings
Appointments
SNH Staff profile
SAC Expert panel member
1
2
2
3
4
4
5
6
6
6
7
8
Welcome from the Scientific
Advisory Committee Chair
Understanding Predation
Report – a ‘turning’ point in
developing a shared
understanding of predation
Bob Furness
Welcome to the SNH Science Newsletter
Issue 15. In the previous newsletter I noted
the great success of the SNH postgraduate
student conference held in Edinburgh last
autumn. The prize for the best student
presentation at that conference was
awarded to Janet Maclean for her talk on
biodiversity consequences of rhododendron
control. Janet’s PhD is funded by SNH with
Jeanette Hall as supervisor, partnered by
the James Hutton Institute and University of
Aberdeen. Subsequently, Janet has also
won the Anne Keymer prize of the British
Ecological Society for the best paper by a
postgraduate at their annual conference.
This is a highly competitive award and is a
great recognition of the quality of Janet’s
work. Many congratulations to Janet and to
Jeanette. I’d also like to pick out recent
outstanding work by many SNH staff, but
especially our Marine Unit, in progressing
marine MPAs, SPAs, and SACs. These last
few weeks I’ve been to meetings in
Inverness, Battleby, Edinburgh and London
over the challenging science issues
underpinning the new designations, and
look forward to a quieter period in the future!
But the quality of the science behind this
work is fundamental to its success and staff
have worked extremely hard to get us to
where we are now.
Jessica Findlay
The Understanding Predation Report was
launched by the Environment Minister, Dr
Aileen Macleod MSP, on 8th February 2016
at Battleby. The report brings together, for
the first time, stakeholder knowledge and
scientific understanding of predation. SNH
Chair Ian Ross and Moorland Forum Chair
Lord Lindsay praised the uniquely
collaborative project, and commented that
the report represented a ‘major step forward
towards building consensus on predation
issues’.
The project originated from the need to
address polarised views around predation
causing tension and conflict. The Scottish
Government asked SNH to work with
Scotland’s Moorland Forum to develop the
project in 2014. The work was carried out by
a Research Group comprised of the
universities of Aberdeen and Stirling, the
British Trust for Ornithology, and the Centre
for Ecology and Hydrology. The whole
project was completed within a year – a very
challenging time frame. The project had high
profile support from Ministers and Scottish
Government officials.
The report synthesises data on population
changes and drivers, and management
options. It focuses on six bird species
(lapwing, oystercatcher, grey partridge,
black grouse, curlew and golden plover),
and four predators (fox, crow, raven and
buzzard).
The
report
summarises
information from the BTO/BirdWatch
Ireland/SOC 2007-11 Bird Atlas, and
knowledge from over 400 stakeholders.
Stakeholder knowledge was divided into
what favoured local knowledge and that
which favoured scientific knowledge, and
was garnered via questionnaires, workshops
and seminars.
The report shows widespread declines in
the six focal wild bird prey species across
Scotland since the 1960s. Populations of
2
buzzard, carrion/hooded crow, raven and
red fox were believed to have increased by
stakeholders. This concurred with Atlas
data, with the exception of crows which
showed a decrease. One likely reason was
the different geographic scales and
locations in which stakeholders experienced
the species. Those who favoured local
knowledge
believed
that
predator
populations had increased significantly more
than those who favoured scientific
knowledge. (See Figure 1).
issued and three stakeholder seminars were
held. Generally there was support for the
project- both its approach and content. The
process was seen as important as the
output.
The launch emphasised that the work has
only just started. On the 3rd May
stakeholders will participate in a seminar to
discuss practical partnership outputs and
actions. Ideas have already been raised
through an on-line survey. These will be
discussed further along with other
opportunities for future collaborative work.
Atlas of Living Scotland
Ed Mackey
Atlas of Living Scotland is the new on-line
gateway to wildlife discovery, notably but not
only for habitats and species. It selects
species open source data for Scotland from
the National Biodiversity Network and
associated
spatial
information
about
Scotland’s land, fresh waters and seas from
other open sources. The Atlas model,
developed in Australia, is designed to be
flexible and scalable for adoption elsewhere,
including by France and Spain. Scotland
has spearheaded the approach in the UK,
which is now being taken up elsewhere.
Being intuitive and easy to use, Atlas of
Living Scotland, linked to Scotland’s
Environment web, is a leap forward in
accessing,
combining,
viewing
and
analysing biodiversity information according
to user-defined interests.
Figure 1: Graph showing comparison of
Atlas and stakeholder data on changes in
abundance for the six prey species and
four predator species
All stakeholder groups strongly agreed there
is an urgent need to deal with the decline in
waders and gamebirds. Predator control and
habitat management were believed to play a
role in protecting wild bird species. Those
who favoured local knowledge tended to
believe predator control was the most
effective tool, whereas those looking to
science favoured habitat management. The
interactions between predator control and
habitat management were recognised.
The initial development phase 2015-16 – a
partnership between Scottish Natural
Heritage,
the
Scottish
Environment
Protection Agency and the National
Biodiversity
Network
–
is
nearing
completion. The forthcoming launch is
scheduled to take place during Scotland’s
Nature Festival on the afternoon of Friday
27 May at the Royal Botanic Gardens of
Edinburgh. Details will be announced in due
course.
Gaps in knowledge were documented
during the project. These included the size,
movements and ecological impacts of nonbreeding
components
of
predator
populations, the impacts of protected
predator species and drivers of illegal
behaviour regarding management of
protected species.
Good communications were at the heart of
the project. An ’Understanding Predation’
blog provided regular updates and the
opportunity to comment, newsletters were
3
many people feel the time is right to make
changes to reflect these developments. As
the Convenor of the CEN working group
leading
the
development
of
hydromorphological standards I held the
workshop to canvass views from a wide
range of users around Europe.
European workshop on river
hydromorphology, Silvan
House, 23-24 February 2016
Phil Boon
In Britain the environmental regulators
(SEPA, EA, and NRW - who have
responsibilities for monitoring under the
WFD) are especially keen for the standard
to be amended, and at the workshop in
Edinburgh representatives from SEPA and
the EA joined with 20 others from mainland
Europe to make their views known. The
event was not only well attended but
engendered lively debate and enthusiastic
participation. The degree of interest in the
event strained the capacity of the Silvan
House meeting room to the limit, with
scientists
and
policy
makers
from
universities,
research
institutes
and
environmental bodies in 10 countries taking
part: Austria, France, Germany, Hungary,
Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of
Ireland, Slovakia and the UK as well as a
representative
of
the
European
Commission, based at their Joint Research
Centre in Ispra, Italy.
On 23rd and 24th February a group of
European experts met at Silvan House to
discuss how to assess the hydromorphology
of rivers. ‘Hydromorphology’ refers to a
river’s physical habitat, flow regime and
degree of connectivity along its length, and
is one of the attributes that has to be
assessed for the EC Water Framework
Directive.
The workshop was held under the banner of
CEN – the European Committee for
Standardization
–
an
organisation
responsible for developing and publishing
standards on a wide range of environmental
monitoring methods. The first standard on
river hydromorphology was published in
2004 and provides guidance on which
features to assess and how to assess them;
the second (2010) sets out a procedure for
determining
how
far
these
hydromorphological features are from being
‘near-natural’.
The next step is to reflect on the results of
the workshop when the annual meeting of
the CEN working group is held next month.
We can then agree the process for revising
the standard and publishing a new version.
Latest seabird indicator for
Scotland published
Simon Foster and Glen Tyler
Scotland’s breeding seabirds are of
international importance. Over the past two
decades, there have been large declines in
the numbers of some of our breeding
seabirds. Notably black-legged kittiwake
and Arctic skua, whose northern isles
strongholds have declined by more than
90% in some cases.
The first standard was recently added to
Annex V of the Water Framework Directive
(WFD) but it needs to be reviewed and
revised to bring it up to date. Since it was
published
much
has
happened
in
hydromorphology, not least the appointment
of fluvial geomorphologists to the staff of the
environment agencies in the UK and
elsewhere. Other areas, too, such as the
use of new remote sensing techniques,
have moved on so it is not surprising that
The latest seabird indicator for Scotland
published
(http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/B424907.pdf)
reveals a decline of 38% compared to the
4
Crop Wild Relatives – further
coverage
numbers in 1986. Breeding success, the
numbers of chicks produced, has also
shown a decline.
Cecile Smith
The numbers and breeding success of
seabirds in Scotland, 1986-2014
140
120
Last December we published a story about
Crop Wild Relatives following a journal
article of which we are one of the coauthors. This work was picked up by the EC
and mentioned in their Science for
Environment
Policy
newsletter
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/r
esearch/newsalert/pdf/wild_plant_conservati
on_efforts_benefit_farming_food_security_4
47na2_en.pdf?dm_t=0,0,0,0,0,
Seabird numbers
100
Index 1986 = 100%
80
60
40
1986
140
120
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
as well as the IUCN March newsletter
(bottom of page) http://iucn-email.org/2GI3NPUB-32/sv.aspx.
It is great that this work getting such
widespread coverage.
Breeding success
100
80
60
40
1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
NOTE: The axes are not scaled to zero
Year
The most recent years show an apparent
slowing in rate of decline. It is though still
too early to say whether this will continue.
Understanding these declines is part of
ongoing research. Studies have pointed
towards changes in sandeel availability – a
key food source for many seabirds; winter
storm frequency – particularly affecting
shags; climate change; and changes to
fisheries.
The data collected by the volunteers and
other organisations such as Centre for
Ecology and Hydrology and RSPB are vital
to improving our understanding. Their data
contribute to the Seabird Monitoring
Programme (SMP), which SNH is a partner
of
http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-1550).
Collectively the information provides an
essential source of evidence into what is
happening to our seabirds.
To improve our confidence in the trends
periodic censuses are organised. The last
such census was completed in 2000. Over
the next few summers the aim of the
Seabird Monitoring Programme partners is
to census all of the seabirds around UK and
Ireland.
5
Commissioned Research
Reports
cumulative impacts of wildlife crime and
wind farm mortality
Kamila Fraser
Information: kamila.fraser@snh.gov.uk
Reports published recently
Conferences and meetings
The following SNH Commissioned Research
Reports have been published in the last few
months. All are on the SNH website and
searchable at:
11-13 April 2016, Cambridge
Joint British Ecological Society and
Cambridge
Conservation
Initiative
Annual Symposium – Making a difference
in conservation: Improving the links between
ecological research, policy and practice.
Further details:
http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/event
s/current_future_meetings/2016-annualsymposium/
http://www.snh.gov.uk/publications-dataand-research/publications/search-thecatalogue/
CR786
report
Scottish saltmarsh survey national
CR884 An update of the review on the
impacts of piscivorous birds on salmonid
populations and game fisheries in Scotland
21-22
May,
Levenhall
Musselburgh, East Lothian
CR889 Bean geese on the Slamannan
Plateau: Monitoring report for 2013/2014
Links,
Scotland’s Big Nature Festival. With a
range of activities and workshops including
bird ringing, pond dipping and bug hunting
the festival has something for all the family.
Further details:
http://bignaturefestival.org.uk/
CR892 Geological and geomorphological
features of SSSIs contributing to the MPA
network in Scotland’s seas
CR896 Islay barnacle goose roost survey
2013/2014
Appointments
CR899 Simulation study to inform the
design of wildcat camera trap monitoring
protocols
Professor Colin Campbell has been
appointed CEO of James Hutton Institute.
Prof. Campbell has been interim Chief
Executive since September.
CR901 A national freshwater pearl mussel
(Margaritifera margaritifera, L.) survey of
Scotland
Janet
Maclean
from
JHI/Aberdeen
University recently won the Anne Keymer
prize for the best oral presentation by a
postgraduate student at the BES Annual
Meeting. Janet previously won the prize for
best student presentation at the SNH
Ecology, Environment and Conservation
conference held at the RSE in October
2015.
CR903 Black guillemot (Cepphus grylle)
tracking in Orkney, 2013 and 2014
CR908 Basking shark satellite tagging
project: insights into basking shark
(Cetorhinus
maximus)
movement,
distribution and behaviour using satellite
telemetry - final report
Congratulations to John Birks and Xavier
Lambin made fellows of the Royal Society
of Edinburgh. John supports our rare plant
conservation work, and Xavier is a member
of our Expert SAC Panel.
Reports reviewed recently
CR904 Population modelling of North
Scotland red kites in relation to the
6
Des Thompson has been elected second
term Chair of the UN Convention on
Migratory Species Raptor MoU Technical
Advisory Group.
and encourage farmers to mitigate against
and adapt to climate change. Jenny’s team
is also involved in supporting organic
farming, working with colleagues to improve
public access and developing Scotland’s
Natural Larder and greater links with the
food industry.
Prof. Duncan Wingham has been
reappointed as Chief Executive of the
Natural Environment Research Council.
Jenny first started work for SNH in 2000
and, together with Roger Burton, drafted the
Natural Care Strategy, which became the
SNH’s strategic approach to the successful
management of designated sites over the
next 6-7 years. At one point, the scheme
could lay claim to the engagement of more
than 90% of land managers on some sites
such as the Lewis peatlands and the Forest
of Clunie in Perthshire.
SNH Staff Profile
Jenny Johnson
Jenny works as the Rural Resources Team
Leader within SNH and is based at their
office in Stirling. She and her team advise
on programme and scheme policy and
delivery, more broadly, on wider agricultural
policy, rural development and food policy. A
key focus in the last few years has been the
development of the agri-environment
scheme for Scotland within the Scotland
Rural Development Programme (SRDP).
Jenny has a first degree from Edinburgh
University in Ecological Sciences and is a
Chartered Forester by profession. Jenny
studied resource economics at Honours
level and her subsequent masters research
was a study of forestry, employment and
rural depopulation in Snowdonia National
Park, whilst based at the University of North
Wales at Bangor. Her real desire was to
work overseas and, after Wales, she
headed out to Lesotho to work on a
community forest project there for the next
15 months. This was followed by a whistlestop tour of work on forestry projects in
Swaziland, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya,
Zimbabwe and Tanzania, under the
Overseas Development Administration (now
DFID).
Jenny’s involvement in SRDP began in
2006. A principal objective, at the time, was
the transfer of SNH’s programme of
Management Agreements, under Natural
Care, into SRDP. The work has grown
greatly since then to encompass many more
areas of SNH’s priorities, with a very high
level of engagement by staff across the
organisation. The current £350 million AgriEnvironment Climate Scheme (AECS),
launched
in
2015,
promotes
land
management practices which not only
protect and enhance Scotland’s natural
heritage and help deliver the 2020
Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity, but
improve water quality, manage flood risk
Her focus on research was long term site
productivity under fast growing trees in the
tropics, which was carried out in conjunction
with Oxford University over the next two
years. Once based back in the UK she
continued on this path but on a slightly
different tack, researching fiscal measures
and forestry at Cambridge University; and
following this with research for NERC on the
socio-economic impact of farm forestry in
the central belt of Scotland. From there, and
between 1988 and 1992, she was Lecturer
in Resource Economics and Management at
the University of Edinburgh, before moving
faculty and department to complete a PhD in
Social Anthropology.
7
A move back into a job in the academic
sector was not going to be immediate, nor
was it straightforward to combine social and
environmental elements, despite the fact
that this seems so obvious today. So,
Jenny took another direction. She started
work as an independent consultant, working
with and for a range of third sector and
private organisations, including: the Société
Générale de Surveillance ; Organisation for
Economic Development and Co-operation;
Just World Partners; Corrom Trust; Forest
Stewardship Council; and the Royal Institute
of Chartered Surveyors.
SAC Expert Panel member Profile
Stuart Gibb
Professor Stuart Gibb is Director of the
Environmental Research Institute at the
North Highland College of the University of
the Highlands and Islands (UHI) where he is
a leading professor in Environmental
Sciences.
Jenny has recently stepped down as Editor
of Scottish Forestry, a role she undertook for
9 years for the Royal Scottish Forestry
Society. She is pursuing her interest in
community projects however, as a nonexecutive Director of Beechbrae - a newly
established Social Enterprise that is based
around woodland enterprises at Beechbrae
Wood in Blackridge, West Lothian.
Stuart grew up in Aberdeenshire, Scotland
and studied in Aberdeen, and at the
University of East Anglia in England. Prior
to joining the UHI, he has worked with the
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, University of
East Anglia and British Antarctic Survey,
including participation on national and
international research programmes in
Antarctica, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans
and the Mediterranean and Northern Seas.
Stuart joined the North Highland College
(NHC) to establish the Environmental
Research Institute (ERI), a Centre which
now employs almost 40 staff and research
students. He is committed to instigating and
developing
research
that
addresses
contemporary environmental issues; a
portfolio that is currently focused on the
priorities of ‘Renewable Energy and the
Environment’, ‘Carbon water and Climate’
and ‘Environmental Contamination and
Ecological Health’.
Stuart is Deputy Chair of the Peatlands
Partnership and Chair of Scientific Research
and Monitoring Panel for European Offshore
Wind Deployment Centre and working
Groups. He has also just been appointed as
a member of the Flow Country River Trust.
He has published articles in around 20
different peer reviewed journals on topics
ranging from marine biogeochemistry and
environmental analytical chemistry to water
remediation; and from coral reef ecology to
8
climate change in mountain environments.
He
has
active
collaborations
and
partnerships that span from SMEs and
stakeholders in the region to universities
and research institutes across the UK,
Europe, North America and Asia.
He has also had the opportunity to work as
an advisor and reviewer for national
agencies
such
as
the
Scottish
Environmental Protection Agency and
Scottish
Natural
Heritage
as
well
organisations from further afield including
Research Council of Norway and NASA in
the USA. And has extensive experience of
leading and participating in EU programmes.
As well as holding Chartered Chemist and
Chartered Scientist status, Stuart holds
Visiting Professorial appointments with the
East China University of Science and
Technology in Shanghai and at the
Changsha University of Science and
Technology in Hunan Province of China. He
is also a fellow of both the Royal Society of
Chemistry and the Higher Education
Academy.
SNH Science newsletter
Editor: Lynne Clark, lynne.clark@snh.gov.uk
9