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scrrScottish Consortiumfor Rural Research
www.scrr.ac.uk
AS YOU WILL know, Prof Stuart Monroretired from his role as SCRR’sscientific director in November 2018.Stuart’s shoes are large ones to fill. Iam genuinely honoured to take on therole following his retirement and thankhim for all his achievements in creatingsuch a strong network.
My passion is to make a differenceby mobilising science for social,economic and environmental benefit. I am driven by the recognition ofdiversity in all its forms, including:geographical, geological, human,social, environmental, economic, aswell as the richness of biodiversity,flora and fauna that surround us on adaily basis.
Recognising this diversity requiresinclusive approaches to inquiry: in howwe think; how we meet and interactwith one another; how we work, bysharing thoughts openly and withcuriosity across disciplines; creatinglinks between science and practice
through new and unexpectedpartnerships; and forging comfortableand less comfortable alliances for thegreater good of society.
An inclusive approach is alsogeographic, with a thirst for embracingScotland’s diversity and richness – fromShetland to Stranraer and all that sits inbetween: the people, landscapes,ecosystems and environments.
Being inclusive also means seekingout the invisible and making it visible;being constant in our endeavours to berigorous, exhaustive and representativein our science, as well as making ourwork accessible for all.
Knowing the foundations andpartnership ethos of SCRR, plus itsrich and diverse membership, I amthrilled at the prospect ofstrengthening our inclusive approachto sharing science to make adifference. I genuinely look forward toworking with you all across Scotland tosupport this collective endeavour.
About SCRR
THE SCOTTISH CONSORTIUMFOR RURAL RESEARCH exists to promote sharing of ideas andtechniques among a group oforganisations active in researchinto land, freshwater, coastal andmarine resources, and their uses.
Our member organisations havebases throughout Scotland andare at work all over the world:details on the back page.
This issue in places
Sri Lanka and southern India arehome to the true cardamom plant,Elettaria cardamomum – page 2
Urdaibai biosphere reservein northern Spain hosted experts onforests as a source of human healthand wellbeing – page 3
Western Scotland’s MarineProtected Areas will benefit from anew monitoring regime – page 8
The Isle of May in the Firth ofForth was where a ten-year study ofseabird diets took place – page 9
The northern Adriatic was the location of a detailed study ofdolphin behaviour – page 9
Forests can begood for you
A European initiativelooks at the benefits ofwooded places
Report by Forest Research 3
Seabirds choosea new diet
What happens whenclimate change makesthe sand eels disappear
Report by CEH 9
Tackling a deadly invasion
How novel methodshave helped to stop thespruce bark beetle
Report by BioSS 5
Light pollutionand wildlife
New study to see howanimals are affected bya lack of darkness
Report by University of Glasgow 11
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Making a differenceProf Sarah Skerratt, the new scientific director of SCRR, explains her beliefthat inclusivity is the key to working effectively
A billion-dollarcure for pigs
The gene-editingtechnique that couldprevent a killer virus
Report by Roslin Institute 10
Above: phyto-plankton bloomoff the coast of Scotland, May 2008
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Members’ reportsRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
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Review of biological recording infrastructure in Scotland
CARDAMOM IS PRIZED as a culinarystaple around the world, and it mighthave been thought there was little newto say about it. Yet new molecularevidence shows that several plantsthat had been thought to belong in thesame genus, Elettaria, are not reallycardamom as we know it.
Aromatic and enticing, the highly appreciated green cardamom –Elettaria cardamomum (Zingiberaceae)– has been cultivated for millennia intropical countries and used to enhancedishes as varied as Swedish buns andIndian biryanis. It is the third most
expensive spice, after saffronand vanilla, and therefore ofconsiderable economicimportance. The species isthe ‘type’ or reference point ofa genus thought until now toinclude 10 species distributed inIndia, Sri Lanka, peninsularMalaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.
MSc projects at Royal BotanicGarden Edinburgh (RBGE) and theNatural History Museum, Oslo, andlater in association with HerbariumBogoriense, Indonesia and SarawakForest Department, Malaysia, set out
to include molecular methods to test ifthe cardamom genus, Elettaria, is anatural group. The ambition was todemonstrate a robust model for theanalysis of the spice allegedlytransported by the Vikings from theend of the Silk Road to Scandinavia. In a bid to get as many samples aspossible, the seven authors, led byAxel Dalberg Poulsen of RBGE,collected specimens from sourcesranging from botanic gardens to spice shops and plantations duringfieldwork in SE Asia.
Samples from Sri Lanka showedthe true green cardamom, but othersfrom Malaysia and Indonesia failed togroup with this. What is more, a thirdcluster of samples representing plantsexhibited for more than 50 years inbotanic gardens, thought to becardamom because of the smell of theleaves, were found to represent anunrelated branch of the ginger family,undetected for so long because theynever flowered.
The study concludes that Elettariais confined to India and Sri Lanka,possibly including three species.
‘The research helps make sense onsome interesting quandaries,’
explained Dr Poulsen. ‘It hadstirred our curiosity for a
while that people inMalaysia and Indonesiaappeared uninterested inusing cardamom. This solves the riddle: theplants look the same, but
are tasteless and unrelated.These species will now be
placed in a separate newgenus, Sulettaria. The good news
is that green cardamom remainsuntouched and as pleasant as ever.’
For further information, please contactShauna Hay on 0131 248 2900 orSandra Donnelly on 0131 248 1037.
Left: an example of Elettariacardamomum inKerala, India
Below: harvestedcardamom pods
Sorting the spice rack: thecardamom conundrumA research collaboration involving RBGE has shown that not all varieties of cardamom are what they seem...
THE SCOTTISH BIODIVERSITYInformation Forum (SBIF) is across-sectoral group ofstakeholders concerned withbiodiversity information andbiological recording in Scotland andincludes both government and non-government organisations.
It has recently conducted areview of biological recordinginfrastructure in Scotland,commissioned following the letter of
December 14th, 2010 from thecabinet secretary to the BiodiversityScience Sub-Group in response tothe issues raised in Public PetitionPE1229. Full details can be foundat https://nbn.org.uk/about-us/where-we-are/in-scotland/the-sbif-review/ and the finalrecommendations are available inthe attached report.
An effective biologicalrecording infrastructure would
facilitate the biodiversity evidence base necessary for environmentaldecision-making, from land use andplanning through to climate changemitigation, species and habitatprotection and management ofScotland’s natural capital.
The SBIF hopes that theimplementation of the report’srecommendations will provide data-users and decision-makers with suchan evidence base.
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The group’s most recent meetingwas in June 2018 (in the BiosphereReserve of Urdaiabai near Bilbao,Spain) and was attended by 15 expertswho worked to confirm the scope andcontent of the review. Once complete,the knowledge, experience and bestpractice it uncovers will be presented
at a workshop in Vienna to FORESTEUROPE signatories and observers.
Please see: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/contribution-forests-human-health-and-well-being/For more details contact Liz O’Brien,[email protected]
How forests contribute to our health and well-beingForest Research has joined a European initiative that seeks to bettter understand the benefits of wooded spaces
SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SHOWS thatforests can have a significant impacton human health. For example, visitsto forests can lower blood pressureand pulse rates, and reduce cortisollevels. They can also improve people’smental, social and physical wellbeing.However, evidence of these benefits isscattered across many sources and isnot properly understood as a whole.
Recently, Forest Research’s Liz O’Brien was invited to become amember of an expert group concernedwith forests, human health and wellbeing’ within FOREST EUROPE. This initiative aims to shape a futurewhere forests contribute effectively tohuman wellbeing, a healthy environmentand economic development in Europeand across the globe.
Demographic change, modernlifestyles and increasing urbanisationmake development of policies whichenhance the contribution of forests tohealth of increasing importance. An important task of the Forests andHuman Health and Wellbeing expertgroup is to collate and review theexisting scientific evidence publishedin Europe on forests and theircontribution to human health andwellbeing. The review will bringtogether evidence in research papers,project outcomes, best practices, andsurveys in these fields.
PROFESSOR CHRIS QUINE has beenappointed as the new chief scientist atForest Research (FR), Great Britain’sprincipal organisation for forestry andtree-related research.
The chief scientist overseesstrategic research at FR to ensure thatit provides the scientific knowledgeand expertise required by itscustomers, and that advice topolicymakers and practitioners isbased on good science and soundevidence. As a member of FR’sExecutive Board, Chris will shareaccountability for the performance ofthe agency and will play an active rolein the continuing professionaldevelopment of FR’s scientific andtechnical staff. He will also contribute
to the formulation and implementationof the Forestry Commission’s policiesand objectives.
Prof Quine said: ‘I am honoured tobe chosen to lead FR’s scientific andtechnical work at a time of transitionand new opportunity, and to supportour role as interface between the tree,woodland and forestry sector andwider academia.’
Chris remains Head of FR’sNorthern Research Station in Roslin andwill continue to be involved in SCRRand in the Directorate of the ScottishGovernment’s Plant Health Centre.
For details, see www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/forest-research-appoints-new-chief-scientist/
Forest Research appoints new chief scientist
Chris Quine with Marilyn Headley, CEO ofJamaica’s Forestry Department
A family outing inthe Forest of Dean
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Members’ reportsForest Research
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THERE IS INCREASING interest inunderstanding, valuing and supportingthe variety of ecosystem services thatforests and woodlands can provide inthe United Kingdom. These servicesinclude the capture and storage ofcarbon, the interception of rainwater,and the provision of wellbeing benefits.
Landowners and land managerscan play an important role in thedelivery of forest ecosystem servicesthrough active woodland managementand woodland creation, sounderstanding the mechanisms thatcould be used to encourage landmanagement activities that supportthis delivery is inportant.
In a newly published report, Liz O’Brien and Bianca Ambrose-Oji of Forest Research, along withresearchers from the Sylva Foundationand the University of Oxford, explainresearch investigating land managers’understanding of payments forecosystem services – that is, marketmechanisms to support delivery ofecosystem services – as well as theiruse of formal and informal networks to
support decision-making, and theways in which they learn from others.The research found that many landmanagers were not familiar with theterm ‘ecosystem services’ or theconcept of payments for ecosystemservices. However, they did oftenrecognise that their woodlands couldprovide a range of benefits to society.
Land managers use a range offormal and informal networks tosupport their decision-making.
Important networks are those relatedto place (in particular, those in theirimmediate locality); networks related towoodland management, includingassociated institutions; and networksrelated to social and personal identity.
Learning is important in changingindividual and group behaviours,whether it is on an individual basis orthrough others – known as ‘sociallearning’. Social learning is an
important consideration in landmanagement where new schemes,particularly those associated withpayments for ecosystem services, mayrely on landscape-scale andcommunity-scale change.
The research concluded thatpayments for ecosystem services,networks and social learning could behelpful approaches when used toencourage greater woodlandmanagement and woodland creationand the delivery of forest ecosystemservices. These could be consideredindependently or in varyingcombinations as part of a multi-facetedapproach. The research emphasisedthe importance of understanding andengaging with land managers toinvolve them in the design of the mixof approaches that might be used.
Please see: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/exploring-land-manager-views-payments-ecosystem-services-networks-and-learning/For more details contact Liz O’Brien,[email protected]
How payments for ecosystem services couldencourage better woodland managementLiz O’Brien and Bianca Ambrose-Oji from Forest Research describe the background to a new study
Well-managedwoodland providesservices includingcarbon capture,flood mitigation andhealth benefits
‘Many land managers are not familiar with theterm ecosystem services, but recognise thattheir woodlands provide a range of benefits’
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BioSS
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INVASIVE NON-NATIVE SPECIES posea threat to ecosystems, economiesand in some cases human health. The great spruce bark beetle(Dendroctonus micans) is acommercially significant invasive pestof Scottish spruce trees, having arrivedin Scotland within the last decade.Spruce trees are present across mostof Scotland, so all regions of Scotlandare at some risk from the invasion.
Forestry Commission Scotland hasdeveloped a control policy which isdesigned to protect the economicallyimportant West of Scotland Pest FreeArea, whose pest-free status is criticalto continuation of the significant tradewith the island of Ireland.
The control policy involves releaseof a predator insect that reduceslosses of up to 10% to negligible levelsin infested commercial spruce stands.However, the predator must bedeployed into newly invaded stands tohave maximum effectiveness in termsof reducing further spread.
To do this requires being one stepahead of the pest, being able topredict where it will invade next.
Spread patterns for invasive speciescan be complex. The invasion wavefront can move forwards over time, butthere may also be infilling behind thefront and long-range jumps ahead ofthe front into new territory. Suchpatterns can be driven by landscape
Right: larva of thespruce bark beetle
Below: the browntop is indicative ofbeetle infestation
heterogeneities as well as humanmediated dispersal of the invader.
BioSS-led research in the ScottishGovernment‘s Strategic ResearchProgramme has resulted in novelmethods for predicting the spread ofpopulations across heterogeneouslandscapes based on reportedpresences of populations at givenlocations and times. Though thesemethods were initially applied toinvasive plant species, work withSRUC and a pilot study funded by thenewly established Plant Health Centredemonstrated the potential for themethods to be applied to data on thespread of D. micans.
This led Forestry CommissionScotland to fund a morecomprehensive and detailed study toinform its 2018 surveillance and controlprogramme for D. micans as it spreads
northward. The resulting predictions offuture spread of the pest can be usedto inform more effectiveimplementation of the ForestryCommission Scotland control policy.
The modelling methods that havebeen applied to D. micans also havethe potential to be applied to otherspecies spreading acrossheterogenous landscapes includingpests, pathogens and plants, andBioSS welcomes discussions regardingfurther applications.
Please contact Stephen Catterall,[email protected]
Predicting an invasion: the case ofthe great spruce bark beetleDr Stephen Catterall, researcher at BiOSS, describes how novel methods havebeen developed to track non-native tree pests
‘The modelling methodscould be applied to otherspecies spreading acrosslandscapes, including pests,pathogens and plants’
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IN NOVEMBER 2018, the CoastalForum and the Scottish Consortium forRural Research held a one-dayworkshop during the annual meeting ofthe Marine Alliance for Science andTechnology for Scotland (MASTS). The workshop brought togethercoastal scientists and rural researchersto provide an opportunity for newcollaborations and partnerships.
Coastal areas face complexchallenges and this was reflected inthe breadth of workshop presentations,ranging from Scotland’s upland beeffarmers to climate change impacts onVietnam’s vulnerable coastalcommunities. The final session was alively discussion about a coastalobservatory as a potential way toprovide and share data on coastalenvironmental change.
To view presentations and learn more,see: https://www.masts.ac.uk/annual-science-meeting/2018-workshops/the-changing-coast-sharing-knowledge-and-practice/
IntroductionWelcoming speakers and participants,Prof. Jim Hansom (GU) stressed thatstructuring the day into three sessions– ‘processes’, ‘management’ and‘future’ – while necessary, was notintended to limit or restrict theexchange between disciplines. Indeed,sharing knowledge and practicebetween often disparate and distantdisciplines is key to positioning societyto cope with coastal change.
Changes & ProcessesThe first session, Changes & Processes,was opened by Prof Stewart Angus(SNH), who questioned the evidenceabout whether sea level rise is the maincause of salt marsh erosion – an ideaat the heart of many coastalmanagement policies. In reality, groundwater forcing on the landward side ofsalt marsh is a major driver in somemarshes, whilst others can be seen tokeep pace with relative sea level rise.
Dr Dmitry Aleynik (SAMS)introduced the West Scottish CoastalModelling System (WeStCOMS). This fine-scale mapping tool providesfantastic imagery that shows the detailof currents around Scotland’s inlandwaters, an understanding that isbecoming increasingly necessary inplanning for marine economies, suchas aquaculture and renewable energydevelopment.
Valuable insights from the socialscience community were provided by
PROFESSOR SARAH SKERRATT tookup her new role as scientific director ofthe Scottish Consortium for RuralResearch in November 2018. ProfSkerratt is SRUC’s director of policyengagement and is also director of theRural Policy Centre, which provides theSecretariat to the Cross-Party Groupon Rural Policy.
This is a part-time appointmentand Professor Skerratt will continueher work within SRUC.
After completing a BSc (Hons) inGeography and Geology and an MA(Econ) in Development Studies at theUniversity of Manchester in 1987,Sarah went on to gain a PhD in SocialAnthropology and ResourceManagement at the University ofEdinburgh in 1995. Following a numberof posts as a research fellow andlecturer in various UK universities,Sarah joined SRUC in 2006 as a teamleader in rural society research.
Sarah was appointed as thePrincipal Investigator for the ScottishGovernment-commissioned five-yearresearch programme Governance andDecision-Making for Rural CommunityEmpowerment (2011-2016). In April2016, Prof Skerratt was invited onsecondment to Audit Scotland, to'rural-proof' their audit work, and isretained as their rural adviser.
In 2017, Prof Skerratt was electedFellow of the Royal Society of Arts(FRSA) in recognition of her work onrural policy and poverty. In 2018, inrecognition of her strategic thinking
and vision, Sarah was made a directorand member of SRUC's ExecutiveLeadership Team.
Sarah is regarded as anexceptional communicator, beingregularly invited to work both nationallyand internationally at senior levels withgovernments and parliaments,universities, private, public and thirdsector and development agencies.Sarah was on the Board of Directorsfor SRUC (2015-2018), Rural HousingScotland (2014-2018) and ScotlandsRegeneration Forum (2015-2018) -being retained as policy adviser forRHS and SURF.
Professor Skerratt describesherself as passionate about connectingpeople, knowledge, experience,perspectives and methodologies togenerate an enhanced understandingof rural issues – across geographiesand disciplines. This approach hasunderpinned her research, as has hercommitment to knowledge exchangeand transdisciplinary research.
Professor Steven Yearley FRSE,chair of the SCRR ExecutiveCommittee, paid tribute to the work ofStuart Monro, the outgoing scientificdirector, who has served SCRR withcharm and keen insight; he extendedan enthusiastic welcome to ProfSkerratt who will lead the professionalorientation of the consortium into policyand social sciences.
Prof Skerratt with Prof Stuart Monro (left)and Prof Willie Donachie
New scientific director for the ScottishConsortium for Rural Research
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Dr Leslie Mabon (RGU), on the impactof a rapidly changing climate toVietnam’s vulnerable coastalcommunities. He pointed out thatwhile welcome, an ecosystem-basedapproach also needs to considerhuman wellbeing and social relations.Only by considering the human cost ofclimate change will culturallymeaningful practices in marginalisedsocieties be adopted and maintained.Prof. Robin Pakeman (JHI) wrapped upthe first session by introducing asubstantial data set that shows howScotland’s coastal vegetation haschanged over three decades. Arablefarming and nutrient enrichment havedriven substantial, negative changes inthe coastal vegetation of the Eastcoast, sharply contrasting with theWest coast, where traditional grazingon dune and machair habitats ishelping to protect floral diversity.
Management & AdaptationThe Management & Adaptation session began with an overview of theHumber flood and coast strategy. Dan Normandale (EA) summarised theEnvironment Agency’s plans to alignflood risk investment for infrastructure,with environmental improvements andeconomic growth. Given the size,complexity and importance of the
Humber, many lessons were on offerfor Scotland.
Dr Andrew Rella followed this bydemonstrating that innovative solutionsin coastal defences are availableusing ECOncrete to help reduce theecological footprint of ports andcoastal protection schemes.
Martin Laroche (UQAR) reflectedon the Coastal and Riverside Areaproject in Quebec and Ontario, whichis analysing the ability of adaptivegovernance to work with coastalmunicipalities to help overcome suchchallenges as erosion and flooding.
Mairi MacArthur (GU) providedinsights into the Hartlepool Headlandproject, describing how speciesabundance can be improved ifconstruction materials are designedwith increased surface roughness,allowing engineering structures tobetter match baseline biotopeconditions for several key species.
Way ForwardDr Alistair Rennie (SNH) opened the‘Way Forward’ session and brought usup to speed with the ScottishGovernment project ‘Dynamic Coast 1 & 2’. This path-breaking project hasdeveloped an online tool to identifypast erosion and growth rates, andshows potential future changes aroundScotland’s coastline that are key inputs
to effective planning decisions. Phase 2 is developing this further bydeveloping 3D models to informadaptation planning for coastalcommunities together with identifyingwhether certain levels of society will bemore heavily impacted by coastalclimate change than others.
Prof David McCracken (SRUC)went on to provide greaterunderstanding of the complexchallenges facing livestock farmingaround coastal Scotland; with lowproductivity and falling profitability insheep and beef farming, SRUC’s Hill &Mountain Research Centre are helpingto innovate and diversify into moresustainable and technology drivenpractices.
The GreenShores project wasintroduced by Dr Clare Maynard (St Andrews), highlighting her workwith community groups andschoolchildren to harvest, propagateand plant salt marsh; in doing soincreasing the flood and erosionresilience of valuable land. Clare wenton to feature Ben Taylor’s work, whichhas revealed that there may besubstantial blue carbon benefits to salt marsh restoration.
Dr David Green (UoA) ended thesession with an update on UnmannedAerial Vehicles, a rapidly advancingfield that is developing new andimproved methods to monitor, mapand model the coastal environment.
Coastal ObservatoryEileen Bresnan outlined MarineScotland’s (MS) Coastal Observatory,established in 1997 to provide abaseline for monitoring inshore coastalwaters and help track deviations fromnatural variability. This led todiscussion about a wider type ofcoastal observatory to include a widerange of coastal issues beyond the MS Coastal Observatory.
For example, Prof Stewart Angusargued there was an equally importantneed to monitor the terrestrial side ofthe coast. The coastline and itsseaward and landward boundaries willchange more than any other part ofScotland and an enhanced coastalobservatory would build on thesuccess of the Environmental ChangeNetwork and Dynamic Coast.
The changing coast: sharing knowledge and practiceA report on the Coastal Forum Workshop, supported by the Scottish Consortium for Rural Research, MASTS-ASM, Technology & Innovation Centre, Glasgow, 2nd November 2018
Tidal salt marsh atAberlady Bay NNR,East Lothian
scrr Newsletter 92 • Spring 2019
Members’ reportsScottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Natural Heritage
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Launch of project to safeguard the health andsustainability of our marine ecosystemThe Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) are taking part in a cross-border collaboration to improve monitoring of Marine Protected Areas off the west coast of Scotland
IN DECEMBER 2018, documentaryfilmmaker Doug Allan joined thelaunch event of a £6.4 millionenvironment project to inform andimprove management and monitoringof several Marine Protected Areas(MPAs) between Northern Ireland, theborders of the Republic of Ireland andWestern Scotland.
Doug, of whom David Attenboroughsaid: ‘Wildlife cameramen don’t comemuch more special than Doug,’provided an illustrated talk highlightingthe beauty and connectedness of themarine environment that the projectaims to conserve.
The Marine Protected AreaManagement and Monitoring(‘MarPAMM’) project includes SCRRmembers, the Scottish Association ofMarine Science (SAMS) and ScottishNatural Heritage (SNH). It is led andcoordinated by researchers from theAgri-Food and Biosciences Institute(AFBI) and involves seven leadingmarine research providers, forming a
Above: feeding timefor a sea scorpion(Taurulus bubalis).Below: an Atlanticbasking shark
the Department of Agriculture,Environment and Rural Affairs inNorthern Ireland and the Departmentof Housing, Planning and LocalGovernment in Ireland.
The investment will deliver modelsfor seabirds, benthic habitats, marinemammals and coastal processes, andwill culminate in the development of sixMPA management plans, including fournovel regional plans.
MarPAMM brings together expertsfrom Northern Ireland, Scotland andIreland to study a wide range of marinespecies and habitats, from the seabedto seabirds. The data will be used toproduce plans supporting theconservation of those marine species,their habitats and the widerenvironment, helping to safeguard thehealth and sustainability of our marineecosystem for future generations.
For further information, please contactDr Anuschka Miller, [email protected] or 07786 327780
cross-border collaboration networkdeveloping tools to protect vulnerablemarine habitats and species.
MarPAMM is supported by theEuropean Union’s INTERREG VAProgramme, managed by the SpecialEU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and by
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Dramatic changes found inseabirds’ winter food sourceDr Richard Howells of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrologydescribes the findings of a new study looking at the diet ofthe European shag in the Firth of Forth
THE AVAILABILITY OF a key prey forseabirds has changed dramaticallyover the past three decades,particularly in winter, with possibleconsequences for population numbers.In the first long-term study of its kind,researchers looking at the diet of aNorth Sea seabird, the European shag,found that the bird's food sources altersubstantially through the year.
The study of regurgitated pelletstook place over three decades at theIsle of May, Firth of Forth. When thestudy started in 1988, the shag's dietcomprised almost 100 per cent sandeel, but by 2014 this had fallen to just13 per cent and the number of preytypes had increased from six to 12.
Climate change may be animportant driver, since ocean warmingis having pronounced impacts onNorth Sea fish populations. Change indiet and availability of prey can bothaffect the survival rates of seabirds,and therefore populations, becausefood is a key determinant of their
changed over time. This studyaddresses key gaps in knowledge, notonly in understanding of how birds areresponding to the environmentalimpacts of climate change, but also ofthe factors underpinning the steepdeclines observed in many species.The overall picture for seabirds is amarked decline, particularly in speciesthat have relied upon sand eels.
European shags inthe North Sea
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biology, affecting their general healthand condition and consequently thenumber of chicks they raise.
The study, involving the Centre forEcology and Hydrology,Biomathematics and Statistics Scotlandand the University of Liverpool, wasfunded by the Natural EnvironmentResearch Council and has beenpublished in the journal Marine Biology.It demonstrated that the decline in sandeel frequency in the diet was moremarked during winter, when the majorityof seabird deaths occur. Therefore, thedietary patterns observed may havesubstantial implications for survival andmay be an important factor contributingto the declines observed in some UKseabird populations.
While previous research had beencarried out during summer, when birdsare at their nests and relatively easy toaccess, there had been limitedinformation regarding seabird dietduring the energetically challengingwinter months and how these have
DOLPHINS ARE CAREFUL about whothey are friends with and shun rivalgroups, according to new researchfrom an international team led by theUniversity of St Andrews. However,rival groups still managed to cooperateby sharing the sea, taking it in turns toinhabit particular areas.
The study investigated the socialnetworks of dolphins in the northernAdriatic Sea. It showed that dolphinsform distinct social groups, and somedon’t like each other.
It is widely known that dolphinsusually live in groups and in the caseof the common bottlenose dolphin, thecomposition of these groups changesoften, with members joining or leaving.However, these groups are notrandom. Rather, they form as a resultof individual dolphins preferring tospend time with individuals who couldbe described as their ‘best friends’.
The researchers, from theMorigenos Slovenian Marine MammalsSociety and the Sea MammalResearch Unit (SMRU) at the Universityof St Andrews, studied the dolphins ofthe Gulf of Trieste for more than 16years. They found that dolphin societyin the region comprised three distinctgroups: two large social groups withstable membership and long-lastingfriendships, and a smaller third group,
nicknamed ‘freelancers’, with weakerbonds and no long-lasting friendships.
The two large groups tended toavoid each other but did manage toshare particular areas of the sea, witheach group using them at differenttimes of the day. Such temporalpartitioning has not previously beendocumented in whales or dolphins, norin other mammals.
The study demonstrates howdifferent segments of the same animalpopulation may behave very differently.In turn they may react differently tohuman behaviour.
Behavioural and temporal partitioningof dolphin social groups in the northernAdriatic Sea by Tilen Genov et al,doi.org/10.1007/s00227-018-3450-8.For more information contact theCommunications Office at St Andrews,[email protected].
Dolphins pick their friends, shows St Andrews study
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Members’ reportsRoslin Institute; University of Edinburgh
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Gardens and allotments are havens for pollinating insectsA STUDY OF insects in urban greenspaces has identified ways in whichgardeners can encourage those thatfertilise plants and flowers, writes Prof Graham Stone of the School ofBiological Sciences, University ofEdinburgh. Bees, flies and otherpollinators are drawn to spaces suchas parks and roadside verges plantedwith species they prefer to visit suchas dandelions, thistles, and brambles.Mowing grass less frequently, allowingflowers to flourish, could enableinsects to thrive.
Of the different city habitatsexplored in the study, urban allotmentsand household gardens emerged asbest for pollinating insects, suggesting
that planners should considerincreasing the provision of allotmentsin towns and cities. Cities could beimportant refuges for insects that facethreats such as pest control onagricultural land and reductions innatural flower-rich habitats.
Results from the four-year study,carried out by the Universities ofBristol, Edinburgh, Leeds and Readingin collaboration with the University ofCardiff, are published in NatureEcology and Evolution. The project isthe first to examine pollinating insectsacross entire cities.
The UK Insect Pollinators Initiativeis funded by the Biotechnology andBiological Sciences Research Council,the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the NaturalEnvironment Research Council, theScottish Government and Wellcome.
For details contact Prof Graham Stone,[email protected]
RESEARCHERS AT ROSLIN Institutehave changed the genetic code of pigsto produce animals that resist one ofthe world’s most costly animaldiseases, porcine reproductive andrespiratory syndrome, or PRRS. The disease is endemic in most pig-producing countries worldwide andvaccines have mostly failed to stop thespread of the virus that causes it,
which continues to evolve rapidly.PRRS costs the pig industry around$2.5 billion (£1.75bn) each year in lostrevenue in the US and Europe alone.
The disease causes breathingproblems and death in young animals,and if pregnant sows become infectedit can cause them to lose their litter.The virus infects pigs using a receptoron pig cell surfaces called CD163.
Gene-edited (but not GM) pigs made resistant to billion dollar virusResearchers at Roslin Institute are working to prevent a disease that is endemicin most pig-producing countries of the world
Dr Christine Tait-Burkard of theRoslin Institute withgene-edited pigs
Researchers used gene editingtechniques to remove a small sectionof the CD163 gene.
The team worked in collaborationwith Genus PLC, a leading globalanimal genetics company, to producepigs with the specific DNA change.They found that none of the animalsbecame ill when exposed to the virusand blood tests found no trace of the infection. The animals showed no signs that the change in their DNAhas had any other impact on theirhealth or wellbeing.
Other groups have used geneediting to create PRRS-resistant pigsby removing the whole CD163 receptor.Removing just a part of CD163 allowsthe receptor to retain its ordinaryfunction in the body and reduces therisk of side effects, the researchers say.
Genetically modified animals arebanned from the food chain in Europe.It is not clear what regulations wouldapply to gene-edited animals, however,as the approach is different. GMtechniques have been controversialbecause they can involve introducinggenes of other species into an animal.In contrast, gene editing speeds upprocesses that could occur naturallythrough breeding over manygenerations, without introducing genesfrom other species.
This interdisciplinary research, co-funded by the Biotechnology andBiological Sciences Research Counciland Genus PLC, is published in theJournal of Virology.
For more information please contactJen Middleton at Roslin’s press and PR office, [email protected]
Newsletter 92 • Spring 2019 scrrMembers’ reports
University of Glasgow; Edinburgh Napier University and SCRR
11
How ‘Design Thinking’ can help your research
Impact of the loss of darkness on wildlife A new project at the University of Glasgow will study effects in both urban and rural environments
AS RESEARCH SCIENTISTS, we areconstantly looking for new procedures,processes and ways to solve problems,writes Dr Kathy Velander of EdinburghNapier University. However, I for onemust admit that I don’t always look aswidely as I should when thinking aboutnew ways to develop solutions.
Enter - Design Thinking. Originatedby David Kelly and Tim Brown ofStanford Business School, it iscommonly used in design, architectureand business, but I have yet to see itwidely used in science and technology.It has similarities to Sandpit in that itidentifies problems, but instead of thegoal being a research project orfunding application, it produces amethod, a physical item or processthat addresses the issue and providesa solution. Fundamental to the processis empathy with the end user orstakeholder to ensure the problem isclearly understood when defining thechallenge. Solutions are explored
HOW DOES THE increased light atnight that occurs in urban areasthroughout the world affect wildlife?A team of researchers at the Universityof Glasgow has been awarded a grantof more than £1m to study the impactof the loss of the night on animals.
The project, funded by the NaturalEnvironment Research Council (NERC),totals £1.4m and has been awarded toDr Davide Dominoni, together with ProfPat Monaghan and Dr Simon Babayanfrom the University’s Institute ofBiodiversity, Animal Health andComparative Medicine, as well as ProfBarbara Helm of the University ofGroningen in the Netherlands.
The grant comes from a specialfund to address pressing andimportant environmental challenges.
Animals, including ourselves, haveevolved body rhythms that aresynchronised to daily and seasonalcycles of light and dark. This naturalpattern is increasingly compromised bythe spread of night-time illuminationthat comes with progressiveurbanisation. Across the globe, morethan half of the human population now
lives in cities and darkness is beinglost at ever-faster rates. In humans,negative effects of disrupted day-nightrhythms, such as loss of sleep andcompromised health, are causingconcerns, but the potentialconsequences for wildlife are stilllargely unstudied.
The work will involve different wildbird species across gradients of lightpollution from urban to ruralenvironments. Dr Dominoni said: ‘We arethrilled to receive this grant from NERC.
What we hope to achieve is a thoroughunderstanding of the extent to whichurban light pollution disrupts normalrhythms of behaviour and physiology inanimals in urban environments, whetherthis disruption is associated withnegative health consequences, andwhether selected lighting strategies canmitigate adverse effects.’
For more information [email protected] [email protected]
(Ideate) in the widest and sometimeswhackiest extent with the outcomesbeing developed into prototypes.These are presented to the end userand revised based on their inputresulting in a final product/experience/method that is fit for purpose. But,how can it help science? I have usedDesign Thinking in teaching and havefound it stretches the imagination andby using multi-disciplinary teamsbrings new ideas to the table. Whenthese are presented to the stakeholder,even more ideas are sparked creatinga solution that truly meets their needs.
For more on Design Thinking, seeyoutube.com/watch?v=a7sEoEvT8l8
Interested in learning more? SCRR willbe offering a half-day workshop onDesign Thinking in collaboration withEdinburgh Napier University in 2019,open to researchers at all levels. See our website for details.
Design Thinking group exercise, Lahemaa,Estonia, May 2017 as part of the EU project Social Entrepreneurship for Local Change
Great Britain andEurope at night, aNASA satellite image
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scrr Newsletter 92 • Spring 2019
12
SCRR member organisations
The University of Edinburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ed.ac.uk
Moray House School of Education. . . . . . . . . . . www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/education
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies . . . . . . . . . . . www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/vet
School of Biological Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/biology
School of Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.see.ed.ac.uk
School of GeoSciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/geosciences
School of History, Classics and Archaeology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.shca.ed.ac.uk/Research/
School of Social and Political Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sps.ed.ac.uk
Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bioss.ac.uk
British Geological Survey, Edinburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bgs.ac.uk
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ceh.ac.uk
Edinburgh Napier University, School of Applied Sciences . . . . . . . . www.napier.ac.uk/fhlss/SLSSS
Field Studies Council, Millport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]
Forest Research, Northern Research Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.forestry.gov.uk/forestresearch
Heriot Watt University, School of Life Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sls.hw.ac.uk
James Hutton Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.hutton.ac.uk
Moredun Research Institute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.moredun.ac.uk
National Museums of Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nms.ac.uk
Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.roslin.ed.ac.uk
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.rbge.org.uk
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.rspb.org.uk/scotland
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.rzss.org.uk
Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sasa.gov.uk
Scotland’s Rural College (formerly Scottish Agricultural College) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sruc.ac.uk
Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sams.ac.uk
Scottish Natural Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.snh.gov.uk
SNIFFER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.sniffer.org.uk
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.socantscot.org
Society, Religion and Technology Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.srtp.org.uk
University of Glasgow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.gla.ac.uk
College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/
College of Social Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/socialsciences/
University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.uhi.ac.uk
Agronomy Institute, Orkney College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.agronomy.uhi.ac.uk
Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College . . . . . . www.perth.uhi.ac.uk/specialistcentres/cms
Centre for Remote and Rural Studies, Inverness College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.crrs.uhi.ac.uk
Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.eri.ac.uk
Lews Castle College, Stornoway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.lews.uhi.ac.uk/research
NAFC Marine Centre, Shetland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.nafc.ac.uk
West Highland College, Fort William . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.whc.uhi.ac.uk
University of St Andrews, Earth and Environmental Sciences . . . . . . . . . www.st-andrews.ac.uk/gg
University of Stirling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.stir.ac.uk
Institute of Aquaculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.aquaculture.stir.ac.uk
Biological & Environmental Sciences . . . . . . . . . www.stir.ac.uk/natural-sciences/about-us/bes/
Eventswww.scrr.ac.uk/events
Please see the website for announcements.
PEOPLE AT SCRR
Scientific Director: Prof Sarah [email protected]
Secretary/Treasurer:Prof Willie [email protected]
CONTACT SCRR
SCRR, 18 Hoghill Court, East Calder, West Lothian EH53 0QA
01506 880929 or 07990 595217
COPY DEADLINE
The deadline for copy in the next issue is Friday April 26th 2019
DISTRIBUTION
For all queries about distribution, pleasecontact the Secretary/ Treasurer by email.
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