Download The use of biological records to understand a changing environment

The use of biological records to understand a
changing environment:
what have we learnt from 50 years of BRC?
The challenge
• Species & ecosystems increasingly threatened by multiple
anthropogenic pressures
• Policy makers need sound evidence to protect the
environment, mitigate impacts, regulate use of resources etc
• ......but spend on monitoring is reducing
• Can biological recording by volunteers deliver useful data in a
cost effective manner?
Tree of national
recording schemes
Atlas published
Repeat atlas
Key Publications:
Pocock et al. (2015)
Foster (2015)
Biological Journal of
the Linnean Society,
BRC Species Issue
The impact on understanding change
Atlases showing
national distributions:
12,127 species from 40
taxon groups
Publication
Taxon
# primary
citations
# secondary Hindex
citations
Gibbons, Reid & Chapman (1993)
Perring & Walters (1962)
Sharrock (1976)
Asher et al. (2001)
Preston, Pearman & Dines (2002)
Heath, Pollard & Thomas (1984)
Lack (1986)
Luff (1998)
Arnold (1993)
Kerney (1999)
Birds
Plants
Birds
Butterflies
Plants
Butterflies
Birds
Ground beetles (Carabidae)
Mammals
Land and freshwater molluscs
585
311
450
344
505
148
151
94
43
158
21919
11643
14666
13742
10424
9210
4399
1652
1282
2352
Key Publications:
Pocock et al. (2015); Powney & Isaac (2015); Chapman et al. (2015)
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Species Issue
68
59
57
51
48
48
32
23
21
20
Examples of applying biological recording data
http://www.brc.ac.uk/article/brc-50th-anniversary-brochure-published
Key Publications:
Roy et. al (2014);
Pocock et al. (2015); Roy, Preston, Roy (2015)
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Species Issue
The contribution of volunteer recorders to our
understanding of biological invasions
• Most non-native species are from Asia and Europe
• Rate of arrivals increasing particularly from Asia
Key Publications:
Roy et al. (2015)
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Species Issue
Comma
 1970-1982
Comma
 1970-1982
New squares
 1995-2012
 1970-1982
Geographical range margins of a wide range of
taxonomic groups continue to expand northwards
Key Publications:
Mason et al. (2015); Thomas & Gillingham (2015); Gillingham et al. (2015)
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Species Issue
Disappearance of boreal plants in southern Britain:
habitat loss or climate change?
Boreal plant
decline
since 1970
Boreal plant
richness
1700-1969
Key Publications:
Hill & Preston (2015); Pescott, Walker et al. (2015)
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Species Issue
Disappearance of boreal plants in southern Britain:
habitat loss or climate change?
Boreal vascular plants decreased by
approximately 41%, whereas their
matched more southern species
decreased by approximately 24%.
Declines for bryophytes averaged
15% for boreal species and 15%
for their partners.
Climate change is now having an effect comparable to
that of habitat loss on boreal vascular plants in southern
1960-2002
Key Publications:
Hill & Preston (2015). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Special Issue
Air pollution and its effects on lichens, bryophytes, and
lichen-feeding Lepidoptera: review and evidence from
biological records
1960-1980
Key Publications:
Pescott, Simkin et al. (2015).
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Special Issue
1990-2010
The role of ecological interactions in determining
species ranges and range changes
Macro-moths
Auchenorrhyncha on
Phragmites australis
Euides speciosa (photo: Tristan Bantock);
Pentastiridius leporinus (photo: Barry Stewart );
Chloriona smaragdula and
Paralimnus phragmitis (photos: Gernot Kunz).
Phytophagous insects (1265 analysed) rarely use full range of their food plants
Key Publications:
Stewart et al. (2015)
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Species Issue
Recent trends in UK insects that inhabit early
successional stages of ecosystems
• 299 species (10 groups)
• most early seral species that
are living near their northern
climatic limits in the UK have
increased
• species restricted to early
stages of woodland
regeneration have fared worse
than those restricted to
grasslands or, especially,
heathland
1992-2002
Key Publications:
Thomas, J.A. et al. (2015).
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Special Issue
NPMS
www.npms.org.uk
A manifesto for the future
• Collectively identify gaps in what to record and where
• Invertebrates, soil biota, uplands, coasts, diseases, extinctions….
[Gurney (2015); Purse & Golding (2015), BJLS, BRC Special Issue]
• Assess and account for survey type, ID certainty and bias
• Combining citizen science, structured monitoring….
[Isaac & Pocock (2015); Pescott et al (2015). BJLS, BRC Special Issue]
• Build and nourish a network of recorders and experts
• Feedback, motivation, appropriate tools…
[August et al. (2015), BJLS, BRC Special Issue]
• Understand challenges and opportunities from new data types
• How to store and integrate eDNA, sounds, photos, videos….
[Lawson Handley (2015); BJLS, BRC Special Issue]
• What data do we need to help address emerging challenges?
• Ecological traits, species associations, environmental data….
[Preston & Pearman (2015); Oliver & Roy (2015), BJLS, BRC Special Issue]
Key Publications: Sutherland et al. (2015).
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Special Issue
Acknowledgements:
All volunteer recorders & co-ordinating
organisations
Key Publications:
Maes et al. (2015); Gurney (2015); Isaac & Pocock (2015); Powney & Isaac (2015)
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, BRC Species Issue