ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Newsletter

FEATURES BSc Ecology BSc Ecology & Environmental Science BSc Environmental Science

POPULATION DECLINE OF CORN BUNTINGS RARE BEE RECORDED AT THE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

WELCOME Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Environmental Sciences team. The content shows some of the work undertaken by staff and students in the team. It also highlights some of the opportunities available whilst studying Ecology or Environmental Science at the University of Worcester.

POPULATION DECLINE OF CORN BUNTINGS DOMINIQUE CRAGG – MRES IN ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Our ethos is very much to support students in developing hands-on skills, be they fieldbased biological surveying skills, laboratory analysis, analytical skills or the application of academic knowledge. Please look at our website: www.worcester.ac.uk/discover/ science-our-courses and read our applicants handbook www.worcester.ac.uk/ documents/NEW_ENVS_ Applicants_Hbk_-_Nov_2014. pdf or contact myself or my colleague, Dr Diana Dine, if you wish to know more or have specific queries.

FOR MY PROJECT, I AM STUDYING THE POPULATION DECLINE OF CORN BUNTINGS IN RELATION TO FARMLAND MANAGEMENT.

John Dr John Dutton Course Leader – Ecology BSc [email protected]

My study is examining the general habitat preferences of this species by comparing farms across Worcestershire that hold breeding populations of corn buntings, against neighbouring farms that are superficially similar but have no corn buntings. In particular I am seeing if a lack of availability and diversity of invertebrates during the birds’ breeding season may be contributing to this decline. By doing this, I may be able to find subtle differences in the way the farms are managed, which may indicate why the birds are breeding on some farms and not on others.

OPEN DAYS Join us at an Open Day and see for yourself what it’s really like at the University of Worcester. Sunday 13 Sept, 10am-3pm Saturday 3 Oct, 10am-3pm Friday 30 Oct, 12-4pm Saturday 31 Oct, 10am-3pm Sunday 29 Nov, 10am-3pm To book your place, visit: www.worcester.ac.uk/opendays

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To explore this, I began by collecting records of breeding corn buntings in Worcestershire over the last five years. The population in the UK has declined by over 90% over the last thirty years, and as such, there are only three areas in Worcestershire that still support breeding populations. Through the help of local birders, I identified which farms in these three areas did and didn’t have corn buntings present. When landowners had been contacted for permission to use their

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land for my study, I ended up with one farm with recent corn bunting records and one without, in each of my three study areas. To collect data for my study, I conducted bird surveys, invertebrate surveys and vegetation surveys on all farms over two seasons. A questionnaire regarding farm management was also sent out to all landowners participating in my study. This data hopes to confirm if there are any links between the crops and field margins that corn buntings choose to hold territory and build nests, and the management of these crops and field margins in terms of invertebrates as a food supply for adults and chicks. The ultimate aim of my study is to improve our knowledge and understanding of this rapidly declining bird. Various reasons for its decline across the UK have been explored, but not in any detail. If my study could uncover a new reason for the decline, or add to an existing hypothesis, it could help landowners improve the management of their land for corn buntings. Furthermore, farmland birds as a group are facing a similar pattern of decline as corn buntings, and would be likely to benefit from habitat improvement too. Photo courtesy of Mike Wheeler

RARE BEE RECORDED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER A RARE BEE, FOUND MAINLY IN RURAL AREAS, HAS BEEN RECORDED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER DURING A STUDENT WORKSHOP.

THE CITY OF WORCESTER HIT THE NATIONAL HEADLINES WHEN SEVERE FLOODING HIT THE AREA EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND NOW RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER ARE LINKING UP WITH THEIR SOUTH KOREAN COUNTERPARTS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE. Dr Duncan Westbury, Senior Lecturer in Ecology and Environmental Management; Dr Ian Maddock, Head of the University of Worcester’s River Science Research Group; and Dr Tory Milner, Lecturer in Physical Geography, recently welcomed Dr Sang Won Bae and Dr Jino Kwon, of the Korea Forest Research Institute (KFRI) to the city. The KFRI has played a significant role in developing forest science in South Korea over the last 90 years, and were in Worcester to discuss the benefits of afforestation – the process of converting open land into forest - such as improving water quality and climate regulation.

The bee, Nomada lathburiana, currently listed as a Red Data Book species, was found during a survey at the University’s leafy St John’s Campus with Worcestershire Biological Records Centre (WBRC). A Red Data Book species is an organism that can be found on the list of rare and endangered species. Senior Lecturer in Ecology and Environmental Management, Dr Duncan Westbury, said: “The presence of such an important and interesting species is certainly a bonus for those at the University promoting biodiversity, but it is also a testament to the grounds team and their sympathetic management.” Nomada lathburiana is a cleptoparasite of Andrena cineraria (ashy mining bee) – in other words it lives off the ashy mining bee. Dr Westbury said: “We were already aware that the ashy mining bee was living on campus, but then to record a rare bee that is parasitic on this species was a wonderful outcome of the entire workshop.

Photo courtesy of Paul Westrich

“Regular recording and monitoring of species will continue throughout the year and hopefully we will find further hidden gems - our students are now more engaged than ever!” Geoff Trevis, a bee expert and recorder for WBRC, said that “while Nomada lathburiana looks like being downgraded from the Red Data Book, after it was recorded in other locations within Worcestershire, this is the first record of the species from a decidedly urban situation, which suggests the species is continuing to extend its range.”

A Red Data Book species is an organism that can be found on the list of rare and endangered species.

Dr Westbury explains: “The protection of natural resources is a global issue which benefits from collaboration at an international level. As such, we were delighted to welcome such esteemed colleagues to the University. There is a plethora of benefits for reinstating woodlands in the landscape, and whilst value gained in timber production is easy to quantify, other benefits are frequently overlooked.” One of these benefits, Dr Maddock says, would be to reduce the risk of flooding. “The benefits of afforestation on water resources are widespread, especially in terms of slowing down the movement of water through and over the landscape and therefore helping to reduce flood peaks downstream,” he said. “Trees also utilise nutrients in the soil for their own growth. If they are planted on agricultural land alongside water courses they can act as ‘buffer zones’ helping to strip excessive nutrients out of the soil water before it enters the river channel and therefore help improve water quality too,” he adds. During their visit, Dr Bae and Dr Kwon also toured the Forest of Dean, to view areas where natural regeneration of oak is being encouraged by the Forestry Commission, and the Malvern Hills. They also met with representatives of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, to discuss how woodland management is being used to promote wildlife.

FIELD TRIP TO SNAILBEACH DISUSED LEAD MINE THE 3RD YEAR BSc ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE COURSE STUDENTS MADE THE ANNUAL VISIT IN OCTOBER TO SNAILBEACH VILLAGE, THE SITE OF A DISUSED LEAD MINE. (MODULE ENVS3004 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND ITS MANAGEMENT) There we met Nick Southwick from the Shropshire Mines Trust who told us more about the history of the site, the remediation carried out by Shropshire County Council and gave us access to the museum. The mine was Europe’s premier producer of lead in the nineteenth century. Following the downturn in the production of lead and the closing of the mine in the 1950s the site was abandoned and remediation did not occur until the 1990s. Remediation work included making safe shallow workings and preservation of some of the industrial buildings. The main spoil heap was remediated with a geotextile layer, top soil was added and the area reseeded. However, much of the area remains in a state where evidence of its industrial past, both physical and chemical, still remains. On this visit the students were asked to evaluate the current status of the site in terms of its remediation and levels of heavy metal contamination. On site they recorded evidence of disturbance, plant colonisation and diversity. Small quantities of soil were recovered from areas associated with the various industrial activities carried out on the site and returned to the laboratory for analysis. Metals were extracted from the soils with acid and the extractants analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Analysis showed that some areas (particularly the ore dressing floor) still have highly elevated levels of lead. Additionally there were elevated concentrations of zinc and cadmium, which are frequently found in association with lead ore.

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Students were required to write a report for an assessment on aspects of remediation at the site. They have access to several years’ analytical data on which to base their report. During the exercise students acquire and practise a range of skills from observations and sampling in the field to precise analytical procedures in the laboratory. These skills are essential for employability in some sectors of Environmental Science and were instrumental in a recent graduate gaining employment with an environmental consultancy business focussing on contaminated soils. Photos: Snailbeach Lead Mine

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RESEARCH TO BENEFIT SOME OF THE UK’S MOST THREATENED WILDLIFE IN THE MALVERN HILLS University of Worcester Senior Lecturer, Dr Duncan Westbury (pictured opposite with Dragos), who is supervising the research, along with Robbie Austrums, said: “Farmers and land owners are encouraged to provide habitats for target species in the area, but using our novel approach, the main aim of the project is to provide guidance on where such habitats should be located to facilitate the movement and expansion of species within the landscape. For example, the location of new woodlands and hedgerows might be proposed within the AONB to increase the abundance and dispersal of dormice.”

A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER IS LAUNCHING A MAJOR PIECE OF RESEARCH TO HELP CONSERVE IMPORTANT SPECIES IN THE MALVERN HILLS AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY. Conservation Ecology student, Dragos Hritulac, will use state-of-the-art technology to track different species living in the Malvern Hills and help plan where new habitats could be created to ensure their survival. The Malvern Hills provide a home for an extensive number of threatened species, including the dormouse, bullfinch and lesser horseshoe bat, as well as habitats such as traditional orchards, lowland meadows and mixed deciduous woods. Despite being designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1959, which affords some protection to species and habitats, there have been many changes which have led to the fragmentation of important habitats in the area. In turn, this has resulted in biodiversity hotspots and the isolation of habitats, which is potentially damaging the entire ecosystem and leading to the long-term detriment of a species.

The Malvern Hills AONB Partnership and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust will be involved in the research as part of their ‘Making space for nature’ project. Dr Westbury said “This is a very exciting project and presents a wonderful opportunity for one of our undergraduate students to be involved with such important research. Rather than tracking the actual movement of species within the area, Dragos will be using Geographical Informational Systems (GIS) to explore the connectivity between habitats for a number of key species and its dispersal capabilities.” Dragos’ research is being funded by the University’s Vacation Research Assistant Scheme, which helps students with extracurricular work over the summer. Dr Westbury said: “The University of Worcester is strongly committed to supporting students through the Vacation Research Assistant Scheme and this project demonstrates an excellent collaboration between the University and local stakeholders, and provides another example of how the University is helping to improve the local environment.”

VISIT TO IRONBRIDGE POWER STATION

The 3rd year environmental science course students made the annual visit in November to Ironbridge Power Station (Module ENVS3004 Environmental Pollution and its Management). This power station, which is owned by E.ON, is located on the banks of the River Severn, upstream of the Ironbridge Gorge, which gave birth to the Industrial Revolution, and which is now a World Heritage Site. As a coal burning plant, the power station opted out of the Large Combustion Plant Directive (which operates to limit atmospheric emissions from fossil-fuel combustion) and so is due to close by the end of December 2015 to comply with EU environmental legislation. In 2013 the station was modified to run on 100% biomass in support of the EU’s longterm energy strategy to rely on renewable energy sources. E.ON has been using this station as a test bed to inform the conversion from fossil to renewable fuel combustion. During our visit the students learnt about the energy production process at Ironbridge and the challenges and advantages associated with the switch to biomass. In a meeting with the environmental officer we were told about how the plant complies with environmental legislation in relation to emissions and abstraction of water from the River Severn. Wood pellets are sourced from the USA, Canada and Spain and the fly ash from the process can be used as a soil improver. Students were able to ask about employment opportunities in the energy production industry and given good advice concerning increasing their employability potential for the sector. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

BILLY DYKES – SKOKHOLM SUMMER ASSISTANT WARDENSHIP BACK IN MARCH I RECEIVED THE DREAM NEWS THAT I’D BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN APPLYING FOR A LONG-TERM ASSISTANT WARDEN ROLE AT SKOKHOLM BIRD OBSERVATORY, AFTER ONLY RECENTLY BECOMING FULLY AWARE OF THE ISLAND AND THE STORY OF ITS AMAZING RESTORATION PROJECT.

I’ve had an interest in wildlife- particularly birds- for as long as I can remember, but having only truly experienced seabird conservation for a short period of time on Fair Isle during my gap year in 2013, the prospect of spending three months on an isolated island with only wildlife, the Pembrokeshire coastline and like-minded conservationists for company seemed like the ideal way to spend my summer before university. Dean (fellow assistant warden) and myself arrived at Martin’s Haven on a warm late-June morning and dived straight into the ‘humanluggage chain’ that had already formed, helping Cardiff University’s field study group lug their equipment onto the Dale Princess in an unmatched state of willingness and efficiency that I would come to associate with Skokholm over the coming months. Upon arrival- with smiles still firmly attached to our faces after watching a Porpoise and calf perform in front of the boat on the way overthe island wardens Richard & Giselle wasted no time in familiarising us with the local seabirds, and we were soon descending the north cliffs to ring Razorbill chicks sheltering

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amongst the boulders. This was to be my first of many seabird ringing experiences on the island, including magical (and messy!) encounters with muscular Lesser & Greater Black-backed Gull chicks, Puffins, Manx Shearwaters and nocturnal Storm-petrel mistnetting sessions under the milky-way. Possibly my most enlightening seabird experiences on the island involved the Fulmar breeding productivity study, which I helped carry out for the duration of their breeding season. I visited the study plots every day to monitor chick progress, and became completely engrossed in each pair’s attempt at raising their chick; ultimately being rewarded with some intimate views of curious fledglings as they lifted their clumsy bodies into the air for the first time. Insects- in particular moths- are another great passion of mine, and after dark I could usually be found with a butterfly net (or moth-trap!) close at hand in an effort to catch, identify and record the island’s moth fauna. There were some fantastic finds, including a huge Convolvulus Hawk-moth which arrived after a storm in early August, and a colourful rare migrant called Tebenna micalis. It was great to see the enthusiasm and interest on the faces of the guests as we studied the contents of the previous night’s catches every morning, and I hope that my recording attempts this year will help encourage future moth-related studies on the island. With the progressing of summer came the mass exodus of auks from the cliffs; their absence leaving the coastal paths eerily quiet, with only the odd noisy Chough or alarmcalling Common Sandpiper to accompany the sound of waves. August brought with it a totally new sense of anticipation on the island, as everyone eagerly kept their eye out for the exciting birds that would inevitably be undertaking their autumn migrations. It felt slightly surreal watching warblers and flycatchers feeding on the same cliff ledges that Guillemots & Razorbills had been nesting on just a few weeks prior!

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Of course, our responsibilities stretched beyond wildlife, and with the Farm at full guest capacity for the majority of July and August, there was no shortage of maintenance tasks to be carried out. With September came a long list of DIY tasks to the extent that by the end of the month I’d come away with new found pond-digging, hide-building and painting skills, and had become more than familiar with the well known Skokholm phrase: ‘resourcefulness’! One of the great things about island life is the variety of different characters you get to meet as the months go by, each travelling for a different reason and each with their own interests to share. Whilst it was sad to say goodbyes to a set of guests at the end of each week, it was also nice to welcome a new set of faces ready to enjoy the island. I’d fully recommend the experience to anyone with a passion for seabird conservation and island living, a love of stunningly remote locations and a willingness to get their hands dirty in the process!

Photos: Billy Dykes

BOARING RESEARCH Hayley Clayton and Dr John Dutton are continuing their research on wild boar in the Forest of Dean. As part of a Heritage Lottery Fund Landscape Partnership project they are working with partners from Natural England, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Forestry Commission, Plantlife, the Mammal Society, etc., examining the relationship between the boar and ecology of the Forest. The overall project is intending to develop an ecological network throughout the Forest of Dean to link areas of high conservation interest and allow the movement of species from one site to another. The wild boar, the population of which has been increasing since their re-emergence within the area in 1999, are likely to have a key role in the ecosystem dynamics and thus a better understanding of ecological interrelationships is essential. The research is scheduled to continue for the next six years. As a result there is ample opportunity for interested students to become involved. Already students have been on trips to the Dean to explore the impacts of boar and their management, one group being lucky enough to see a large group of sows and their hoglets. In addition, data collected during a pilot project has formed the basis of an Independent Study research project.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNER Joshua Humphries, Conservation Ecology BSc, was one of 98 students who received an Academic Achievement Scholarship after achieving top grades in his second year of study. The £1,000 scholarships are awarded to students at the University with outstanding academic achievements in their first or second year. Professor David Green, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, highlighted that “statistically these awards are harder to get than a first class honours degree.” This is the second year that Josh has received such a scholarship, having also received such recognition following his first year of study. In addition to

his academic studies Josh has organised dormice surveys for the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, participated in an Operational Wallacea expedition and worked as a seasonal ranger for the Forestry Commission. Photo: Joshua Humphries with Vice Chancellor Professor David Green

FIRSTPOINT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WORCESTER Firstpoint houses the Student Enquiry and the Student Records desks, as well as most of the Student Services team and programme advisers, within the Peirson building. Firstpoint’s advisers aim to handle the majority of enquiries themselves but can also call upon specialist advisers from the Student Services, Accommodation Services and others. Firstpoint advisers can also make appointments with specialists such as counsellors and mental health advisers. Confidential and semi-confidential consulting spaces are available, so you can discuss more sensitive issues in confidence. Peirson also hosts the Careers and Study Skills Zone where students can get information, advice and guidance to help them develop their language skills, study skills, develop their career plans, organise their study abroad and find details of part-time job vacancies and earn as you learn opportunities which will enhance their employability.

PEIRSON STUDY AND GUIDANCE CENTRE AT A GLANCE: •

396 study spaces (including 42 silent study spaces)

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6 individual study rooms

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212 student access PCs

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2 group study areas with large screens

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A new suite with 40 student access iMacs

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1 meeting room (capacity 12 people)

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Two new flexible teaching spaces

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Wi-Fi access

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ICT help desk

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Media equipment loans

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Print and copy facilities

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STAY IN TOUCH

Find extra advice and chat with current students through our blog and Applicants’ Facebook page www.worcester.ac.uk/followus ANY QUESTIONS

If you have any questions on any of the Environmental Sciences courses please contact the ISE Office on 01905 855201 USEFUL LINKS

Accommodation - www.worcester.ac.uk/accommodation, [email protected] or 01905 855300 Admissions - [email protected] or 01905 855111 Financial Advice - www.worcester.ac.uk/fees Students’ Union - www.worcsu.com

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