Module 3: HedgerowsDarwin planted a hedge as an experiment

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Enquire with Darwin

KS3

What is so important about a hedge?

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Change over time• In1846,Darwinplantedahedgewhichbordered

afieldusedforgrazingsheepandcattleandhaymaking

• Ontheothersideofthepathwasasmallcopse

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Change over timeIn 1846 he planted...

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Alder

Birch

Hazel

Dogwood

Lime

Privet

Hornbeam

The experimentFor 20 years Darwin observed the hedge almost every dayAfter20yearsherecordedthespeciesthathadcomeintothishedge

Heobservedandrecorded:

• Incomingplantspecies• Theuseanimalsmadeofthehedge• Seasonalchange

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The Hedge in the 1850s

Ash Holly Cherry

Maple Privet Sycamore

Honeysuckle Hornbeam Ivy

Elm Spindle Gooseberry

WildClematis Rubus(Blackberry) Rose

Beech Oak

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Change over timeIn 1866 Darwin made a survey of the hedge:

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Change over timeIn 2006, Jane McLauchlin made a survey of the hedge:• Therewere63plantspecies

• Wheredidtheycomefrom?

• Howdidtheygetthere?

• Someplantslikethehoneysuckleandelmhavedisappearedfromthehedge.Howhasthishappened?

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The Hedge in 2009

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What lives in the hedge?

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Food in a hedge

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Food in a hedge

Hedge flowers, berries and seeds

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Small Mammals

Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in

a hedge

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Small Mammals

Eggs and Chicks

Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in

a hedge

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Small Mammals

Eggs and Chicks

Food plants at the base of the hedge

Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in

a hedge

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Small Mammals

Eggs and Chicks

Food plants at the base of the hedge

Insects in soil, under leaves and bark

Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in

a hedge

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Small Mammals

Eggs and Chicks

Food plants at the base of the hedge

Insects in soil, under leaves and bark

Leaves for caterpillars

Hedge flowers, berries and seedsFood in

a hedge

Owls

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

Fox

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

Rabbits under the hedge

Fox

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

Rabbits under the hedge

Fox

Possibly dormice (summer)

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

Leaf litter insects

Rabbits under the hedge

Fox

Possibly dormice (summer)

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

Leaf litter insects

Rabbits under the hedge

Fox

Possibly dormice (summer)

Butterflies by day, moths by night

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

Leaf litter insects

Rabbits under the hedge

Fox

Worms and insects in the soil

Possibly dormice (summer)

Butterflies by day, moths by night

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Owls

Squirrels

Shrews, voles, and mice

Leaf litter insects

Rabbits under the hedge

Hedgehogs

Fox

Worms and insects in the soil

Possibly dormice (summer)

Butterflies by day, moths by night

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Animals in a hedgeDifferent animals come here at night and vary through the seasons

Darwin’s ways of working Darwin’s son wrote:‘Heusedtowalkverystealthily&quietlyamongstthewoodsorwheretherewasanyanimallifetowatch’

‘Onedayinthe[Sandwalk]woodhesurprisedafoxasleep,itgotup&lookedathimmuchastonished&thentrottedoff’‘Anotherday[nearthehedge]awholefamilyofyoungsquirrelstookhimforatree&ranup&downhim’‘Hehadasharpeyeforbirdsnests&oftenusedtofindthemwithoutlookingforthem’‘Sawbeesinholesattheend[ofthehedge]’

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Darwin’s ways of working: observation Darwinhimselfnoted

‘pulpyfruitsservequadrupedsandbirdsasfood,whiletheirseeds,oftenhardandindigestible,passuninjuredthroughtheintestines,andaredepositedfarfromtheiroriginalplaceofgrowthinaconditionpeculiarlyfitfor[germination]’

Anevidenceimage

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Darwin’s ways of working:observation

Blackberrieshavetoughskins

Howdotheseinsectsfeedfromtheblackberryinawaythatshowsinterdependence?

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Darwin’s ways of working:observation

Blackberrieshavetoughskins

Awasphasstrongjaws(mandibles)toteartheskinopentoreachthesugaryflesh

ARedAdmiralbutterflyhasalongtongue(proboscis).Itsucksupthejuicefromthemushyblackberry.

Aflydribblessalivaonthefruittomakeitmushysoitcansuckupthejuice.

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Videos of hedgerow lifewww.bbc.co.uk/nature/habitats/hedge(LivingBritain,AutumnwatchandHedgelore)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHaNvgysJcQ&feature=related(bugs)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx8rJJfZ5Ak(birdsnestinginahedge)

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Hedgerow food web

Arrowsshowenergyflow.Forexample,seedsareeatenbyseed-eatingbirds,thesebirdsaretheneatenbylargercarnivorousbirds

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Hedge habitatUsingtheHedgeposter,recordthespeciesofplantsandanimalsfoundinmanyhedges

Typicalhedgehabitat

Hedgecafeteria

Theseasons

Thephotographsofplantsandanimalsunderthemainheading

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Resource materialsRoleplayAmapoftheoldschooldevelopmentsite:

JonasHomeshassubmittedthefollowinglistoftreesandshrubstoaBoroughCouncilontheedgeofacity.Theplannedhedgewillbeplantednexttothefootpathonthewesternedgeofthedevelopmentsite.

•Birch(Betulapendula)•Hornbeam(Carpinusbetulus)•Fieldmaple(Acercampestre)•Privet(Ligustrumvulgare)•Guelderrose(Viburnumopulus)•Dogwood(Cornusanguinea)

PARKPLAYING FIELD

SCHOOL SITE

FENCE HOLLY HEDGE

SCHOOL’SWILDAREA

RAILWAYLINE

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Resource materialsRoleplayStudentstakerolesandpresentthefollowingargumentsataplanningconsultation.

Those people living opposite this site

Thehousesoppositethesitearehardlyvisiblefromtheroadbecausethecouncilprohibitedgrubbingupoftreesandhedgerowsduringthebuildingwork.Theplantingshouldbeofoak,fieldmaple,hawthorn,blackthorn,crabapple,elderandhazellikethehedgeopposite.Itshouldgrowtomorethan3metreshigh.ItisanattractivefeaturethatreducespollutionaroundtheirhomesandtheBoroughmaintainsitwell.

The local Wildlife Trust

Elmtreesinthehedgearoundthesitediedinthe1980s.Whatremainedofthehedgewasnotasafewildlifecorridortothepark,thehedgeoppositeortherailwayembankment.TheTrustisconcernedabouthabitatfragmentationandwouldliketoseeadoublerowofcloselyplantedsaplingsonthewestandnorthsidesofthesiteandtheoldschool’swildarealeftintact.Theyneedaccesstothehedgetomonitorwildlife.Thecommunitycanvisitthesiteonopendays.

Those who don’t want the Borough to waste money

Ahedgeneedstobemaintainedsobranchesdon’toverhangthefootpathtotheshopsorpark.Evenwithbarkmulchunderthehedge,itwillbecomefullofweeds.Thedeveloper,notlocalpeople,shouldpayformaintenance.TheywantalowfenceoragrassedgethathouseholderscanmowsothattheBoroughwillnothavetopayformaintenance.

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Resource materialsRoleplayLocal biodiversity group

WithnogreenfieldsitesintheBorough,mostbrownfieldsiteshavebeenbuilton.Itssurveysshowthatlocalwildflowersaredisappearingandthisaffectsbees,butterfly,birdandsmallmammalnumbers.Hedgerowsareveryimportantforconservationofthreatenedlichens,invertebrates,reptilesandamphibians,20speciesofbirdand11endangeredmammalsintheUK.Theyworkwithschoolsandwanttoretainthewildareatoshowchangeovertime.Itsvolunteerswillmaintainthehedgeandschoolswillbeencouragedtovisit.

Green gym group

Thepurposeoftheplantingisn’tjusttocomplywiththeplanningpermissionnortoplantthecheapestoptionavailable.Thegreengymcansourceandplantamixedhedgeifthedeveloperpaystheminsteadofacontractor.Thisnon-profitmakinggroupworkswiththeBoroughtoencourageolderorunemployedpeopletokeephealthy,active,givesomethingbacktotheircommunityandgainskills.Thehedgecanbecomeafocusforcommunityevents.

Potential house buyers who would have the hedge near their homes.

Theydon’twantanythingclosetothehousesthatwillgrowover2metresandblockoutlight,orrisktheirsafety.Theydon’twantpricklyplantsinthehedgecollectingblowinglitter.Theydon’twantanythinglikewillowthathasahugerootsystemandcanunderminehousefoundations.Whoeverpaysfortheplantsmustalsopayforthemaintenance;whyshouldtheypayforit?There’splentyofwildlifeontherailwayembankment,whydoweneedmorehere?

Discussthechoicesmadeandfactorsotherthanwildlifethataffectdecisionmaking.Whatsortofhedgemightbemostwildlifefriendly?

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AcknowledgementsThisresourcehasbeenproducedbyTheCharlesDarwinTrust©TheCharlesDarwinTrust2012SerieseditorDrSusanJohnsonAuthorDrSusanJohnsonEditorKarenGoldie-MorrisonDesignSPYStudioPhotographstakenatDownHousearewiththankstoEnglishHeritagewhichownsandopenstheHousetothepublic.

Picture creditsAllpicturesDrSusanJohnsonexcept:Slide6EnglishHeritagePhotoLibrarySlides15and16SPYStudio/TheCharlesDarwinTrustSlide19BritishEcologicalSocietySlide20SPYStudio/TheCharlesDarwinTrust

ThankyoutoourcurrentfunderswhoaresupportingDarwinInspiredlearningandhavemadeEnquirewithDarwinpossible:theEvolutionEducationTrust,theFoyleFoundation,theGarfieldWestonFoundation,theJJCharitableTrustandtheMarkLeonardTrust,TheMercers’Company,andanumberofindividualdonors.