Welcome to the… Quercus/NHRP Annual Review 2008/09

Welcome to the…

Quercus/NHRP Annual Review 2008/09

Welcome to the…

Quercus/NHRP Annual Review 2008/09

Dr. Neil Reid

Centre Manager

Quercus/NHRPQuercus

Partnership between Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Environment & Heritage Service (EHS)

Initial contract 2003 to 2005

Extension 2005 to March 2008

£2M core NIEA funding + £1.5M external funding

Natural Heritage Research Partnership (NHRP)

New contract QUB and Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) June 2008 to 2018

NHRP now a subset of Quercus activities

NHRPAims to…

“Provide high quality research to underpin decisions relating to NIEA

Natural Heritage’s statutory duties and to help deliver strategic targets

relating to Government’s key themes of sustainable development,

biodiversity and climate change.”

Objectives1. Provide NIEA with an effective, customer-focused mechanism for managing a large research programme

2. Advance understanding of the natural heritage of NI by delivering innovative science of the highest

possible quality

3. Develop, prioritise and agree three natural heritage work programmes for years 1-4, years 5-7 and years

8-10

4. Develop and deliver approx. 110 high quality research projects using appropriate scientific techniques

5. Establish a cost effective staffing structure which has flexibility to carry out urgent projects at short

notice

6. Provide and demonstrate added value

7. Encourage and demonstrate the development of skills of new researchers providing internships,

students projects and/or workshops

8. Transfer scientific knowledge and skills to NIEA staff

9. Disseminate research findings effectively to decision makers, practitioners and the general public

10. Develop partnerships with other organisations

NIEA Statutory duties

Biodiversity in the wider countryside

Climate change

NHRP research themes

Research themes1) NIEA statutory duties

• Management of designated sites

• Monitoring of designated site features

• Specialist survey, mapping and monitoring of freshwater and marine

designated sites

• Species distribution, abundance and habitat requirements

2) Biodiversity in the wider countryside

• NI priority habitats and species

• Ecosystem functioning

• Ecological genetics

• Invasive alien species

• Human impacts on biodiversity

3) Climate change

Management of designated sites

Sod removal at Montiagh’s Moss Nature Reserve

• SAC designation for Annex II Marsh fritillary butterfly

• Experimental assessment of ‘sod removal’

• Successful in regenerating fen plant communities

…but not successful in regenerating Devil’s-bit Scabious

…applied conservation recommendations

Monitoring designated site features

Lough Neagh diving ducks (PhD)

• SPA / ASSI designated for bird assemblage

• 80% of UK overwintering ducks

• Population declines

• H1 - Has something changed in the Lough?

• H2 - Are birds not returning?

Specialist survey, mapping and monitoring of freshwater and marine

designated sitesImportant Areas for Ponds (IAPs) in Northern Ireland

• Collaborative project with Pond Conservation

• Important Bird Areas (Birdlife International) / Important Plant Areas (Plantlife International)

• Pond Habitat Action Plan (HAP)

• 9 IAPs indentified

• Extensive ‘policy relevant’

recommendations

Species distribution, abundance & habitat requirements

"Queen's University has done an

excellent job in providing scientific

population estimates which will be

used as the basis for future decisions about

protection for the Irish hare.”

Environment for the Minister, Edwin Poots.

Northern Ireland Irish hare survey (2002-2009)

• Irish hare listed on Annex II EU Habitats Directive

• Requirement for regular monitoring

• No significant population change

NI Priority Habitats & Species

Conservation ecology and genetics the northern mining bee (PhD)

• Colletes floralis

• SACs / ASSIs e.g. Magilligan-Umbra-Downhill sand dune complex

• Preliminary work funded by DEL suggests the north coast population is

genetically distinct

• Mapping distribution / Habitat analysis / resource availability / Genetics

Ecological genetics

Verification of hybridisation between European and Irish hares

• Also invasive alien species research theme

• 17/33 samples (c. 51%) = Irish hares

• 6/33 samples (c. 18%) = European hares

• 6/33 samples (c. 18%) = Interspecific hybrids

• 4/33 samples (c. 12%) = Not identified

Bilateral hybridisation 5 = male European hares (♂) mating with female Irish hares (♀) 1 = female European hare (♀) mating with male Irish hare (♂)

Invasive alien species

Muntjac Knowledge Transfer

• Review of invasive ecology

• Appraisal of control procedures

• Rapid genetic ID developed

• 5 response actions outlined

• Muntjac judged ‘high risk’ invader

Update Roadkill juvenile (8 months) recovered from Ards Peninsula

Human impacts on biodiversity

Impact of wind farm development on biodiversity

• Review of published literature

• Birds, bats, habitats, carbon storage

• Development of guidelines for developers similar to SNH

Climate change

Identifying priority actions on climate change within the NHD

• Review of internal NIEA processes and operations

• 65% of Natural Heritage Directorate staff experience weather-related problems

• 72% ‘unhappy’ with current climate change adaptation measures

• 4 broad recommendations, 6 key actions and 26 specific actions

Flooding

Storms

Extreme events

Drought

Reactive

Proactive

Preemptive

Increase in work load

Inability to meet requiredtargets

Increase in budgetspending

Public disquiet

Project list

2007/08 (ongoing) 2008/09 2009/10

1. Corncrake recovery on Rathlin Island 1. NI Irish hare survey 2008 1. NI Irish hare survey 2009

2. Conservation of the Marsh fritillary butterfly

2. Conservation of Juniper 2. NHD climate change review

3. Magaritifera population restoration 3. Alder buckthorn genetics 3. Important areas for ponds

4. Water Crowfoot genetics 4. Raptor monitoring workshop

5. Invasive aquatic plants 5. Hydromorphology / macroinvertebrates

6. Grazing on sand dunes 6. Impact of wind farms

7. Rathlin Seabirds declines 7. Bloody-red shrimp invasion

8. Lough Neagh diving ducks 8. Northern mining bee ecology

9. Belfast tidal gauge 9. Wild Margaritifera reproduction

10. Regenerating fen vegetation 10. Brave New Ocean Symposium

11. Muntjac Knowledge Transfer 11. Hen harrier satellite tracking pilot

12. Invasive cordgrass distribution 12. Common lizard distribution and habitat

13. Mink predation and control 13. Irish hare leaflet for farmers

14. European hare hybridisation

15. Hen harrier SPA mapping

Total of 31 active projects since 23rd June 2008- 8 (ca. 26%) from Quercus I or competitive tenders (NIEA and NPWS)

Project list

2007/08 (ongoing) 2008/09 2009/10

















Total of 31 active projects since 23rd June 2008- 8 (ca. 26%) from Quercus I or competitive tenders (NIEA and NPWS)

- 26 (ca. 84%) funded by or related to NIEA

Project list Total of 31 active projects since 23rd June 2008

- 8 (ca. 26%) from Quercus I or competitive tenders (NIEA and NPWS)


- 21 (ca. 68%) funded by or related to NHRP

2007/08 (ongoing) 2008/09 2009/10

















Project list Total of 31 active projects since 23rd June 2008

- 8 (ca. 26%) from Quercus I or competitive tenders (NIEA and NPWS)


- 21 (ca. 68%) funded by or related to NHRP

- 10 (ca. 32%) completed within first 15 months

2007/08 (ongoing) 2008/09 2009/10

















Partnership

http://www.dmu.dk/International/

ManagementQuercus/NHRP

NIEA

Building the CentreResearch staff

Skilled researchers Professional development

1. Dr. Jane Preston (Senior Ecologist)2. Dr. Marc Ruddock (Hen harriers/wind farms)3. Dr. Lynne Tinkler (Climate change)4. Dr. Fiona Cooper (Juniper distribution)5. Dr. Joanne Murdy (sea level change)6. Dr. Katherine Webster (WMU hydromorphology)7. Dr. Maria Hughes (Genetics)8. Dr. Caroline Bradley (Plant genetics)9. Tommy McDermott (WMU aquatic macroinvertebrates)10. Gillian Robb (Hare survey/Spartina/Juniper)11. Alan Harrison (Hare survey)12. Iain Barrett (Hare survey)

Building the Centre PhD Students

Building research capacity 3 Quercus scholarships 4 NHRP scholarships 2 NHRP part-funded scholarships

1. Thomas Bodey (Rathlin corncrake recovery)2. Emma Seale (Marsh fritillary ecology)3. Conor Wilson (Margaritifera ex-situ cultivation)4. Lorraine Chivers (Rathlin Seabirds)5. Irena Tomankova (Lough Neagh diving ducks)6. Ruth Kelly (Invasive freshwater plants)7. Lyndsey Herron (Grazing on sand dunes)8. Emily Davis (Northern mining bee ecology)9. Kevin Gallagher (Hemimysis anomala invasion)

Building the CentreAcademic associates

• >30 associated academics• School of Biological Sciences• School of Geography, Archaeology

& Paleoecology• Agri-food and land use

Building the Centre ToR, Procedures & Dissemination

Annual Public lectures

- Prof. Graeme Hays, Swansea University

- Oliver Rackham, University of Cambridge

Workshops & Conferences

- Raptor Monitoring Workshop: Hen Harriers

- Brave New Ocean Symposium, Jeremy Jackson, California

- Margaritifera Conference (1st October 2009)

- Irish hare leaflet

Building the Centre Dissemination

20,678 pages visited

- 92 countries

- 42% of global visits are from the UK

- 31% of UK visits are from Belfast

Building the Centre Dissemination

https://www.google.com/analytics/reporting/pageviews?id=14647899&pdr=20090212-20090918&cmp=average&trows=10&gdfmt=nth_day

Research reportsClient reports (x15)1.Reid, N., Ruddock, M., Barratt, I., Robb, G.N. & Montgomery, W.I. (2008) Northern Ireland Irish hare survey 2008. Report prepared by Quercus for the Environment and Heritage Service (DOE, N.I.). UK.2.Cooper, F. & Reid, N. (2009) Conservation of Juniper-formations in Ireland. Interim report prepared by Quercus for the National Parks & Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Republic of Ireland. 3.Bradley, C., Preston, S.P., Provan, J. & Reid, N. (2009) Current status and conservation genetics of Alder buckthorn Frangula alnus in Northern Ireland. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland, UK.4.Bradley, C., Preston, S.P., Provan, J. & Reid, N. (2009) Current status and conservation genetics of the river water-crowfoot Ranunculus fluitans. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland, UK.5.Preston, J.S. & Reid, N. (2008) Efficacy of sod removal in regenerating fen vegetation. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland, UK.6.Dick, J.T.A, Provan, J. & Reid, N. (2009) Muntjac Knowledge Transfer: Ecology of introduced muntjac deer and appraisal of control procedures. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland, UK.7.Robb, G.N., McDermott, T. & Reid, N. (2008) Current distribution of Spartina anglica in Northern Ireland. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland, UK. 8.Roy, S., Reid, N., McDonald, R.A. (2009) A review of mink predation and control in Ireland. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 40. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin, Ireland.9.Hughes, M., Reid, N., Montgomery, W.I. & Prodöhl, P. A. (2009) Verification of hybridisation between introduced European and native Irish hares. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Northern Ireland, UK. 10.Ruddock, M. (2009) Processing informal appeals to designations for Hen Harrier Special Protection Areas (SPAs). Internal report prepared by Quercus for the National Parks & Wildlife Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Republic of Ireland. 11.Reid, N., Harrison, A.T. & Robb, G.N. (2008) Northern Ireland Irish hare survey 2009. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Northern Ireland, UK.12.Tinkler, E. & Reid, N. (2008) Identifying priority actions on climate change within the Natural Heritage Directorate. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Northern Ireland, UK.13.Keeble, H., Williams, P., Biggs, J. & Reid, N. (2009) Important Areas for Ponds (IAPs) and other small waterbodies in Northern Ireland. Report prepared by the Natural Heritage Research Partnership, Quercus for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Northern Ireland, UK.14.UWT, Meharg, M. & Reid, N. (2009) Irish hare (Lepus timidus hibernicus): Information and recommendations for farmers. Leaflet prepared for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Northern Ireland, UK.15.Bodey, T. (2009) Impacts of predator manipulations on island predator and prey populations. Unpublished PhD thesis, Queen’s University Belfast. Prepared for the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Northern Ireland, UK.

Research excellenceSelected publications

1.Provan, J., Gemma, B.E., Andrea M., McDonald, R.A. McLaughlin, E., Preston, S.J., Wilson, S. (2008) Restricted gene flow in fragmented populations of a wind-pollinated tree. Conservation Genetics, 9(6); 1521-1532.

2.Beatty, G.E., McEvoy, P.M., Sweeney, O. & Provan, J. (2008) Range-edge effects promote clonal growth in peripheral populations of the one-sided wintergreen (Orthilia secunda). Diversity and Distributions 14, 546-555

3.Provan, J., Wilson, S., Portig, A.A. & Maggs, C.A. (2008) The importance of reproductive strategies in population genetic approaches to conservation: an example from the marine angiosperm genus Zostera. Conservation Genetics 9, 271-280

4. Reid N., McEvoy P.M. & Preston J.S. (2009) Efficacy of sod removal in regenerating fen vegetation for the conservation of the marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia, Montiaghs Moss Nature Reserve, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Conservation Evidence, 6; 31-38.

5. Bodey, T., McDonald, R.A. & Bearhop, S. (2009) Mesopredators constrain a top predator: competitive release of ravens after culling crows. Biology Letters, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2009.0373.

6. Wilson, C.D., Roberts, D., Preston, S.J. & Provan, J. (in press) Developing strategies for introductions of captive-bred Margaritifera margaritifera (L.) into the wild. Hydrobiologia.

Building the Centre Finance

Strategic development

Threats

Short horizon

Recession

StrategicDevelopment

MarineEconomicsEcosystem functioning

Opportunities

PartnershipsScience & Policy

TeamDynamic staff

Strengths

Publications

SuccessesHigh priority

Weaknesses

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from little acorns…

… Natural Heritage Research Partnerships grow

Welcome to the… Quercus/NHRP Annual Review 2008/09

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