British Isles Research Articles

Chic in knit: Youth, yarn and the comeback of the Faroese sweater

This article explores the recent revitalization of Faroese knitwear production and fashion in what I have called the ‘woollen turn’ in the Faroe Islands. I examine and analyse the reinvention of the Faroese knitting styles and cultural identities through the lens of an anthropologist reflecting on the role of the multifaceted globalization process in present-day craftsmanship and entrepreneurship in the context of a North Atlantic archipelago. The revival of the patterned sweater is a story about slow fashion, local knowledge and the search for new Faroese expressions inspired by the world beyond the ocean. The patterned sweater, locally embedded yet also immersed in global flows of fashion, has the potential of endless variation as handmade woollen garment. The sweater is not just a sweater anymore. It has a story of value chains and of local–global connections in the Arctic region, but it is also an environmental footprint and a point of identification. This article draws on material from TV documentaries, newspapers, fashion magazines and websites, as well as semi-structured interviews with fashion designers and knitting-connoisseurs in the Faroe Islands.

Sudden disappearance of yew (Taxus baccata) woodlands from eastern England coincides with a possible climate event around 4.2 ka ago

Tree-ring chronologies form the backbone of high-resolution palaeoclimatology. However, their number declines drastically prior to medieval times, and only a few such records worldwide extend back to the mid-Holocene. Here, we present a collection of more than 400 subfossil yew (Taxus baccata L.) trees excavated from near sea-level peat-rich sediments in the Fenland region of eastern England. The well-preserved yew trunks are between two and eight metres long, often exhibit adventitious root layers, and contain up to 400 rings of highly irregular growth. Combined dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating resulted in two tree-ring width chronologies that comprise 36 and 32 trees, span 413 and 418 years, exhibit mean inter-series correlations (Rbar) of 0.50 and 0.51, and were provisionally dated to 5225−4813 (±4) and 4612−4195 (±6) years cal BP. Together with a total of 63 radiocarbon dates (14C), our subfossil tree-ring evidence suggests that yew establishment (or onset of preservation) began ∼5250 years cal BP and resulted in extensive climax forests between 5200 and 4200 years cal BP. A first stage of yew decline ∼4800−4600 years cal BP was possibly caused by oxygen deprivation from soil wetting, whereas yew disappearance ∼4200 years cal BP is suggested to have been triggered by marine inundation as a consequence of rapid sea-level rise. Both phases of yew decline in eastern England coincide with marked reductions in subfossil oak and pine from peatbogs in Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands. Our results emphasise the potential to develop a dendrochronological network in coastal England for better understanding of larger-scale climate and environmental changes during the mid-Holocene, including the still debated 4.2 ka climate event. Moreover, we expect our subfossil yew chronologies to facilitate the dating of local archaeological remains, refine sea-level reconstructions around the British Isles, and contribute to the international radiocarbon calibration curve IntCal.

The “abortion trail” to England from the rest of the British Isles is on rocky ground

The “abortion trail” to England from the rest of the British Isles is on rocky ground

Modulation of North Atlantic extratropical cyclones and extreme weather in Europe during North American cold spells

Recent research has established a statistical link between North American cold spells (CS) and concurrent wet or windy extremes in Europe. Here, we investigate whether such a link can be related to changes in the characteristics of North Atlantic extratropical cyclones (hereafter cyclones). Despite large regions of anomalous baroclinicity during periods of North American CS, the number of cyclones across the North Atlantic as a whole is not significantly above climatology. However, we observe rates of explosive cyclogenesis significantly above climatology. We further find that CS over different North American regions are associated with large-scale atmospheric configurations displaying a strenghtened jet stream in the vicinity of the CS and different upper-level wind anomalies in the East Atlantic. These, in turn, modulate the regional distributions and characteristics of cyclones in the North Atlantic and Europe. We compute a fixed-radius cyclone footprint which we use to associate extreme precipitation and wind occurrences to individual cyclones. For eastern Canada CS, the North Atlantic jet extends over Northern Europe, resulting in a heightened numbers of cyclones for the British Isles and Scandinavia, while France, the British Isles, Northern Europe and Scandinavia all experience more intense cyclones. The British Isles consistently experience wind extremes associated with cyclones during east Canada CS. For central Canada CS, the jet is displaced poleward and only partly extends over Europe, resulting in an above average cyclone density in the eastern Atlantic and a higher number of cyclones affecting Iberia only. Iberia consistently experiences precipitation extremes associated with the cyclones during central Canada CS. For eastern United States CS, the jet is displaced equatorward and extends over Southern Europe, with a significantly heightened number of cyclones affecting Iberia and France. Iberia experiences wind extremes associated with the cyclones during eastern United States CS. Our results provide a dynamical explanation for previous statistical findings on the concurrence of North American CS and wet or windy extremes over Europe.

Population ecology and juvenile density hotspots of thornback ray (Raja clavata) around the Shetland Islands, Scotland.

Elasmobranchs are facing global decline, and so there is a pressing need for research into their populations to inform effective conservation and management strategies. Little information exists on the population ecology of skate species around the British Isles, presenting an important knowledge gap that this study aimed to reduce. The population ecology of thornback ray (Raja clavata) around the Shetland Islands, Scotland, was investigated in two habitats: inshore (50-150 m deep) and shallow coastal (20-50 m deep), from 2011 to 2022, and 2017 to 2022, respectively. Using trawl survey data from the annual Shetland Inshore Fish Survey, the size composition of R. clavata catches was compared between shallow and inshore habitats across 157 trawl sets, and 885 individuals, over the years 2017-2022. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) of R. clavata was significantly higher in shallow than that in inshore areas (ANOVA, F = 72.52, df = 1, 5, p < 0.001). Size composition also significantly differed between the two habitats (analysis of similarities, R = 0.96, p = 0.002), with R. clavata being smaller in shallow areas and juveniles (<60 cm) occurring more frequently. Spatial distribution maps confirmed density hotspots of juveniles in shallow habitats, with repeated use of certain locations consistent over time. The results of this study provide the first evidence for R. clavata using shallow areas for potential nurseries in Shetland, which can inform the IUCN's Important Shark and Ray Area process. Furthermore, this study provides important new population ecology information for R. clavata around Shetland, which may have important conservation implications and be valuable for informing species and fisheries stock assessments in this region.

AHP P01 A Survey To Explore The Use Of Nutritional Outcome Measures In Clinical Practice By Dietitians In Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Care In The British Isles

Abstract Background Dietitians in clinical practice face the challenge of providing high quality care whilst demonstrating clinical effectiveness and continuous improvement. Assessing the effectiveness of dietetic intervention is vital in ensuring the provision of clinically effective dietetic services. Nutritional outcome measures are key in identifying the impact of dietetic interventions; enabling dietitians to objectively measure the effectiveness of their care as well as providing patients, other health care professionals and commissioners with data around the value of care provision. Currently there are no specific nutritional outcomes associated with oesophago-gastric cancer care in the UK. Methods A survey was disseminated through direct personal emails to 93 Dietitians known to be working in UGI, a list derived from NOGCA audit sites of 2021, with the aim of assessing the current use of nutritional outcome measures by Dietitians working in oesophago-gastric cancer acute care in the British Isles. Further promotion was directed through a UGI Dietitians Forum and through social media posts. A YouTube video was produced and distributed alongside the survey, with the aim of providing education around identifying nutritional outcomes. The video also aimed to connect personally with people, with a visual presentation from the researcher. Results 54 responses represented the entire patient journey. Whilst 72% of respondents reported identifying and documenting dietetic outcomes, the quality of these assessments was low, mainly focusing on weight, weight changes and hand grip strength. Other common themes related to nutritional intake, quality of life and symptom impact. Less common outcomes measured included standardised nutritional assessment (PG-SGA), gastro-intestinal symptom evaluation, optimised prehabilitation, biochemical parameters and patient experience. There was little standardisation in how outcomes are used and when they were taken. There is no national database available to collate OG nutritional outcome data, representing a missed opportunity to support national benchmarking. Conclusions This study has presented not only the inconsistencies in nutritional outcome data collection (definition, timing and tools) and the need for standardisation of outcomes use in this speciality, it has also demonstrated the challenges around the promotion of outcomes measures and application/roll out into clinical practice. Novel ways of obtaining and evaluating nutritional outcomes will need to be considered. This will form the basis of a further research study, exploring barriers to completion of nutritional outcomes.

Et finsmedverksted fra tidlig vikingtid på Sømme ved Hafrsfjord

In Norway, Viking-age non-ferrous metal working is primarily related to trading sites like Kaupang in Vestfold. The remains of a workshop at Sømme in Rogaland demonstrates, however, that this kind of craft also took place within agrarian contexts in this period. Findings from the workshop reveal that the smiths worked with different kind of metals, used various techniques and were highly skilled. It is argued that the region must have been an important nodal point for long distance connections, especially to the British Isles, and that the metalworkers got their raw materials through these connections. Shortly after 900 AD the workshop was abandoned. At the same time, Harald Fairhair gained control of the western part of Norway, and there was a sudden disappearance of Insular objects in the region. A new political order and the lack of raw materials could be major reasons for the abandonment of the workshop.

Vikings and Migrants: Unravelling Scandinavia's Genetic Mosaic in the Viking Era

We analysed ancient Scandinavian genomes over 2,000 years, revealing Viking-era influx from southern Europe, British-Irish Isles, and the east Baltic. Genetic diversity increased during that time, but later Scandinavians have less non-local ancestry. Uralic ancestry found 1,000 years ago still impacts northern Scandinavians.

NDVI as a potential tool for forecasting changes in geographical range of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.)

Determining the natural range of Acer pseudoplatanus and the future directions of its spread is not clear. Modern technological achievements, including tools related to remote sensing, provide new opportunities to assess the degree of spread and adaptation of species to a changing climate. The aim of the work was to demonstrate the possibility of using NDVI to assess the habitat conditions of sycamore in Poland and the possibility of its natural expansion. The data analysis was divided into 2 parts. The first covered the characteristics of all sycamore stands occurring in Poland. In the second part, the analysis of sycamore stands using NDVI was made. The results of the study show that the highest average NDVI values are found in sycamore stands in the northern part of Poland, which has so far been considered less favorable for sycamore. This may suggest the potential for an increase in the share of sycamore towards the north. The results also confirm the forecasts given in the literature regarding the spread of sycamore towards Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The results also point to Denmark and the western part of the British Isles as potentially favorable habitats for sycamore.

Book Review: The Dominicans in the British Isles and Beyond: A New History of the English Province of the Friars Preachers

Book Review: The Dominicans in the British Isles and Beyond: A New History of the English Province of the Friars Preachers

From the British Isles to Solovetsky Monastery: How an Irish Prayer Became Part of the Church Slavonic Tradition

From the British Isles to Solovetsky Monastery: How an Irish Prayer Became Part of the Church Slavonic Tradition

The behaviour of recently-hatched caddis larvae from temporary water bodies in the British Isles

Caddisflies use four basic methods to ensure that newly-hatched larvae become aquatic insects. One is to lay the eggs underwater so larvae can start a free life immediately after hatching. Another method is to lay the eggs above water and the hatched larvae fall or wriggle into the water. Caddisflies from waters that dry out in summer often have a female diapause gradually becoming sexually mature and often do not lay their clutches until late summer or autumn, when rising water levels flood the eggs. The hatched larvae develop into pupae by March-May, from which adult caddisflies hatch again emergence beginning in spring. Some caddisflies from waters that dry out lay in summer and those eggs hatch soon after laying so it is as a larva that they survive the dry period.

Projected changes in atmospheric moisture transport contributions associated with climate warming in the North Atlantic

Global warming and associated changes in atmospheric circulation patterns are expected to alter the hydrological cycle, including the intensity and position of moisture sources. This study presents predicted changes for the middle and end of the 21st century under the SSP5-8.5 scenario for two important extratropical moisture sources: the North Atlantic Ocean (NATL) and Mediterranean Sea (MED). Changes over the Iberian Peninsula—considered as a strategic moisture sink for its location—are also studied in detail. By the end of the century, moisture from the NATL will increase precipitation over eastern North America in winter and autumn and on the British Isles in winter. Moisture from the MED will increase precipitation over the southern and western portions of the Mediterranean continental area. Precipitation associated with the MED moisture source will decrease mainly over eastern Europe, while that associated with the NATL will decrease over western Europe and Africa. Precipitation recycling on the Iberian Peninsula will increase in all seasons except summer for mid-century. Climate change, as simulated by CESM2 thus modifies atmospheric moisture transport, affecting regional hydrological cycles.

The provenance and tectonic history of Dashwoods and the associated Baie Verte Margin during the Ordovician to Silurian

Abstract Dashwoods is a composite peri-Laurentian terrane in Newfoundland and forms the basement to the Early Ordovician to Silurian Notre Dame arc. The southern part of Dashwoods is characterized by paragneiss that is intruded by Early Ordovician to Late Silurian plutons and affected by polyphase Taconic to Salinic deformation and high-grade metamorphism. The crystalline basement of Dashwoods is not exposed and pre-Middle Ordovician paragneiss is investigated herein to constrain the provenance of Dashwoods. SHRIMP U–Pb zircon analysis of the paragneiss yielded metamorphic rims ranging from c. 500 to 395 Ma and abundant detrital grain cores ranging from c. 1853 to 546 Ma. The presence of abundant Tonian dates differentiates Dashwoods from the adjacent Humber Margin in Newfoundland, and Hebridean and Grampian terranes in the British Isles. The detrital provenance of Dashwoods is most similar to the Baie Verte Margin in Newfoundland, and Tyrone Complex and Dalradian Supergroup in Ireland. These data suggest that Dashwoods and the Baie Verte Margin originated near the Rockall promontory and were subsequently emplaced outboard of the Humber Margin by Ordovician to Carboniferous motion along the Baie Verte–Brompton Line.

Is the invasive Rhododendron ponticum L. an emergent threat to mainland Atlantic forests? A population dynamics approach

Understanding the population dynamics of invasive species is essential for identifying the key parameters of their success and guiding management actions. European temperate forests of the Atlantic domain are prone to be invaded by the Pontic Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum L. subsp. baeticum (Boiss. & Reut.) Hand.-Mazz.), a shade-tolerate evergreen shrub native to the Iberian peninsula. While the invasion has a long history in Ireland and the British Isles, it is an emerging threat in mainland Europe. It is therefore a timely challenge to better understanding the invasive dynamics of this species in this context. We studied the population dynamics of R. ponticum in 27 invaded forests of north-western France, examining population structure, and individuals’ growth, fertility and fecundity among contrasted light conditions. All invasive populations were found on acidic soils. Irrespective of light conditions, R. ponticum exhibited a regular radial growth, with a clear increase since the 1990s. The majority of stems were younger than 38 years on average, indicating a recent increase in population density. Light availability strongly impacted R. ponticum’s canopy structure, with higher canopy cover and stem numbers under sun conditions. Despite the production of a huge number of viable seeds, the observed number of seedlings was always very low irrespective of light conditions, indicating recruitment limitation and thus a limited ability to establish new, distant populations. In contrast, vegetative propagation via intense layering at the invasion front wave ensured local population spread from initially planted individuals, especially on moist soils. We conclude that where it has been planted, R. ponticum is able to actively layer, thereby forming dense bushes in the forest understories as long as the soil is acidic and relatively moist. The establishment of new, distant populations appears a rare event since recruitment is limited to particular microhabitats related to forest management-associated disturbances. Such disturbance should thus be avoided in sites where the species has already established, unless a post-disturbance eradication of R. ponticum’s seedling can be implemented the following years. The plantation of R. ponticum in forest must be avoided when the soil is acidic and moist. Because R. ponticum’s growth performances are increasing since the 1990s, as a likely consequence of climate change, monitoring established populations is recommended to detect a possible increasing invasiveness.

Palaeobiogeography of NE Atlantic archipelagos during the last Interglacial (MIS 5e): A molluscan approach to the conundrum of Macaronesia as a marine biogeographic unit

In order to understand the complex evolutionary processes and patterns that explain current island biodiversity, large datasets and long-term analysis are required. The Last Interglacial (LIG) was one of the warmest interglacials during the last million years. How species mobility changed during this period in the Macaronesia geographical region has long intrigued scientists. It is well established that the northward range expansion of tropical species occurred in the Macaronesian geographical region, but as a marine biogeographic unit, the term “Macaronesia” has not gained a consensus among the scientific community. For the first time, a thoroughly revised and updated checklist is presented for shallow-water marine molluscs from the Atlantic and Mediterranean during the LIG. Based on these wide ranging data, the status of Macaronesia as a marine biogeographic unit during the LIG was examined and our scientific understanding of how this unit evolved is improved. The analysis shows that during the LIG, the molluscan faunas of the Canary and Cabo Verde archipelagos were part of the same tropical Late Pleistocene Mediterranean West-African Province, whereas those in the Azores, Madeira and Selvagens archipelagos would be included in the subtropical Late Pleistocene French-Iberian Province. This contrasts with the present-day scenario, where the subtropical/warm temperate Azores and “Webbnesia” marine ecoregions (Lusitanian province) are biogeographically distinct from the Cabo Verde biogeographic subprovince, which in turn belongs to the West African Tropical biogeographic province. A further analysis of the coherence of “Macaronesia” as a marine biogeographical unit was accomplished by coupling Pliocene, LIG, and present-day data, showing that the term “Macaronesia”, and for the marine realm, should only be used in a geographical connotation.

Multi‐colony tracking of two pelagic seabirds with contrasting flight capability illustrates how windscapes shape migratory movements at an ocean‐basin scale

Migration is a common trait among many animals allowing the exploitation of spatiotemporally variable resources. It often implies high energetic costs to cover large distances, for example between breeding and wintering grounds. For flying or swimming animals, the adequate use of winds and currents can help reduce the associated energetic costs. Migratory seabirds are good models because they dwell in habitats characterized by strong winds while undertaking very long migrations. We tested the hypothesis that seabirds migrate through areas with favourable winds. To that end, we used the SEATRACK dataset, a multi‐colony geolocator tracking dataset, for two North Atlantic seabirds with contrasting flight capabilities, the black‐legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla and the Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica, and wind data from the ERA5 climate reanalysis model. Both species had on average positive wind support during migration. Their main migratory routes were similar and followed seasonally prevailing winds. The general migratory movement had a loop‐shape at the scale of the North Atlantic, with an autumn route (southward) along the east coast of Greenland, and a spring route (northward) closer to the British Isles. While migrating, both species had higher wind support in spring than in autumn. Kittiwakes migrated farther and benefited from higher wind support than puffins on average. The variation in wind conditions encountered while migrating was linked to the geographical location of the colonies. Generally, northernmost colonies had a better wind support in autumn while the southernmost colonies had a better wind support in spring, with some exceptions. Our study helps understanding how the physical environment shapes animal migration, which is crucial to further predict how migrants will be impacted by ongoing environmental changes.

Drift bottle data hint at large-scale ocean circulation changes

Over the last two decades, in an effort to engage youth in polar science, the Students On Ice (SOI; https://studentsonice.com/) project has become a platform for youth to partake in scientific expeditions around the globe. Among the various activities offered, youth are able to join cruises in the North Atlantic or Arctic, and drop sealed glass bottles into the ocean. Of the thousands that have been deployed, 5% of bottles have been recovered and reported back to SOI with details on when and where they were found. Here, we compare the observational bottle data with virtual particle trajectories from a high resolution regional ocean model. Although modelling results indicate a higher likelihood of bottles reaching the shores of the western Atlantic, the majority of recovered bottles were found on the eastern side of the Atlantic. We attribute this disparity to differences in population density in Canada and Europe, biasing the recovery rates. Despite this bias, we find that changes in recovery locations over time are consistent with changes in the main ocean currents associated with the contraction and expansion of the North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre, as simulated in our ocean model. In 2007, a large number of bottles were found in Norway, coinciding with a contracted North Atlantic Subpolar Gyre during 2004-2008. While between 2012-2016, the majority of bottles were recovered on the British Isles, during a time of gyre expansion. These results underline the importance of large scale oceanic cycles for tracking marine debris and pollution, and show how even simple data collection methods, such as drift bottles, can provide clues to the changes in the large scale ocean circulation.

Global distribution modelling of a conspicuous Gondwanian soil protist reveals latitudinal dispersal limitation and range contraction in response to climate warming

AbstractAimThe diversity and distribution of soil microorganisms and their potential for long‐distance dispersal (LDD) are poorly documented, making the threats posed by climate change difficult to assess. If microorganisms do not disperse globally, regional endemism may develop and extinction may occur due to environmental changes. Here, we addressed this question using the testate amoeba Apodera vas, a morphologically conspicuous model soil microorganism in microbial biogeography, commonly found in peatlands and forests mainly of former Gondwana. We first documented its distribution. We next assessed whether its distribution could be explained by dispersal (i.e. matching its climatic niche) or vicariance (i.e. palaeogeography), based on the magnitude of potential range expansions or contractions in response to past and on‐going climatic changes. Last, we wanted to assess the likelihood of cryptic diversity and its potential threat from climate and land‐use changes (e.g. due to limited LDD).LocationDocumented records: Southern Hemisphere and intertropical zone; modelling: Global.MethodsWe first built an updated global distribution map of A. vas using 401 validated georeferenced records. We next used these data to develop a climatic niche model to predict its past (LGM, i.e. 21 ± 3 ka BP; PMIP3 IPSL‐CM5A‐LR), present and future (IPSL‐CMP6A‐LR predictions for 2071–2100, SSP3 and 5) potential distributions in responses to climate, by relating the species occurrences to climatic and topographic predictors. We then used these predictions to test our hypotheses (dispersal/vicariance, cryptic diversity, future threat from LDD limitation).ResultsOur models show that favourable climatic conditions for A. vas currently exist in the British Isles, an especially well‐studied region for testate amoebae where this species has never been found. This demonstrates a lack of interhemispheric LDD, congruent with the palaeogeography (vicariance) hypothesis. Longitudinal LDD is, however, confirmed by the presence of A. vas in isolated and geologically young peri‐Antarctic islands. Potential distribution maps for past, current and future climates show favourable climatic conditions existing on parts of all southern continents, with shifts to higher land from LGM to current in the tropics and a strong range contraction from current to future (global warming IPSL‐CM6A‐LR scenario for 2071–2100, SSP3.70 and SSP5.85) with favourable conditions developing on the Antarctic Peninsula.Main ConclusionsThis study illustrates the value of climate niche models for research on microbial diversity and biogeography, along with exploring the role played by historical factors and dispersal limitation in shaping microbial biogeography. We assess the discrepancy between latitudinal and longitudinal LDD for A. vas, which is possibly due to contrast in wind patterns and/or likelihood of transport by birds. Our models also suggest that climate change may lead to regional extinction of terrestrial microscopic organisms, thus illustrating the pertinence of including microorganisms in biodiversity conservation research and actions.

Wintering and migration strategies of Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus breeding in Iceland

ABSTRACT Capsule Slavonian Grebes Podiceps auritus breeding in Iceland moult on freshwater, before migrating to the seas around the British Isles for the winter. Aims The aims were to describe the migration strategies and identify wintering areas of Slavonian Grebes breeding in Iceland. Methods Geolocators were fitted to 37 Slavonian Grebes breeding on two lakes in north-east Iceland from 2009 to 2012. Of these, 19 were recovered and provided useful data on wintering areas and migration timing. Results The results indicated that the grebes moulted on freshwater lakes before gradually moving to the sea and later migrating to the wintering areas. Most of the birds wintered on the sea around the British Isles. However, there was surprisingly high variation in wintering strategies and little overlap of wintering areas. Grebes tracked for consecutive years showed high wintering philopatry. Conclusion Individual Slavonian Grebes may be vulnerable to local environmental conditions, but the high variability in wintering strategies and relatively large non-breeding distribution is expected to make the population generally less sensitive to local environmental conditions in the wintering areas over the long term.