UK Biodiversity Action Plan Research Articles

Action for biodiversity priority species in Scotland

Summary Back from the Brink is Plantlife's practical conservation response to the current crisis of species loss and decline in Britain, targeting the wild plants and habitats that are seriously threatened in Scotland. It currently includes 59 species of vascular and lower plants in Scotland, most of which are also biodiversity priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The programme combines laboratory and field research with hands-on management to achieve effective action for rare and threatened plants. Examples of action for three priority species are given: Linnaea borealis L., Pilularia globulifera L. and a group of stipitate hydnoid fungi. A major distribution study has been undertaken of Pilularia globulifera and positive conservation management has been undertaken at several sites. Work on the genetics of Linnaea borealis has given insights into its conservation management, and recent felling of timber in one plantation has provided a significant opportunity to learn more about the ec...

Dynamics and foraging behaviour of adult hornet robberflies, Asilus crabroniformis : implications for conservation management

Mark resighting studies of the hornet robberfly, Asilus crabroniformis, were carried out during the flight seasons of 1999 and 2000 on agricultural land on the Chilterns in Oxfordshire, UK. Six patches of land were identified which contained characteristics thought to be attractive to hornet robberflies. One hundred and twenty eight adults were marked in 1999 and 257 in 2000. Marking was carried out on one of the patches, but resighting observations were collected from all six sites. The daily population sizes were estimated using the Jolly-Seber method. The daily population size peaked between 50 and 72 from 23 August until 13 September in 2000. This was very similar to the peak population size of between 50 and 74 estimated for 1999. Adults were found to be capable of living for nearly 5 weeks. The maximum linear distance from the point of marking that any individual moved across the study site was 625 m, but some individuals moved over 400 m in a single day. Unsuitable habitat (suburban gardens and a main road) did not present a barrier to dispersal. Males were more likely than females to loiter in sites peripheral to the breeding site, whilst females seemed to be more tied to the breeding site. Most adults were caught from dung piles, but insects avoided fresh dung and preferred instead dung that was well into the process of drying out. A variety of insect species were taken as prey, including many beetles and flies. The findings of the study are discussed in relation to the management of the landscape to enhance the long-term prospects of the hornet robberfly in the UK, and to achieve the UK Biodiversity Action Plan target for this species.

Subpopulations ofCryptocephalusbeetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): geographically close but genetically far

Abstract.The leaf beetlesCryptocephalus coryli, C. decemmaculatusandC. nitidulusare of conservation concern and are included on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The distinctiveness of the disjunct remaining populations of these beetles was compared to that of more continuously distributedCryptocephalusspecies. This was carried out with a view to defining evolutionary significant units (ESUs) in the rare species. A portion of the cytochromebgene, an intergenic spacer and partial tRNA was analysed from 93 specimens ofCryptocephalusbeetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Considerable sequence divergence was apparent in all the species, even at an intersite scale when the distances between sampled localities were very small (< 1 km). Intrapopulation, intersite and interpopulation divergence observed in the rare species was reflected in the species that have a more continuous distribution, implying that dispersal ability in these species is poor and gene flow can be impeded by relatively trivial barriers to dispersal. The evidence suggests that the disjunct populations of the rareCryptocephalusspecies can, tentatively, be considered as ESUs. This has important implications for management strategies and reintroductions.

A comparison of the ecological quality of land between an English agri-environment scheme and the countryside as a whole

A survey of 451 Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) agreements was carried out across England in 1998–1999 to characterise the ecological quality of the land. The land within the agreements was mapped using the UK Biodiversity Action Plan Broad and Priority Habitats and the vegetation of the agreements was sampled using random quadrats. By far the most widespread Broad Habitat was Improved Grassland, accounting for around 50% of all agreement land. Of this, the majority was semi-improved. Priority Habitats accounted for 15% of all agreement land (equivalent to around 18,500 ha). In addition to the 15%, there was also land within habitat mosaics containing one or more Priority Habitat. The analysis of vegetation revealed that 53% of all randomly-placed quadrats were categorised as Infertile Grassland and 24% as Fertile Grassland. Survey data were compared with results from the Countryside Survey 2000, a national assessment of vegetation undertaken in 1998. In the lowland areas of England, CSS land had a much higher proportion of grassland habitats and was much more likely to be typical of low fertility situations than the countryside as a whole. In the marginal uplands and uplands, CSS agreement land contained a greater proportion of grassland, but with a reduced proportion of important upland Broad Habitats, such as Dwarf Shrub Heath and Bog, although these do tend to be found more in the Environmentally Sensitive Areas. The differences between the CSS and the countryside as a whole clearly reflect the priorities of the CSS, especially the high proportion of grassland. The CSS has targeted Broad and Priority Habitats and in this respect has been successful.

Territory distribution and foraging patterns of cirl buntings ( Emberiza cirlus) breeding in the UK

A recent recovery in cirl bunting ( Emberiza cirlus) numbers in the UK has been aided by deployment of prescriptions for environmentally friendly management of farmland under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. However, the species' range has not expanded and the population is increasingly under threat from habitat loss due to built development. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan calls for re-establishment of populations outside the current range in order to ensure a wider geographical spread of this species. This study examined territory distribution and foraging patterns of cirl buntings in relation to habitat variables in order to inform the process of site protection and site selection for a possible translocation programme. Cirl bunting territories were positively associated with rough grassland, non-linear scrub and habitat richness, and intensive permanent pasture was avoided. Resampling methods showed that rough grassland was used significantly more than improved pasture as a foraging habitat and that both rough grass and cereals were used more than other arable crops. The results emphasise the importance of protection of unimproved pastures in ‘green field’ sites and will help quantify the potential carrying capacity of candidate ‘receptor’ sites.

Incorporating and Delivering Biodiversity in a Countryside Agenda: the Ccw Experience in Wales

Joanna M. Robertson (e-mail: j.robertson@ ccw.gov.uk), Biodiversity Action Coordinator, Countryside Council for Wales, Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales LL57 2DW. This short communication draws on the experience in Wales of protecting biodiversity within a broad countryside agenda and discusses ways of meeting the challenges that the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) presents. It is intended to stimulate debate about how to ensure that the Convention really does its job. The British government signed the Con vention on 12 June 1992. The presence of non-governmental organisations characterised the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio, and they have played a large role in taking the biodiversity agenda forward in the United Kingdom since then. We now have a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) (Department of the Environment 1994), which has the endorsement and strong support of government. It contains broad objectives (for which responsibilities are assigned) is targeted and has built-in accountability. One novel aspect is the identification of priority habitats (45) and species (391) and the preparation of action plans for their conservation; a consistent approach to these plans is taken, establishing status, threats, what is being and needs to be done and by whom. The UKBAP also calls for the production of local biodiversity action plans, for improvement in information sharing and public involvement. This is a challenging agenda, but there are gaps between what the Convention requires and what UKBAP can achieve. A report to the British government in 2001 made it clear that a strategy was still needed to implement the full Convention (UK Bio diversity Group 2001). The preparation of dozens of habitat and species action plans and the holding of frequent meetings show that the biodiversity protection process, representing a new, inclusive way of working, is well underway. Against a background of continued wildlife losses, we also need to demonstrate that it is delivering positive gains for wildlife. Our experience in Wales has demonstrated the importance of linking bio diversity with the broader economiic and social issues of' sustainable development, of which it is a key measure. This helps to bring in people across the spe(trum-the link between people and nature needs to be re-established. We need to work very hard to interpret the UKBAP for everyday lives. This is beginning to be done, for example by selecting farmland birds as a measure of 'quality of life'. However, biodiversity in Wales is still a fairly penrpheral issue, with GDP, jobs and the farming industry higher up the political agenda. The voluntary sector is weak, and many local authorities are ecologically inexperienced. The National Assembly for Wales's Sustainable Development Scheme, Learning to live differently (National Assembly for Wales 2000), gives new hope. An important element of the picture in Wales is devolution. Wales now has its own Assembly, and it is logical that responsibility for biodiversity should be devolved. The Assembly has established a Wales Biodiversity Group. The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), as the Assembly's countryside agency, has been expected to make most of the running to implement the UKBAP. The hope is that biodiversity and sustainable development will introduce a new way of thinking about nature and natural resources across all sectors. The opportunities are there. CCW is pressing forward with action to deliver some of the UKBAP objectives and targets. It is combining with other agencies to produce regular 'state of the environment' reports. CCW also helps to manage the first all-Wales, whole-farm agri-environment scheme, called Tir Gofal. A CCW director has been appointed to the National Biodiver sity Network Trust to tackle the data problem-everyone holds bits of information, but no one can access the full picture. CCW has taken over the Secretariat of the Wales Biodiversity Group. We are also supporting the preparation of local biodiversity action plans, which aim to translate national targets into reality at local level and to raise local awareness and resources for action. These plans offer the opportunity to

Incorporating and Delivering Biodiversity in a Countryside Agenda: The CCW Experience in Wales

SHORT COMMUNICATION INCORPORATING AND DELIVERING BIODIVERSITY IN A COUNTRYSIDE AGENDA: THE CCW EXPERIENCE IN WALES Joanna M. Robertson Joanna M. Robertson (e-mail: j.robertson@ ccw.gov.uk), Biodiversity ActionCoordinator, Countryside Councilfor Wales,Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales LL57 2DW. This short communication draws on the experience in Wales of protecting biodiversity within a broad countryside agenda and discusses ways of meeting the challenges that the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) presents. It is intended to stimulate debate about how to ensure that the Convention really does its job. The British government signed the Con vention on 12 June 1992. The presence of non-governmental organisations characterised the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio, and they have played a large role in taking the biodiversity agenda forward in theUnited Kingdom since then. We now have a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) (Department of the Environment 1994), which has the endorsement and strong support of government. It contains broad objectives (for which responsibilities are assigned) is targeted and has built-in accountability. One novel aspect is the identification of priority habitats (45) and species (391) and the preparation of action plans for their conservation; a consistent approach to these plans is taken, establishing status, threats, what is being and needs to be done and by whom. The UKBAP also calls for the production of local biodiversity action plans, for improvement in information sharing and public involvement. This is a challenging agenda, but there are gaps between what the Convention requires and what UKBAP can achieve. A report to the British government in 2001 made it clear that a strategy was still needed to implement the full Convention (UK Bio diversity Group 2001). The preparation of dozens of habitat and species action plans and the holding of frequent meetings show that the biodiversity protection process, representing a new, inclusive way of working, iswell underway. Against a background of continued wildlife losses, we also need to demonstrate that it is delivering positive gains for wildlife. Our experience in Wales has demonstrated the importance of linking bio diversity with the broader economiic and social issues of' sustainable development, of which it is a key measure. This helps to bring in people across the spe(trum-the link between people and nature needs to be re-established. We need to work very hard to interpret the UKBAP for everyday lives. This is beginning to be done, for example by selecting farmland birds as ameasure of 'quality of life'. However, biodiversity inWales is still a fairly penrpheral issue, with GDP, jobs and the farming industry higher up the political agenda. The voluntary sector is weak, and many local authorities are ecologically inexperienced. The National Assembly for Wales's Sustainable Development Scheme, Learning to live differently (National Assembly for Wales 2000), gives new hope. An important element of the picture inWales is devolution. Wales now has its own Assembly, and it is logical that responsibility for biodiversity should be devolved. The Assembly has established a Wales Biodiversity Group. The Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), as the Assembly's countryside agency, has been expected to make most of the running to implement the UKBAP. The hope is that biodiversity and sustainable development will introduce a new way of thinking about nature and natural resources across all sectors. The opportunities are there. CCW is pressing forward with action to deliver some of the UKBAP objectives and targets. It is combining with other agencies to produce regular 'state of the environment' reports. CCW also helps to manage the first all-Wales, whole-farm agri-environment scheme, called Tir Gofal. A CCW director has been appointed to the National Biodiver sity Network Trust to tackle the data problem-everyone holds bits of information, but no one can access the full picture. CCW has taken over the Secretariat of the Wales Biodiversity Group. We are also supporting the preparation of local biodiversity action plans, which aim to translate national targets into reality at local level and to raise local awareness and resources for action. These plans offer the opportunity to BIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT: PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL IRISHACADEMY, VOL. 102B, No. 3, 193-194 (2002). C ROYAL IRISHACADEMY 193 BIOLOGY...

The potential contribution of conifer plantations to the UK Biodiversity Action Plan

Summary The detrimental effects of conifer plantations on open ground habitats have been well catalogued and discussed, but the potential contribution of planted forests to the conservation of woodland biodiversity has not been quantified to the same extent. This quantification is needed urgently to help forest managers fulfil commitments to biodiversity enhancement as outlined in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, the UK Forestry Standard and the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme (UKWAS). Results are presented from a five-year programme of research aimed at obtaining baseline information on biodiversity in planted forests and evaluating the contribution of planted forests to the conservation of native flora and fauna. Fifty-two plots were surveyed in total, covering a range of different tree crops (Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L., Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr., Norway spruce Picea abies L. and Corsican pine Pinus nigra var maritima (Aitón) Melville) and stand ages (pre-thicket, mid-rotation, mature and over-mature) in three contrasting bioclimatic zones (upland, foothills and lowlands) throughout Britain. Additional plots were established in semi-natural woodland to allow comparisons between the biodiversity of plantations and native stands. Over 2000 species were recorded in total, including 45 Red Data Book species. Planted stands had similar or richer fungal and invertebrate communities to those of the native stands but poorer lichen and vascular plant communities. The latter were strongly affected by shading, dense, mid-rotation Sitka spruce stands having the lowest species counts. In contrast, these stands had a high diversity of mycorrhizal fungi, including a number of rare and threatened species normally associated with native pine wood. Bryophyte species-richness was related more to climate than woodland type, with the wetter upland spruce and native oak stands having the most diverse communities. Compared to the younger planted stands, over-mature planted stands had a higher proportion of species characteristic of semi-natural woodland stands. This related to greater structural diversity and higher deadwood volumes in the over-mature stands. It is concluded that conifer plantations make a positive contribution to biodiversity conservation in the UK and hence to the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. No single stand or crop type provides ‘optimal’ conditions for biodiversity, but the habitat value of plantations could be enhanced by increasing the area managed under alternative systems to clear-felling, such as ‘continuous cover’ and/or non-intervention natural reserves.

Targeting sites for conservation: Using a patch-based ranking scheme to assess conservation potential

Rare habitats are increasingly threatened by fragmentation and measures are required to conserve these valuable resources. Here, we present a method of targeting habitat patches for conservation using a Geographical Information System. We ranked patches of chalk grassland in the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty using simple abiotic criteria, namely: patch area, patch shape, proximity to areas of the same habitat and surrounding land-use type. We compiled a regionally specific list of indicator species and ranked the habitat patches based on their alpha diversity (calculated from species richness). We compared the results of the two ranking schemes and identified key aggregations of the existing reserve network. These could form the basis of future habitat expansion as required by the United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan.

Estimating hedgerow length and pattern characteristics in Great Britain using Countryside Survey data

A chequer-board pattern of fields is characteristic of much of lowland Britain and other parts of western Europe. The field boundaries are often composed of hedgerows which, by tradition, are regularly managed to provide a relatively compact, sustainable, stock-proof barrier. The management regimes of hedgerows are, however, extremely variable resulting in a range of features, from low, compact, dense lines of shrubs through to tall, open rows of small trees. As well as providing an agronomic benefit, this network of several hundred thousand kilometres, has been shown to be a valuable resource to wildlife and is important as an aesthetic contribution to the British landscape. Therefore, the maintenance of the British hedgerow network is important and survey is essential to monitor its continuity. The Countryside Surveys have been used as means of achieving this, as well as providing a rich source of information, for example, about landscape pattern and changes in this over time.Hedgerow data have been collected during sample-based field surveys in 1978, 1984, 1990 and 1993. National estimates of the length of managed hedgerow derived from these data showed a 23% reduction in the resource between 1984 and 1990. Much of this ‘loss’ appeared to be due to management regimes which have led to more overgrown hedgerows and rows of scattered shrubs. The proportion of mixed-species hedgerows increased between the two dates and there was a reduction in stockproof hedgerows but most other characteristics (e.g. height and management) remained constant. Landscape-pattern measures applied to the hedgerow network showed broad similarity across a range of landscape types in Britain although the density of hedges was greater in the pastural landscapes of the south and west. Measurement of ‘connectedness’, a feature of potential value in aiding species movement through the landscape, suggested that the British landscape is less-well connected in 1990 than previously. Hedgerows were found next to linear features, such as roads, as frequently as they were to any other land use.One of the most significant findings from analysis of 1984 and 1990 data was that there has been an increase in larger and more overgrown hedgerows, often to the point where they could no longer be defined as hedgerows. Overgrown hedgerows do have wildlife and other value but, to remain sustainable, hedgerows do require some degree of management. There is potential for using the Countryside Survey data further to provided better advice on the sustainable and sympathetic management of hedgerows. This is necessary to provide a rich and diverse network within a landscape or management unit.Countryside Survey hedgerow results have already been used to inform rural policy in Britain and have helped to underpin the introduction of policies and incentives which protect and enhance this landscape resource. These data are also being used to measure indicators of sustainable development and to provide a baseline against which changes in ancient and/or species-rich hedgerows can be assessed, as required in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The surveys have proved useful in gathering information on the hedgerows and other linear features in the British landscape. The approach could well be adapted to the needs of other countries where, for example, fencerows and roadside vegetation also provide an important ecological and landscape resource.

Conservation Objectives and Targets for Freshwater Sites

AbstractConservation objectives and targets, which play a vital role in conserving freshwater biodiversity, have been developed on many different scales according to the roles and responsibilities of the organisations involved. The EU birds and habitats Directives, the national system of ‘sites of special scientific interest’and the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, have all influenced the development of a new approach in defining conservation objectives and targets for designated sites in the UK. The UK conservation agencies have agreed common standards for setting conservation objectives and targets as part of an overall monitoring and reporting framework. The rationale behind the approach and the common standards are described, together with some examples relating to freshwater habitats and species. Challenges for the future are identified and discussed.

The conservation of a fragmented ecosystem within a cultural landscape—The case of ancient woodland in England

Ancient woodland (land continuously wooded since ad 1600) was identified in the 1970s (and confirmed in the 1994 UK Biodiversity Action Plan) as the most important category of woodland for nature conservation. It predominates within special protected sites, but the bulk of this resource (85%) lies outside such protection. Ownership by government and non-government bodies ensures that areas outside the protected site system are managed sympathetically, but the distribution of sites in such sympathetic ownership is very patchy. Hence, the nature conservation value of ancient woods must also be recognised in national forestry policies that apply to all such sites. In cultural landscapes such as in England, not all woodland species survive within the fragmented ancient semi-natural woodland resource. Plantations of introduced species and other, recent woodland must also be included in the conservation strategy. This paper explores the implications of these factors in the development of nature conservation policy and practice in England over the last 15 years.

The anemone,Nematostella vectensis, in Britain: considerations for conservation management

1. The starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, is a small edwardsiid anemone found in sheltered brackish habitats on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America and on the south and east coasts of England. 2. On eastern Atlantic coasts, this anemone is limited to relatively few sites and has consequently been listed in the IUCN Invertebrate Red Data Book as ‘vulnerable’, receives protection in Britain under The Wildlife and Countryside Act, and is short listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. As detailed information on the ecology of the species is lacking, informed management of existing populations and habitats is difficult. 3. The current distribution in England is outlined, together with a description of habitat characteristics and a list of associated species. 4. The importance of salinity and water flow in determining the occurrence and spatial/temporal patterns of distribution of the species is demonstrated. 5. Population change at three English south coast sites is described and the patterns interpreted in terms of seasonal changes in food availability, salinity and temperature. 6. Although females develop ovaries and are capable of sexual reproduction, males are absent from all south coast populations of N. vectensis and it is concluded that populations at these sites produce all offspring asexually. 7. It is suggested that the species may have been introduced to Europe from North America, though clarification awaits the genetic study of existing populations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Upland habitat conservation in Scotland: a review of progress and some proposals for action

Summary The uplands cover around 70% of Scotland's land surface. Many of the extensive and well-developed habitats are internationally distinctive in their floristics. Almost 250 Sites of Special Scientific Interest are designated primarily for upland habitat interests, and there are 23 upland National Nature Reserves. The EC Habitats Directive lists 23 ‘natural habitat’ types found in the Scottish uplands. More than 70 potential Special Areas of Conservation, proposed for designation under the Directive, have been identified by Scottish Natural Heritage. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan has statements for five principal upland habitats, and costed action plans are being developed for each of these. The impact of man, since the 1940s, points to heavy grazing pressure, poor burning practices and acidic deposition as the major influences on habitat change. Actions are discussed for the conservation of key upland habitats in five biogeographical zones. A distinction is made between the need to restore habitat...