A hierarchical approach to the examination of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem service flows across coastal margins.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Biology
Abstract
CBESS Summary:
The health of the UK's coastlines is inextricably linked to our success as an island nation, and resonates through our economy, our recreation, and our culture. Most pressingly, of all the UK's many and varied landscapes, its coastal systems are the ones most immediately sensitive to climate change. As temperatures increase, sea levels will rise and the forces experienced where land and sea meet will become more destructive. Salt marshes, mudflats, beaches and rocky shores will all be affected but, of these areas, the most sensitive are the mudflats and salt marshes that are common features of coastal systems, and which comprise just over half of the UK's total estuarine area. Not only do these landscapes support a wide range of economically valuable animal and plant species, they also act as sites of carbon storage, nutrient recycling, and pollutant capture and destruction. Their preservation is, therefore, of the utmost importance, requiring active and informed management to save them for future generations. The Natural Environment Research Council's call to help understand the landscape-scale links between the functions that these systems provide (ecosystem service flows) and the organisms that help provide these services (biodiversity stocks) offers an important opportunity to move beyond most previous work in this field, which has been conducted at small or laboratory scales. While of foundational scientific importance, the implications of laboratory studies can be hard to translate into policy, and coastal managers require a clearer evidence base to understand how ecosystem service flows operate at much larger spatial scales, e.g. entire salt marshes or regions of intertidal flat and salt marshes. The programme we are proposing 'A hierarchical approach to the examination of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem service flows across coastal margins' (CBESS) will provide such a large scale understanding. Our consortium of UK experts ranges from microbial ecologists, through environmental economists, to mathematical modellers, including organisations like the BTO and the RSPB, who have immediate and vested interest in the sustainable use of coastal wetlands.
Together, CBESS will create a study that spans the landscape scale, investigating how biodiversity stocks provide the following ecosystem services (cf. National Ecosystem Assessment).
- Supporting' services: nutrient cycling, healthy habitat
- Provisioning services; goods obtained from the landscape
- Regulating' services: coastal protection, climate regulation (greenhouse gas exchange, carbon sequestration)
- Cultural services: Recreation (walking, canoeing, angling, birding, hunting and beauty)
CBESS will combine the detailed study of two regional landscapes with a broad-scale UK-wide study to allow both specific and general conclusions to be drawn. The Regional study will compare two areas of great local and national importance: Morecambe Bay on the west coast and the Essex coastline on the east coast. We will carry out biological and physical surveys at more than 600 stations and use these results to clarify how biodiversity can provide these important ecosystem functions. This information will be shared with those interested in using and managing coastal systems and, after our analysis; we will propose practical methods and improved tools for the future analysis, management, and sustainability of the UK's coastal wetlands.
The health of the UK's coastlines is inextricably linked to our success as an island nation, and resonates through our economy, our recreation, and our culture. Most pressingly, of all the UK's many and varied landscapes, its coastal systems are the ones most immediately sensitive to climate change. As temperatures increase, sea levels will rise and the forces experienced where land and sea meet will become more destructive. Salt marshes, mudflats, beaches and rocky shores will all be affected but, of these areas, the most sensitive are the mudflats and salt marshes that are common features of coastal systems, and which comprise just over half of the UK's total estuarine area. Not only do these landscapes support a wide range of economically valuable animal and plant species, they also act as sites of carbon storage, nutrient recycling, and pollutant capture and destruction. Their preservation is, therefore, of the utmost importance, requiring active and informed management to save them for future generations. The Natural Environment Research Council's call to help understand the landscape-scale links between the functions that these systems provide (ecosystem service flows) and the organisms that help provide these services (biodiversity stocks) offers an important opportunity to move beyond most previous work in this field, which has been conducted at small or laboratory scales. While of foundational scientific importance, the implications of laboratory studies can be hard to translate into policy, and coastal managers require a clearer evidence base to understand how ecosystem service flows operate at much larger spatial scales, e.g. entire salt marshes or regions of intertidal flat and salt marshes. The programme we are proposing 'A hierarchical approach to the examination of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem service flows across coastal margins' (CBESS) will provide such a large scale understanding. Our consortium of UK experts ranges from microbial ecologists, through environmental economists, to mathematical modellers, including organisations like the BTO and the RSPB, who have immediate and vested interest in the sustainable use of coastal wetlands.
Together, CBESS will create a study that spans the landscape scale, investigating how biodiversity stocks provide the following ecosystem services (cf. National Ecosystem Assessment).
- Supporting' services: nutrient cycling, healthy habitat
- Provisioning services; goods obtained from the landscape
- Regulating' services: coastal protection, climate regulation (greenhouse gas exchange, carbon sequestration)
- Cultural services: Recreation (walking, canoeing, angling, birding, hunting and beauty)
CBESS will combine the detailed study of two regional landscapes with a broad-scale UK-wide study to allow both specific and general conclusions to be drawn. The Regional study will compare two areas of great local and national importance: Morecambe Bay on the west coast and the Essex coastline on the east coast. We will carry out biological and physical surveys at more than 600 stations and use these results to clarify how biodiversity can provide these important ecosystem functions. This information will be shared with those interested in using and managing coastal systems and, after our analysis; we will propose practical methods and improved tools for the future analysis, management, and sustainability of the UK's coastal wetlands.
Planned Impact
CBESS Impact Summary:
Who will benefit from this research, and how?
Commercial private sector and the knowledge economy: CBESS provides new knowledge, new data, and tools to assist the sustainable management of coastal landscapes. Theme 5 of CBESS will also deliver new and innovative methodologies, equipment, techniques, and technologies to assess the role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystems services. This framework is based on the HiMOM (Hierarchical monitoring of marine systems) EU programme, in providing a 'tool kit' and case studies for use by coastal managers. The research itself is based on an interdisciplinary framework that will provide a model for future programmes in the UK and abroad, through initiatives such as the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, the world's largest cluster of conservation organisations that focus on biodiversity research, policy and practice. Since many commercial interests rely on sustainable wetland socio-ecosystem service flows, beneficiaries will be correspondingly varied: Recreation (e.g. wildfowling, angling, walking) and commerce (e.g. fisheries, farming, cafes, museums, exhibits) that uses the local landscape will see long-term benefits.
Policy professionals, governmental and devolved governmental organisations: The CBESS consortium hinges on the full involvement (see attached Letters of Support) of a wide range of partner organisations with an explicit interest in policy and the management of coastal wetlands. Members will disseminate information far beyond the immediate circle of CBESS. Our Partners include the Government Office for Science, the Environment Agency and its devolved counterparts (NIEA, SEPA), the Freshwater Biological Association, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and The James Hutton Institute. In addition, through the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS), the Consortium has access to the Scottish Marine Forum, Marine Scotland, Marine Science Scotland, The Centre of Expertise for Waters, and the Centre of Expertise for Climate Change; a constituency of several thousand members.
The British public: The intrinsic value of publically accessible wetland is widely recognised, enhancing our culture, quality of life, and health. Given that most people experience their surroundings at, and live their daily lives within, the 'landscape' scale, CBESS will enhance evidence based policy-making and support robust legislation at a local, regional, national and international level (see Pathways to Impact).
Voluntary sectors and wider public: Wetland wildlife habitats attract dedicated support from the voluntary sector (e.g The British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Essex Wildlife Trust). CBESS's econometric approach will examine the scale-dependence of wetland use by public, recreational (e.g fishing, birdwatching) and voluntary groups (Litter clearance, nature guides), adding to our Partners' understanding of overall wetland service provision. Through our Partners, new groups will become part of the CBESS constituency and informed about the project.
Skills training. Three areas of benefit arise from CBESS. In addition to academic progression, early career researchers will gain experience in planning and conducting a large and complex programme. PhDs associated with CBESS will gain from the interdisciplinary, and highly cooperative, nature of the work. Finally, areas of CBESS work lie in the traditional skills of sampling and taxonomy (cf. floral and infaunal biodiversity) which will be supported within CBESS and staff encourage to develop skills (taxonomy courses include in costings).
Who will benefit from this research, and how?
Commercial private sector and the knowledge economy: CBESS provides new knowledge, new data, and tools to assist the sustainable management of coastal landscapes. Theme 5 of CBESS will also deliver new and innovative methodologies, equipment, techniques, and technologies to assess the role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystems services. This framework is based on the HiMOM (Hierarchical monitoring of marine systems) EU programme, in providing a 'tool kit' and case studies for use by coastal managers. The research itself is based on an interdisciplinary framework that will provide a model for future programmes in the UK and abroad, through initiatives such as the Cambridge Conservation Initiative, the world's largest cluster of conservation organisations that focus on biodiversity research, policy and practice. Since many commercial interests rely on sustainable wetland socio-ecosystem service flows, beneficiaries will be correspondingly varied: Recreation (e.g. wildfowling, angling, walking) and commerce (e.g. fisheries, farming, cafes, museums, exhibits) that uses the local landscape will see long-term benefits.
Policy professionals, governmental and devolved governmental organisations: The CBESS consortium hinges on the full involvement (see attached Letters of Support) of a wide range of partner organisations with an explicit interest in policy and the management of coastal wetlands. Members will disseminate information far beyond the immediate circle of CBESS. Our Partners include the Government Office for Science, the Environment Agency and its devolved counterparts (NIEA, SEPA), the Freshwater Biological Association, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and The James Hutton Institute. In addition, through the Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS), the Consortium has access to the Scottish Marine Forum, Marine Scotland, Marine Science Scotland, The Centre of Expertise for Waters, and the Centre of Expertise for Climate Change; a constituency of several thousand members.
The British public: The intrinsic value of publically accessible wetland is widely recognised, enhancing our culture, quality of life, and health. Given that most people experience their surroundings at, and live their daily lives within, the 'landscape' scale, CBESS will enhance evidence based policy-making and support robust legislation at a local, regional, national and international level (see Pathways to Impact).
Voluntary sectors and wider public: Wetland wildlife habitats attract dedicated support from the voluntary sector (e.g The British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Essex Wildlife Trust). CBESS's econometric approach will examine the scale-dependence of wetland use by public, recreational (e.g fishing, birdwatching) and voluntary groups (Litter clearance, nature guides), adding to our Partners' understanding of overall wetland service provision. Through our Partners, new groups will become part of the CBESS constituency and informed about the project.
Skills training. Three areas of benefit arise from CBESS. In addition to academic progression, early career researchers will gain experience in planning and conducting a large and complex programme. PhDs associated with CBESS will gain from the interdisciplinary, and highly cooperative, nature of the work. Finally, areas of CBESS work lie in the traditional skills of sampling and taxonomy (cf. floral and infaunal biodiversity) which will be supported within CBESS and staff encourage to develop skills (taxonomy courses include in costings).
Organisations
- University of St Andrews (Lead Research Organisation)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- HR Wallingford Ltd (Collaboration)
- University of St Andrews (Collaboration)
- Nanjing University (NJU) (Collaboration)
- University of Plymouth (Collaboration)
- University of Hull (Collaboration)
- Utrecht University (Collaboration)
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (Collaboration)
Publications
Zhang N
(2018)
Nondestructive 3D Imaging and Quantification of Hydrated Biofilm-Sediment Aggregates Using X-ray Microcomputed Tomography.
in Environmental science & technology
Wohlgemuth D
(2016)
Specific arrangements of species dominance can be more influential than evenness in maintaining ecosystem process and function.
in Scientific reports
Watson S
(2018)
Evaluation of estuarine biotic indices to assess macro-benthic structure and functioning following nutrient remediation actions: A case study on the Eden estuary Scotland.
in Regional Studies in Marine Science
Watson S
(2020)
Comparing the network structure and resilience of two benthic estuarine systems following the implementation of nutrient mitigation actions
in Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
Walton MEM
(2021)
Faunal mediated carbon export from mangroves in an arid area.
in The Science of the total environment
Richir J
(2020)
Editorial: Structure, Functioning and Conservation of Coastal Vegetated Wetlands
in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Raffaelli D
(2014)
Big Data in Ecology
Paterson D
(2018)
Form, function and physics: the ecology of biogenic stabilisation
in Journal of Soils and Sediments
Oliver ECJ
(2018)
Longer and more frequent marine heatwaves over the past century.
in Nature communications
Ladd C
(2019)
Sediment Supply Explains Long-Term and Large-Scale Patterns in Salt Marsh Lateral Expansion and Erosion
in Geophysical Research Letters
| Description | Analysis of results in progress; results pending. Molecular data now analysed after problems with sourcing company. The data is now available and on accessible site |
| Exploitation Route | Analysis of results in progress; results pending and this will lead to further awards and contribute toward NERC UKRI programme (e.g SMMR 2020. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Education,Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism |
| Description | Analysis of results in progress; results pending. Production of the "Saltmash" app for smartphone |
| First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
| Sector | Education,Environment |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Advisor to EA Coastal Squeeze R&D project |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Description | Meeting with the Exec Director Fife Coast and Countryside Trust |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Importance of biodiversity and ecosystem service delivery enhanced supporting regulatory decision making |
| Description | Member of the Evidence Needs (BEERN) Programme of the Wales Biodiversity Partnership |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| URL | https://www.biodiversitywales.org.uk/BEERN-Programme |
| Description | Member of the UK's Blue Carbon Forum |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or Improved professional practice |
| URL | https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/2021/11/05/uk-blue-carbon-forum-to-raise-profile-of-blue-carbon... |
| Description | Regular meetings with local coastal user groups such as the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust Ranger, Scottish National Heritage and the West Sands Partnership forum. |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Regular updates are provided to maintain open communication and amicable collaboration. |
| Description | HLF funding for the CoCoast Capturing our Coast Citizen Science project led by Newcastle University |
| Amount | £1,700,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Heritage Lottery Fund |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2015 |
| End | 10/2018 |
| Description | NERC Advanced Short Training Course |
| Amount | £4,215 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2015 |
| End | 03/2015 |
| Description | Postgraduate and Professional Skills Development Awards |
| Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | USTAN 29/13 |
| Organisation | Research Councils UK (RCUK) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2014 |
| End | 03/2014 |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) dry weight root biomass from three soil depths on salt marsh sites at Morecambe Bay and Essex |
| Description | The dataset comprises of dry weight root biomass data collected from 0 cm to 10 cm, 10 cm to 20 cm and 20 cm to 30 cm soil depths from six salt marsh sites. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England. The Morecambe Bay samples were taken during the winter and summer of 2013. The Essex samples were taken during the winter, early spring and summer of 2013. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) eddy covariance flux data for Abbotts Hall, Essex |
| Description | The eddy covariance data describes the fluxes of CO2, latent energy, and sensible heat. It also includes ancillary data: air and soil temperatures, net radiation balance, down-welling photosynthetically active radiation, wind speed, wind direction, vapour pressure deficit, friction velocity, Monin-Obukhov stability and modelled respiration. Data collection was carried out at Abbotts Hall marsh from the 15 December 2012 till the 27 January 2015. The Abbotts Hall site is in Essex, South East England, and the meteorological tower was situated in the middle of the marsh. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) global positioning system (GPS) locations of survey quadrats in saltmarsh and mudflat habitats |
| Description | The dataset details global positioning system (GPS) locations recorded for survey quadrats at six UK saltmarsh sites. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England, each of these sites consisted of a salt marsh area and adjacent mudflat area. Each site comprised 22 quadrats on the unvegetated mudflat and 22 quadrats on the salt marsh. The locations indicated by this dataset correspond to the south-east corner of the quadrats which were 1m square and oriented with their sides aligned North-South and East-West. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) individual bioturbation potential in mudflat and saltmarsh habitats |
| Description | The dataset details individual species bioturbation potential (BPi) across 6 intertidal sites in the winter and summer of 2013. The data provide an index of bioturbation potential of individual invertebrate species present within the top 10cm of sediment. Three sites were located in Essex, South East England and the other three in Morecambe Bay, North West England. Each site consisted of a saltmarsh habitat and adjacent mudflat habitat. 22 sampling quadrats were placed in each habitat covering four spatial scales. three replicate cores of sediment were collected at each quadrat. They were sieved on a 0.5mm mesh and the macrofauna was removed, identified to species (or appropriate taxon) and individuals were identified to species (or most appropriate taxon), counted and weighed. The resulting abundance and biomass data were then used to calculate BPi of each individual species present within a sample. BPi data for mudflat habitats across Essex and Morecambe are complete, however, saltmarsh data is only available for one full Essex site (Tillingham Marsh), in one season (winter) and across all sites, at the 1m scale. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS). The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) larger mobile macrofaunal abundance, biomass and species richness from fyke netting in mudflat habitats |
| Description | The dataset details larger mobile fish and macrofaunal abundance across six intertidal sites in the winter and summer of 2013, sampled using fyke nets. The data provide a quantitative measure of larger mobile invertebrate and fish species present in fyke nets caught over two executive tidal cycles at three sites in Essex, South East England and three more sites in Morecambe Bay, North West England. At each site, 22 sampling quadrats were placed on the mud flat covering 4 spatial scales. At each of these, unbaited fyke nets were deployed perpendicular to the shore over two tidal cycles. Upon removal, the species were identified to species level and individuals counted. For each species wet weight (g) was calculated. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) locations, elevations and proximity metrics of survey quadrats in saltmarsh and mudflat habitats |
| Description | The dataset details global positioning system (GPS) locations recorded for survey quadrats at six UK saltmarsh sites. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England, each of these sites consisted of a salt marsh area and adjacent mudflat area. Each site comprised 22 quadrats on the unvegetated mudflat and 22 quadrats on the salt marsh. The locations indicated by this dataset correspond to the south-east corner of the quadrats which were 1m square and oriented with their sides aligned North-South and East-West. We combined spatial data relating to the environs of the study sites from a number of sources (Ordnance Survey Digital Terrain Models, Ordnance Survey Boundary Line, Environment Agency Saltmarsh Extents, Natural England Priority Habitat Inventory). These were rasterised and quadrat values were extracted on a pointwise basis for elevation and proximity (distance to creek, habitat edge and high water mark). Tidal height was calculated with reference to the relevant Tidal Gauge and Admiralty Standard Port information. This data was derived as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) net primary productivity (NPP) on salt marsh sites at Morecambe Bay and Essex |
| Description | The dataset comprises net primary productivity (NPP) measured as kilogrammes of dry above-ground vegetation per square metre per year. Sampling was conducted at six salt marsh sites at four spatial scales: 1 metre (m) (the minimal sampling unit) nested within a hierarchy of increasing scales of 1-10 m, 10-100 m and 100-1000 m. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England. NPP measurements were based on vegetation re-growth after cutting in winter 2013 and harvesting in summer 2013. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS). The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) percentage cover of plant species on salt marsh sites at Morecambe Bay and Essex |
| Description | The dataset comprises of percentage plant cover by species observed by eye in a 1metre (m) x 1m quadrat. Measurements were recorded at six salt marsh sites at four spatial scales: 1 metre (m) (the minimal sampling unit) nested within a hierarchy of increasing scales of 1-10 m, 10-100 m and 100-1000 m. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England. Plant cover was measured during the winter and summer of 2013 for all six sites. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) projected area of vegetation in saltmarsh habitats |
| Description | The dataset contains estimates of the projected area of vegetation derived from the analysis of side-on photographs through the vegetation canopy and recorded for survey quadrats at six UK saltmarsh sites. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England, each of these sites consisted of a saltmarsh area and adjacent mudflat area. Each site comprised 22 quadrats in the vegetated area of salt marsh. A calibrated camera was used to photograph through a 600 x 200mm section of vegetation against a red background. Calibrated images were then classified into vegetation and background classes and parameters of vegetation density in the horizontal were computed. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme - is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) sedimentation and erosion monitoring over saltmarsh and mudflat habitats |
| Description | The dataset details surface elevation and sedimentation measurements across five UK saltmarsh sites. Two of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England, each of these sites consisted of a saltmarsh area and adjacent mudflat area. Rod Sedimentation-Erosion Tables (rSETs) were installed at different distances from the vegetated margin. Three rSETs were deployed for each Essex site and four for the Morecambe sites. rSET benchmarks were installed with associated marker horizons to evaluate surface elevation changes and surface accretion respectively. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/b71f1244-3bc2-4b52-bf64-f3e479860e28 |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) soil moisture content from three soil depths on salt marsh sites at Morecambe Bay and Essex |
| Description | The dataset comprises the field soil moisture content expressed as a percentage at three depth zones, (0 - 10 centimetre (cm), 10 - 20 cm and 20 - 30 cm), measured from bulk density soil samples taken within each 1 metre x 1 metre quadrat. Sampling was conducted at six salt marsh sites at four spatial scales: 1 metre (m) (the minimal sampling unit) nested within a hierarchy of increasing scales of 1-10 m, 10-100 m and 100-1000 m. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England. The Morecambe Bay samples were taken during the winter and summer of 2013. The Essex samples were taken during the winter, early spring and summer of 2013. Samples were taken using a bulk density ring. Soil moisture content was determined by weighing the samples as fresh field mass and then again after being dried out at 105 degrees Celsius for 72 hours. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/125a899b-8f10-4803-a6cf-a2fb1739746f |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) soil organic matter content from three soil depths on saltmarsh sites at Morecambe Bay and Essex |
| Description | The dataset comprises the field soil organic matter content as a percentage at three depth zones (roughly 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm), measured from bulk density soil samples taken within each 1metre x 1metre quadrat. Prior to measurement of bulk density all soil samples were dried at 105°C for 72 hours. A sub-sample was then taken and dried at 375°C for 16 hours to determine the percentage organic matter of dry soil. Sampling was conducted at six salt marsh sites at four spatial scales: 1 metre (the minimal sampling unit) nested within a hierarchy of increasing scales of 1-10 metres, 10-100 metres and 100-1000 metres. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England. The Morecambe Bay samples were taken during the winter and summer of 2013. The Essex samples were taken during the winter, early spring and summer of 2013. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) standing crop biomass on salt marsh sites at Morecambe Bay and Essex |
| Description | The dataset comprises of above ground vegetation cut to ground level and dried to give indication of standing crop biomass in a 50 centimetre (cm) x 25cm area (taken within a 1metre (m) x 1m quadrat) . Sampling was conducted at six salt marsh sites at four spatial scales: 1 m (the minimal sampling unit) nested within a hierarchy of increasing scales of 1-10 m, 10-100 m and 100-1000 m. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England. All samples were taken during the winter and summer of 2013. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS) surface sediment chlorophyll concentrations in saltmarsh and mudflat habitats |
| Description | The dataset details surface sediment chlorophyll concentrations across six intertidal sites in the winter and summer of 2013. Chlorophyll concentrations in surface sediments (<2mm) provide a quantitative measure of the microphytobenthos (MPB) community present. Three of the sites were in Morecambe Bay, North West England and three of the sites were in Essex, South East England, each of these sites consisted of a saltmarsh area and adjacent mudflat area, twenty two sampling quadrats were placed on each area. Five replicate sediment samples were taken at each quadrat and then underwent acetone extraction of pigments followed by spectrophotometer analysis of absorptions at relevant wavelengths. Values for chlorophyll a, b and c1+ c2 are expressed as micrograms per gram of sediment. This data was collected as part of Coastal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (CBESS): NE/J015644/1. The project was funded with support from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. BESS is a six-year programme (2011-2017) funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of the UK's Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Title | EIDC CBESS Data |
| Description | Coherent meta-data and data for all field CBESS campaigns |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | New Bayesian approach to linking biodiversity to ecosystem function in process |
| URL | https://data.gov.uk/dataset/12a202e0-c25e-4221-8a17-9e8c1c3dca82/coastal-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-... |
| Title | Survey data of greenspace users' preference scores for planted urban meadows and demographic data, Bedford and Luton, UK, 2014 |
| Description | The data comprise outcomes from questionnaire surveys conducted with greenspace users on their perceptions of experimentally manipulated urban meadows (varying levels of diversity and vegetation height of sown wildflower meadows), and associated socio-economic data of respondents to the questionnaire surveys. The experimental meadows were located in Bedford and Luton. Data was collected by the data authors, and participants gave informed consent before completing the questionnaires. The work was initially completed under the Fragments, functions and flows NERC BESS project in 2014. The scaling of biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban ecosystems was funded by grant NE/J015369/1 from the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Sustainability (BESS) programme. Subsequent analysis was carried out under the NERC grant 'Location, Configuration, Distribution: the Role of Landscape Pattern and Diversity in Ecosystem Services' (NE/K015508/1). |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/29d6345f-9f53-4894-8f60-80843f49c017 |
| Description | C-SIDE project - NERC |
| Organisation | University of St Andrews |
| Department | School of Biology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Co-wrote the proposal that eventually actracted NERC standard grant funding. New partner at St Andrews, Paleo-Oceanography. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Paleo-oceaongraphical expertise, especially radio istope dating of sedimentary cores. |
| Impact | Still emerging. Early days. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Collaboration with Blanes CEAB-CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) |
| Organisation | Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC, Spanish National Research Council |
| Collaborator Contribution | CEAB-CSIC allowed my postdoc, Dr Jordi Pages, to work at the institute, using their core-scanning faclity. The in-kind contribution includes use of the scanner a well as accomodating jordi with office facilities. |
| Impact | We led a workshop at the recent ASLO conference in the USA. A paper is emerging from this work, to be submitted spring 2019. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Floc characterisation of estuarine samples |
| Organisation | HR Wallingford Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | All biological processing and characterisation has been carried out by USTAN. All field work equipment provided by USTAN. Mass spectroscopy to determine sugar composition of samples will be performed by USTAN. Analysis of relationships between floc characteristics and biological data performed by USTAN. New technology and an innovative approach to examining floc structure and function from Prof Kate Spencer for visualising flocs and a new NERC proposal examining the role of organic molecules on the formation of flocs in the presence of xenobiotic compounds, being considered by NERC this year (2018) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Use of the Labsfloc imaging suite and the expertise provided by Professor Andy Manning. |
| Impact | Presented at AGU conference. Forms a chapter in PhD Thesis Technical report for HR Wallingford consultancy in preparation. Article in preparation Analysis still ongoing Biological and sedimentological disciplines New interdisciplinary NERC proposal (2018) |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Floc characterisation of estuarine samples |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Department | School of Geography |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All biological processing and characterisation has been carried out by USTAN. All field work equipment provided by USTAN. Mass spectroscopy to determine sugar composition of samples will be performed by USTAN. Analysis of relationships between floc characteristics and biological data performed by USTAN. New technology and an innovative approach to examining floc structure and function from Prof Kate Spencer for visualising flocs and a new NERC proposal examining the role of organic molecules on the formation of flocs in the presence of xenobiotic compounds, being considered by NERC this year (2018) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Use of the Labsfloc imaging suite and the expertise provided by Professor Andy Manning. |
| Impact | Presented at AGU conference. Forms a chapter in PhD Thesis Technical report for HR Wallingford consultancy in preparation. Article in preparation Analysis still ongoing Biological and sedimentological disciplines New interdisciplinary NERC proposal (2018) |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Floc characterisation of estuarine samples |
| Organisation | University of Hull |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All biological processing and characterisation has been carried out by USTAN. All field work equipment provided by USTAN. Mass spectroscopy to determine sugar composition of samples will be performed by USTAN. Analysis of relationships between floc characteristics and biological data performed by USTAN. New technology and an innovative approach to examining floc structure and function from Prof Kate Spencer for visualising flocs and a new NERC proposal examining the role of organic molecules on the formation of flocs in the presence of xenobiotic compounds, being considered by NERC this year (2018) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Use of the Labsfloc imaging suite and the expertise provided by Professor Andy Manning. |
| Impact | Presented at AGU conference. Forms a chapter in PhD Thesis Technical report for HR Wallingford consultancy in preparation. Article in preparation Analysis still ongoing Biological and sedimentological disciplines New interdisciplinary NERC proposal (2018) |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Floc characterisation of estuarine samples |
| Organisation | University of Plymouth |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | All biological processing and characterisation has been carried out by USTAN. All field work equipment provided by USTAN. Mass spectroscopy to determine sugar composition of samples will be performed by USTAN. Analysis of relationships between floc characteristics and biological data performed by USTAN. New technology and an innovative approach to examining floc structure and function from Prof Kate Spencer for visualising flocs and a new NERC proposal examining the role of organic molecules on the formation of flocs in the presence of xenobiotic compounds, being considered by NERC this year (2018) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Use of the Labsfloc imaging suite and the expertise provided by Professor Andy Manning. |
| Impact | Presented at AGU conference. Forms a chapter in PhD Thesis Technical report for HR Wallingford consultancy in preparation. Article in preparation Analysis still ongoing Biological and sedimentological disciplines New interdisciplinary NERC proposal (2018) |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | GreenCoast |
| Organisation | Utrecht University |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We built a new proposal and emerging associated cross-Europe network on nature based solutions, with focus on saltmarshes. My team brought in the UK saltmarsh side, plus stakeholders (Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales). |
| Collaborator Contribution | This is a network of several partners across Europe, with whom i have not prevously collaborated. Utrecht University (Maarten Kleinhans) brought me in and facilitated this link. |
| Impact | Horizon 2020 proposal, details: Call: H2020-LC-GD-2020. , Topic: LC-GD-7-1-2020. Proposal number: 101036374. Proposal acronym: GreenCoasts. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Najing University, China |
| Organisation | Nanjing University (NJU) |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Visited Nanjing University and established links with them for future research work and reciprocal visits. College of Harbour, Coastal Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China Paper submitted Hindered erosion: The biological mediation of non-cohesive sediment behaviour X. D. Chen1, C. K. Zhang1, D. M. Paterson2, C. E. L. Thompson3, I. H. Townend4, Z. Gong1, Z. Zhou1 and Q. Feng5,6 Submitted |
| Collaborator Contribution | Discussion of research methods, help in drafting papers and considering interpretation of results |
| Impact | Chen XD, Zhang CK, Zhou Z, Gong Z, Zhou1 JJ, Tao JF, Paterson DM, Feng Q 2017. Stabilizing effects of bacterial biofilms: EPS penetration and redistribution of bed stability down the sediment profile. Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences, 22: 3113-3125. DOI: 10.1002/2017JG004050 Chen, XD, Zhang, CK, Paterson, DM, Thompson, CEL, Townend, IH, Gong, Z, Zhou, Z & Feng, Q 2017, 'Hindered erosion: the biological mediation of noncohesive sediment behavior' Water Resources Research, vol Early View. DOI: 10.1002/2016WR020105 |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Analytical approaches worshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Internal workshop for all CBESS members to discuss analytical approaches as a consortium to the CBESS data. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | BBC Radio Cumbria |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Not know as this was a national radio broadcast. The CBESS team are returning to Morecambe Bay this week to look at how the plants and animals living in salt marshes and mudflats contribute to our natural environment, economy and society. The 30 strong team of scientists first visited the Bay in February and will continue to study the role natural systems, such as salt marshes, play in the purification of water, the production of food and the protection of coastlines, as well as the provision of habitat for wildlife and recreational space for people. Not know as this was a national radio broadcast. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2013/08/01/bbc-radio-cumbria/ |
| Description | BESS - Science Meeting 2014 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | BESS organised meeting for all consortia and partners. - generated discussion and debate - greater understanding and dialogue Informed CBESS science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | BESS - Science Meeting 2014 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Staff at University of St Andrews attended and contributed to an Annual Science Meeting held by BESS. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | BESS Connect - quartely newsletter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | CBESS contributes to the newsletter BESS Connect which is emailed by BESS to a mailing list. We have raised awareness of out our research to the BESS community. General impacts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Biodiversity research in coastal systems |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The relationship between biodiversity, ecosystem function and service flows is central to the concept of the "ecosystem approach" for ecosystem management. Laboratory studies have become more complex but still fall far short of capturing the complexity of natural systems and so we have to move out of the laboratory back to the field. This talk will provide a short review of the varied approaches to the BEF debate and describe some of the recent work of the NERC "Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Sustainability" programme focussed on determining the biodiversity stocks and ecosystem service flows from coastal marine habitats (salt marshes and mudflats) in Morecambe Bay and Essex. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | CBESS Annual Science Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | A meeting of all of the CBESS consortia to discuss CBESS science. - debate and discussion. Progress made on key aspects of programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | CBESS Annual Science Meeting 2015 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The CBESS team met in York at the start of January for two days to discuss the best way to incorporate scale and context into our data analysis and how to best approach up-scaling biodiversity and ecosystem services and finally the creation of novel tools for Ecosystem Service Provisioning. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/news/progress-report/cbess-annual-science-meeting-2015/ |
| Description | CBESS Field Campaigns 2013 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Four cross consortia field campaigns to collect ecological data. - Generated discussion & debate with consortia members. - High profile; generating newspaper articles & TV/radio interviews. - A number of positive conversations with the general public recreating in data collection area. - Contact with local organisations. Increase in awareness across many sectors about saltmarsh/mudflat science, ecosystem services & valuation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/science/progress-report/ |
| Description | CBESS Science Open Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Stakeholders (Natural England, RSPB and Environment Agency) met the researchers collecting data on the salt marshes and mudflats. Activity will provide context to future discussions. Valuable discussion throughout open day & questions answered. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | CBESS on ITV News |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | CBESS Team interviewed on ITV Anglia during the Winter Field Campaign on the Essex Marshes. Very general impact. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Café Scientifique (2014) Putting a value on Morecambe Bay |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A public presentation in a pub in Morecambe Bay by Dr Martin Skov. Generated lively debate on whether putting a value on the environment is a good thing. Very positive feedback from the audience on the night & several emails, thanking CBESS for presenting at Caf? Scientifique & informing locals about high profile research on their doorstep. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Developing Interdisciplinary Academic Collaborations' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Scottish Crucible is a prestigious leadership and development programme for early career researchers in Scotland. The aim was to i) encourage participants to become more collaborative and interdisciplinary in their approach to their research; ii) help them discover skills and attitudes likely to make their research more innovative and iii) develop their understanding of how research can impact on Society through the process of Knowledge Exchange. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www1.hw.ac.uk/scottishcrucible |
| Description | Echo - Scientists trawl saltmarshes for climate change answers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Newspaper article in response to press release (Essex). Very general impact as this was a regional news article. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2013/01/17/scientists-trawl-saltmarshes-for-climate-change-ans... |
| Description | Eden Estuary field trip |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | In July, CBESS featured on Shared Planet, a BBC Radio 4 series that explores how society and wildlife interact. After listening to the programme, Ben Seymour, a teacher from St Leonard's High School in St Andrews, got in touch with CBESS and asked if the University of St Andrews could give some of their students a taste of CBESS research. In late 2013, Kate Wade (a PhD student whose research is contributing to CBESS) went into St Leonard's High School and gave a presentation on valuing ecosystem services to the International Baccalaureate students studying Environmental Systems and Societies. To complement the presentation given by Kate, students joined researchers from the University of St Andrews, to experience data collection on the salt marshes and mudflats of the Eden Estuary in early 2014. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/outreach-and-education/local-schools/ |
| Description | Edinburgh Science Festival (2013) Lab Rats: All at Sea! |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Mini-scientists were put through their paces on a journey around Scotland's coastline; on route they stopped off at the Mud Lab. This was their chance to learn about the amazingly varied creatures that can be found in the mudflats off Scotland and what mud scientists have to do to find them. Excitement & buzz about mudflat science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2013/04/05/lab-rats-all-at-sea/ |
| Description | Educational outreach with two local high schools. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Dissemination of coastal and ecological research to local schools and organised school visits to the university. To date this has focused on ecosystem function and services, sediment dynamics and coastal defences in the Eden estuary. It involved delivering short presentations on work carried out at our research group, including that of the COHBED and CBESS projects, as well as field trips and laboratory work with students to learn various techniques and field skills. The students gave good feedback and both schools have requested to repeat the experience in future years. We hope to spark their interest in the local ecology and environment and also in science as a subject in the curriculum. The exercise will also hopefully go some way to helping achieve the aims of the curriculum for excellence in developing the children to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | EuroMarine Workshop, 2016 Linking biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services: a comparison between temperate and tropical seagrass meadows, Sete.with Claire Gollety |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | European workshop to plan future ITN proposal (in prep) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | First Chances 2014 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | CBESS participated in the University of St Andrew's Summer School First Chances Programme. - encouraged students to think about how we value the environment & what services nature provides - collaboration with local high schools |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/science/progress-report/summer-outreach-at-st-andrews/ |
| Description | Invited Keynote Campus Do Mar Oceans Day 2016 One for all.The basis of interdisciplinary Science University of Tras os Montes and Alto Duro, Portugal |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Campus Do Mar Oceans Day 2016, annual event for Ph.d students and marine scientists |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Keynote ISRS , Stuttgart Germany 2016 Form, function and physics D. M. Paterson, J. M. Kenworthy Scottish Ocean Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews J. A. Hope, S.U. Gerbersdorf Institute for modelling hydraulic and environmental systems, University of Stuttgart |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | International research conference key note speech highlighting UK research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Liaison meeting with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The meeting centered on gaining an understanding of how NRW practitioners perceive and use the concept of Ecosystem services in decision making and management of the Welsh natural environment. The CBESS team gained a good insight into the use of the ecosystem approach to natural management in Wales, including underpinning policy drivers. cusseNRW gained an insight to what the CBESS project has achieve so far. NRW staff were very interested in utilising CBESS project data for making future projectsion of the distribtion of ecosystem services in the coastal environment of Wales. The potential for complying with NRW wishes were discussed. The CBESS team is currently exploring the potential for generating a decision-support tool for NRW specifically minded at mapping the distribution of ecosystem services in wales. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Madras College Field Trip |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Local high school field trip to the Gatty Marine Lab. - greater understanding of CBESS science - discussion on ecosystem services Greater understanding of research at a university level and importance of saltmarsh/mudflat habitats to ecosystem services. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Morecambe Bay socio-economic workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | On 8 May, in collaboration with the Morecambe Bay Partnership, CBESS team members from the University of St Andrews, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Centre for Hydrology and Ecology (CEH) were in Barrow-in-Furness to host a participatory stakeholder workshop for local recreational users. 17 stakeholders attended from 14 different recreational sectors, including bird watching, cycling, sailing, windsurfing, running, fishing, water-skiing, walking, photography and diving. The group completed questionnaires about which sites around Morecambe Bay were of particular importance to their sector, what makes those locations important (site characteristics, senses, emotional attachment, beauty etc.), along with their general thoughts on nature. They also used touch-tables to map exactly where people from their recreational sector undertake their activity, providing further information on frequency, timings and numbers of people involved in the activity to give us a comprehensive picture of recreational activity in the Bay area. The workshop has provided us with some very interesting data that we are now in the process of analysing, alongside corresponding data collected at the Essex socio-economic workshop last year. By exploring the data from these two regions, we can start to investigate the relationship between biodiversity and recreation in saltmarsh and mudflat ecosystems. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2014/07/25/cbess-morecambe-bay-socio-economic-workshop/ |
| Description | NERC visit to University of St Andrews |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Visit by NERC to the Gatty Marine Lab. Generated discussion. Opportunity to discuss with funder scope of research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Natural England webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Good post presentation discussion. Greater participation from Natural England in the Morecambe Bay area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Organised workshop on Coastal Grazing Landscapes - Exploring the diverse preferences for saltmarsh livestock grazing |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We organised a workshop on saltmarsh grazing to develop a clearer understanding of how Welsh saltmarshes are used by the farming community, and to determine how multiple uses and values can be supported. Paticipants came from councils, environmental agencies (Natural England, NRW), the farming community and NGOs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://interests.me/org/cardiff-info/story/95059 |
| Description | Participation in Blue Carbon Working Group meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participation in the Blue Carbon Working Group (UN) regional meeting in Ibiza, Spain, 9-12th October, 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://thebluecarboninitiative.org/scientific-working-group/ |
| Description | Postgraduate and Professional Skills Developement Awards -Morecambe Bay Field Course |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Pilot NERC funded postgraduate course. - increased understanding of CBESS science. - generated discussion & debate. Students went back to their respective research institutions with new knowledge to share & use in their research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/news/post-graduate-training-course-a-great-success/ |
| Description | Public talk on climate change in the ocean to Glasgow Probus - January 2019. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a hour-long talk on the effects of climate change to a group of retired professional and business people from the Glasgow area, including ex academics. Insightful and interesting questions resulted in the following discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://kelvinprobus.org/ |
| Description | Radio 4 - What's so special about salt marshes? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Andrew Bomford of Radio 4's PM interviews the CBESS Team. A very general interview on a current affairs programme. Gernal impact. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2013 |
| Description | Radio 4: Shared Planet |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Not known as this was a national radio broadcast. A local high school got in touch & we are in the process of organizing a second CBESS class talk & field trip with them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2013/07/01/radio-4-shared-planet/ |
| Description | Royal Metereological Society meeting on 'Risky Business', Bristol, 11th April 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | To evaluate environmental change, from a climatic perspective, and how this will impact on society and the natural environment. The meeting had input from NHS, geological society, research community and the Royal society itself. My presentation was entitled: Are Sudden Changes in the Cover of Valuable Saltmarshes Linked to Climate Change? |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Royal Society of Edinburgh, Start up Science Masterclass |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | S1 and S2 pupils from a number of local schools are invited to take part in a number of activities regarding biodiversity and local coastal habitats. The aim is to spark an interest in local habitats and ecology. Most participants learn new material and it promotes open discussion and development of ideas. It has gone on to encourage students to request work experience in the Sediment Ecology research Group. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |
| URL | http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/784_StartupScienceMasterclasses.html |
| Description | Schools visit; Royal High school edinburgh |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Explain the broad reach of biological research and potential career using examples of exiting programmes CBESS, COHBED and BLUE-COAST, also presentation by current Ph.D student on blue carbon economy |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Science Camp 2014 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | - Greater understanding of saltmarsh/mudflat science. - Working with local primary and high schools. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/science/progress-report/summer-outreach-at-st-andrews/ |
| Description | Science Discovery Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Mud Lab gave visitors the opportunity to try their hand at sieving for animals, using microscopes and understanding the stability of mud. Staff were on hand to explain why salt marshes and mud flats are such an important habitat for providing food for so many animals and plants and their vital role in flood defence (by stabilizing mud). Visitors had the chance to sieve mud collected from the Eden Estuary just outside St Andrews for animals that make mudflats their home and gain an insight into the variety of life that inhabits these vast 'empty' spaces. Everyone was keen to get a closer look at these sometimes tiny creatures and to learn more about the vital role they play in the food web. Microscopes allowed visitors to get a closer look and Mud Lab staff explained the amazing life history of the animals they were looking at. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2014/03/13/science-discovery-day/#more-1193 |
| Description | Science Discovery Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The activity got public engagement and encouraged the sharing of research with the local community. The activity sparked interest and stimulated thoughts about the importance of coastal areas and sediment transport and the importance of the loss of local biodiversity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Socio-economic Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Socio-economic data collection on recreational activities in saltmarsh and mudflat habitats in Morecambe Bay and Essex Marshes. - Discussion and debate about the types and level of recreational activity on these habitats. - Participation by local groups. - Collaboration with NGOs - Dissemination of CBESS research to local stakeholders. - Stakeholders were given a platform to discuss their recreational activity with other users and how that impacts access, enjoyment, environment etc... |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014 |
| Description | St Leonards High School presentation & fieldwork |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Presentation & field trip for local high school in response to Radio 4 programme 'Shared Planet' . - Discussion about ecosystem services & saltmarsh/mudflat science. Increase in understanding Of CBESS science. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/outreach-and-education/local-schools/ |
| Description | Stand on natural flood protection at the Eisteddfod Yr Urdd, Brecon, 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We had a stall on natural flood protection and ecosystem services at at the Eisteddfod Yr Urdd, Brecon, 27-31/05/2018. The stall included a small flume, lego village and flodding display, chocolate coins to illustrate costs and valuation, and multiple colourful displays and posters. Interacted with hundreds of people over 5 days. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.urdd.cymru/en/news-press/brycheiniog-maesyfed-yn-gwahodd-eisteddfod-yr-urdd-yn-2018/ |
| Description | Summer Essex field campaign - press release |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Request for interviews by radio, TV & newspapers. General impact. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/files/2013/07/CBESS_Press-Release-USTAN-EM-summer.pdf |
| Description | Summer Morecambe Bay field campaign - press release |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Contacted for interview by newspapers, TV & radio. General impact. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2013/title,223012,en.php |
| Description | The Citizen: Morecambe Bay comes under the spotlight from St Andrews University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Article in local newspaper in response to press release. Very general impact as this this was a regional article. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2013 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2013/02/12/the-citizen/ |
| Description | The power of plants |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The CBESS team at the University of St Andrews joined fellow researchers at ResearchLIVE! in St Andrews. ResearchLIVE! was part of European Researchers' Night 2015 where over 300 researchers all over Europe joined forces on Friday 25 September to deliver an evening of discovery, debate and entertainment. At the CBESS stand we introduced participants to the power of plants and the role they play in coastal defence and reducing erosion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/cbess/2015/09/30/university-of-st-andrews-researchlive/ |
| Description | Why save nemo??? Marine biodiversity, health and society |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Presentation part of of the Model UN at George Watson's College to provoke conversation and debate among the delegates. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.gwc.org.uk/beyond-the-classroom/clubs-and-societies/model-united-nations/mun-conference/ |
| Description | Winter Essex field campaign - press release |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Contacted for interview by newspapers, TV & radio. Impact general. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2013/title,97135,en.php |
| Description | Winter Morecambe Bay field campaign - press release |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Contacted for interview by newspapers, TV & radio. Impact very general. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| URL | http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2013/title,198980,en.php |