Environmental monitoring results: Marsden humidity

A new week and a new site - let's take a look up north at Marsden. The following graphs show how the relative humidity (level of moisture in the air) changes at this site month to month and across the seasons.

Thanks again to Andy Burn for the graphs and to all our Marsden volunteers who collected the data!

Environmental monitoring results: Chatsworth data

One of our newest environmental monitoring sites is Chatsworth. Set up last year, our volunteers have been collecting temperature, humidity, and water table depth data. As it's too soon to compare yearly or seasonal data, let's have a look at these three variables together.

Thanks again to Andy Burn for producing these graphs. We look forward to seeing how this year's data compares.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

...9 plants a-pluggin',

 

Moors for the Future Partnership's work to re-vegetate the blanket bogs of the Peak District and South Pennines has involved hand planting hundreds of thousands of 'plug plants'. These are small plants of species including bilberry, crowberry, cross-leaved heath, cloudberry, common cottongrass, hare's tail cottongrass, and Sphagnum mosses.

8 Sphagna growing,

 

7 sites now set up,

 

 

 

6 leaves a-prickling,

 

 

5 red deer!

 

 

4 hare prints, 

 

 

3 lizards,

 

 

 

2 mating toads,

 

and a bilberry bumblebee!

 

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me...

...7 sites now set up,

 

Community Science volunteers have now set up and are monitoring seven 'eco-lab' sites across the South Pennine Moors and beyond. Edale, Black Hill, Marsden, Burbage, Chatsworth, Roaches and Holcombe Moor are now regularly having detailed information about their vegetation and climate collected. These long-term datasets will allow our volunteer scientists to see how the sites are changing over time in response to climate change.

6 leaves a-prickling,

 

5 red deer!

 

4 hare prints, 

 

3 lizards,

 

 

2 mating toads,

 

and a bilberry bumblebee!

 

Analysing otter spraint

Guest blog post by Community Science volunteer Barry Soames.

Moors for the Future have a new Community Science Project, looking for signs of mammals in the uplands, the Tails of the Uplands Survey. (Follow the link for details of how to get involved and training courses available.)

Barry analysing a spraint sample

A key target species is the otter, one of our most attractive and endearing mammals, which nearly disappeared from England in the 1960s and 1970s, but which is now starting to recover across much of the animal's former range.

As I have had an interest in looking for signs of otters for over 20 years (when working in Scotland), I decided that I would like to get involved.


Evidence for otter presence is indicated by a number of signs, one of which is their droppings, known as spraint. As well as indicating presence, analysis of spraint can help us find out what the otters are eating. Traditionally this was done by examining spraint under a low power microscope, and identifying bones (and other undigested material, such as fur and feathers).

However, nowadays, more sophisticated methods are available using DNA analysis. It is interesting to compare results of both techniques, and I have been examining samples from which DNA has been extracted and sequenced to identify prey items. The genetic analyses were performed at the Molecular Ecology Laboratory at the University of Sheffield as part of the Otterly Amazing project run by the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust.

The first step in identifying prey remains involves cleaning the spraint. Otter spraint tend to be surprisingly sweet smelling, with the remains embedded in a sort of oily matrix. To dissolve the matrix and leave the cleaned bones, I used denture cleaning tablets. The spraint is dropped in an inch or two of hot water in a beaker, a denture tablet added and then left overnight. After the spraint has been cleaned in this way, it is then filtered to leave just the bones, and any fur.

Sample '119' contained mainly fish bones

Not all the droppings collected were otter spraint, for instance at least one specimen seems to be mink. I found out that my cleaning method only really works well with otter spraint, other droppings often had to be teased apart using tweezers.


Once this is done, the harder part comes in - identifying a small pile of assorted bones. To do this, I started with a very useful Mammal Society publication, "A Guide to the Identification of Prey Remains in Otter Spraint" This small booklet is mainly aimed at identifying fish bones, and concentrates on those bones which have the clearest differences between species. Much of the booklet deals with caudal vertebrae (the parts of the backbone in the tail), with additional clues coming from parts of the jaw, particularly pharyngeal teeth (teeth found on the gill arches).

This sample was probably mink scat, with mammal remains, in particular field vole, having been identified from the teeth and jaw remains.

So far I have identified bones from minnow and bullhead, as well as crayfish shell. It is noticeable that the prey identified so far has been of small fish, compared to the larger fish found when, several years ago, I examined spraint from rivers in Scotland. Not all the material examined was from otters, with one sample consisting mainly of fur with a few bones. Parts of jaw and teeth found in this sample enabled identification of field vole. (This dropping would seem to be mink).

If you would like to see some of the results, I have a page on my website for results.

Bleaklow timelapse sequence

These fixed point photos, taken over the last 13 years, show the return of vegetation to Hern Clough on Bleaklow, Derbyshire - one of the sites where Moors for the Future Partnership have carried out conservation works:

2003 - the site is largely bare peat and exposed mineral soil

 

 

2005 - after initial treatment with heather brash, lime, seed and fertilizer the grass 'nurse crop' is in evidence. Note the empty brash bags awaiting removal.

2008 - repeat treatments have allowed the nurse crop to become established, knitting the peat surface together.

2010 - the nurse grasses have almost completely covered the bare peat, and there is evidence of other plants becoming established.

2013 - the area of exposed mineral soil is noticeably reduced and there are signs of dwarf shrubs like heather growing.

2016 - the dwarf shrub coverage has increased as can be seen by this heather in flower.

Watch a video of the re-vegetation so far...

Wildlife photos from Crisis event - part 2

Last Friday was the second 'Creative Conservation' Community Science event with Crisis members from Sheffield. Member Steve Smith has shared this set of cracking wildlife shots he took on the day:

One of the highlights of the day was a close encounter with this roe buck near Longshaw estate

Another shot, as the roe deer makes a hasty exit...

A beautiful reed bunting seen singing in a patch of soft rush

Just one of the hundreds of millipedes all making their way along the path in Burbage Valley



A stunning meadow pipit; in a classic pose!


 

Wildlife photos from Community Science walk with Crisis members

Last Friday was the inaugural 'Creative Conservation' Community Science event with Crisis members from Sheffield -  consisting of a guided wildlife walk around the Millstone Edge and Padley Gorge area led by the Community Science team and Tom from the National Park Ranger Service, followed by an introduction to Community Science (and lunch stop) at Brunt's Barn near Grindleford.

Peacock butterfly (c) Steve Smith

Crisis member and photographer Steve took some pictures of some of the wildlife which was spotted, including the Community Science target species the Peacock Butterfly (above) - seen and recorded just below Millstone Edge.

A northern hairy wood ant nest (c) Steve Smith

Some of the other species also seen/heard and talked about were: orange-tip butterfly; early, white-tailed and tree bumblebees; willow warbler, chiffchaff, redstart, pied flycatcher, meadow and tree pipits, stonechat, buzzard, great spotted woodpecker, northern hairy wood ants, bluebells, lesser celandine, wood sorrel and birch polypore fungus (also known as razor strop) and red kite.

Female pied flycatcher (c) Steve Smith

Red kite (c) Steve Smith

Thanks to Steve for sending in these great photos, and also to everyone else involved for making it a very enjoyable day.

Why I am helping to record Sphagnum

Guest blog post by 'The Big Moss Map' volunteer Debbie Wallace

Sphagnum is very important for healthy peatlands and knowing where it is and how well it is faring is essential for its conservation.

I am studying for an MSc Biological Recording and I like to spend my time doing this…

These are a few examples from my survey route.

I am recording the location of Sphagnum in the Peak District for the Big Moss Map.

If you take a good close look at Sphagnum, you will be rewarded; they are really fabulous.  

Some species can have quite vibrant colours and they have subtly different leaf shapes and characteristics.  

After participating in several mosses and liverworts courses and a Sphagnum identification workshop during 2015, I really wanted to put what I had learned to good use and contribute to this very worthwhile project.

The Moors for the Future survey method is simple to follow and it can be carried out by anyone with an interest in nature and a love of the outdoors. No prior knowledge of Sphagnum identification is required.

http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/community-science/bigmossmap/stepbystep

I can highly recommend attending one of the survey training days; they are really informative and enjoyable. The training provides all of the information that a volunteer needs in order to get out and collect some really valuable Sphagnum records for the Big Moss Map. 

My surveys so far

I am recording all of the Sphagnum which grows within 2m of each side of this track and I have found quite a lot so far. It takes a keen eye as sometimes it can be quite well hidden.

Chapel Gate - 21st January 2016

So far, I have been surveying during December, January and February (it's nicer than it sounds). 

It may sound pretty obvious but you can't find and record Sphagnum if it is under a blanket of snow. This meant that sometimes I had to wait for days when the snow had cleared. I am looking forward to spring and summer.

In addition to the very sound safety advice provided by the Moors for the Future team, http://www.moorsforthefuture.org.uk/sites/default/files/csp/HealthAndSafetyGuidelines.pdf, I also found the following routine to be very useful in keeping me safe and warm during my winter surveys:

• I check the mountain weather forecast to make sure that the weather is suitable for a survey. http://www.mwis.org.uk/english-welsh-forecast/PD/
• I know my route well and my partner knows exactly where I am going.
• I carry a first aid kit, plenty of food, spare clothes, and some shelter.
• I find hand warmers are really useful and hot soup on a cold day is wonderful.
• I use a phone app which, providing I have a phone signal, allows me to text, email or tweet my grid reference very easily. I send text updates throughout the day. http://www.mike-irving.co.uk/portfolio/mobile-apps/gb-grid-ref-worker/ 

On a cold day hot soup is an excellent thing to have

   

My survey routine 

Each patch of Sphagnum has a number on the survey form

I take a piece or 'Whiteboard' (smooth wipe-clean plastic will do) and a dry wipe pen. 

For each new patch of Sphagnum, my first photo has the patch number and the grid reference. The 25cm scale is drawn on with a permanent marker. This is the start of my photo series. 

I take some close up photos which show the characteristic 
features, and a general habitat photo.

All of this makes entering records and uploading the corresponding photos much easier.

Although I had already attended a Sphagnum identification workshop and wanted to record the specific species of Sphagnum that I found, this is not necessary in order to take part in the survey and to contribute to the Big Moss Map. The 'Sphagnum Species' column is an optional one.

I am getting out there to find out, 'Where is all the Sphagnum?' http://moorcitizens.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/where-is-all-sphagnum.html

Debbie Wallace, February 2016