ecological survey project
TRANSCRIPT
Ecological Survey of Cochno Woodlands
KirstenAnderson
Chris.neJohnson
3March2016
Introduction
– Aimsandobjec.ves:
– Assessthevegeta.onandspeciesandtheirabundanceinanareaoftheCochnoFarmwoodland
– Determinepoten.aleffectstoneighbouringproduc.onanimalsandpeopleusingthewoodland-disease,zoonosis,habitatdestruc.on,etc.
– Siteloca.on– ‘Stoathole’inwoodlandsadjacenttoCochnoFarm,G816PU
– Sitedescrip.on– 3x3metersquareareaofwoodland
– Currentuseofsite-farmlandandschoolsightwithwoodlandforwalking
Methodology
Field Survey
– Datesofsurvey
– Firstsurvey:13/2/2016-14/2/2016
– Secondsurvey:22/2/2016-20/2/2016
– Surveymethodologyused
– Baitedtrailcameras
– Manualplantcollec.on
– iGeologyapp
– Weathercondi.ons
– Firstsurvey:lightsnow
– Secondsurvey:mixtureofsunshineandrain
– Listofequipmentused
– Trailcameras
Limitations of survey
– Limited.metoundertakeacompletesurvey– Animalslesslikelytoforageinthewinter
– Hiberna.on
– Notallplantsareflowering/visible
– Limitedarea
– Focusedonsmallareaofwoodland,inrealitylotsofwoodlandareatouchesthefarmlandseparatedbydistanceandfences
– Limitedknowledge– Nottrainedecologistsorsurveyors
Results
Habitat
Local Geology
– Superficial:Till-Devensian– Bedrock:MugdockLavaMamber-
Basal.cRock,overlyingCochnoLavaMember
Assessment of Habitat: Beech Woodland
– Fagussylva*ca-Rubusfru*cosuswoodland– Shrublayerwithfrequentando`enabundantholly,othershrubsandsaplings(other
thanbeech)usuallyrare
– Fieldlayero`ensparse,butusuallyfrequentRubusfru*cosusand/orpteridiumaquilinumandbeechseedling
– Otherspecies,includingDeschampiacespitosa,Hederahelix,Melicauniflora,MiliumeffusumorRuscusaculeatusmaybelocallyabundant
Beech tree: Fagus sylvaticus
– Large,deciduoustreena.vetoUK– Rela.velyfastgrowing(upto
30-40mhigh)
– Foundonwelldrainedsoil,suchaschalkandlimestone
– Createsashadywoodlandwithadensecarpetoffallenleavesandhusks-onlyshadetolerantplantswillsurvivebeneaththecanopy
– Rela.onshipwithwildlife:– Beechfoliageeatenbycaterpillars
ofanumberofmothsandbuderflies,includingthegrizzledskipperandwhiteadmiral
– Seedseatenbymice,voles,squirrelsandbirds
– Providehabitatforhole-nes.ngbirdsandwood-boringinsects
– Suscep.bletowoodstrippingbygreysquirrels
Bracken fern: Pteridium aquilinum
– Commonandinvasiveweedna.vetotheUK
– Favoursmoist,acidsoils
– Foundinwoodland,heathlandandmoorland
– Rela.onshipwithwildlifeandlivestock– Foodplantforlarvaeofseveralbuderfly
specieseg.highbrownfri.llaryandmap-wingedswi`
– Provideaprotec.vehabitatforground-nes.ngspeciesofbirdeg.skylarkandyellowhammer
– Canbedamagingtosensi.vehabitatsifallowedtospread–canovershadeotherplantsandreducefoodsourcesforherbivorousanimalsandinsects
– Providesafavourablehabitatforthesheep.ck(Ixodesricinus)whichhasconsequencesfor.ck-bornediseaseseg.loupingill,Borrelia
Rhododendron: Rhododendron
– Exo.c,highlyinvasiveevergreenshrubna.vetoMediterraneanandAsia–introducedbyVictorians
– Destruc.vetohabitatsandna.veplantspecies
– Foundinmoistbutwell-drainedacidsoils
– Thriveindappledshadewithshelteredcondi.ons
– Rela.onshipwithwildlifeandlivestock– Providesprotec.ve“shields”for
na.vewoodmicefrompredators
– Inhibitsregenera.onofna.veplantspeciesandthereforereducesfoodsourcesforherbivorousmammalsandinsectspecies
– Toxictosheep
Holly: Ilex aquifolium
– Evergreenshrubna.vetoUK– Commonlyfoundinwoodland,scrub
andhedgerows
– Rela.onshipwithwildlife– Providesdensecoverandgood
nes.ngopportuni.esforbirds
– Deep,dryleafliderusedbyhedgehogsandsmallmammalsforhiberna.on
– Flowersprovidenectarandpollenforbees
– Leaveseatenbycaterpillarsofhollybluebuderfly,mothspeciesanddeer
– Berrieseatenbybirdsandsmallmammalssuchaswoodmice
Birds
Wren: Troglodytes troglodytes
– Foundinwiderangeofhabitats– Woodland
– Farmland
– Heathland
– Moorland
– Islands
– Mostfoundindeciduouswoodland– Seenallyearround– Diet:insectsandspiders– Greenstatus
Robin: Erithacus rubecula – SeenacrosstheUKinwoodland,
hedgegrows,parksandgardens
– Seenallyearround
– Diet:worms,seeds,fruits,insects
– Status:Green
Black bird: Turdus merula
– Foundeverywhereingardensandcountrysideandfromcoaststohills,althoughnotonthehighestpeaks
– Seenallyearround
– Eat:insects,worms,berries
– Status:Green
Great tit: Parus major
– Seeninwoodlands,parksandgardensacrosstheUK.AbsentonlyfromtheNorthernandWesternIslesofScotland
– Seenallyearround
– Eatinsects,seedsandnuts
– Status:Green
Redwing: Turdus iliacus – Wheretoseethem:inopencountrysideit
likeshedgesandorchardsaswellasopen,grassyfields.Willcometoparksandgardens.O`enjoinswithflocksoffieldfares
– Whentoseethem:migrantsarrivefromSeptember,withmostinOctoberandNovember.TheyleaveagaininMarchandApril,althoughoccasionallybirdsstaylater
– Whattheyeat:berriesandworms
– 4-16breedingpairs
– 690,000winteringbirds
– Redstatusbird
Mammals
Wood Mouse: Apodemus sylvaticus – Commonandwidespread
– Livesinwoodlandandfields
– Mostlynocturnal
– Liveinundergroundburrows
– Importantfoodsourceforpredators
– Diet:seed,greenplant,fruit
– Nestcommunallyinwinter,inspringfemalestakeuphomerange
– Disease:
– Leptospirosis
– Hantavirus
– Agriculturalloss
Rabbit: Oryctolagus cuniculus
– Distribu.on:widespreadacrosstheBri.shIsles
– Diet:eatsawiderangeofvegeta.on,especiallygrasses.Favoursyoung,succulentleavesandshootsandselectsmorenutri.ousspecies
– Introducedspecies
– Diseases:– Salmonellosis
– Yersiniosis
– Tularaemia
– Agriculturaldamagemoreconcerning
Fox: Vulpes vulpes – Diet:
– Saltmarshes:crabs,deadseabirds
– Upland:carrion
– Lowlandandrural:smallmammals,fieldvolesandrabbits,earthworms,beetles,fruit(blackberries)andsmallbirds
– Distribu.on:highlyadaptable,foundacrossBritain,absentfromIsles(exceptSkye),inallhabitatsfromsaltmarshesandsanddunestothetopsofmountains.Highlyadaptedtourbansurroundings
– Habitat:
– Urbanandgarden
– Riversandwetland
– Coastalandmarshland
– Deciduouswoodland
– Mixedwoodland
– Arableland
Foxes continued… – Behaviour:
– Holdterriroriesfrom0.2squarekilmetresto40squarekilometers
– Eachterritoryoccupiedbyafoxfamilygroup-o`enapair(dogfoxandvixen)andcubs
– Inareaswherefoodisplen.fulfamilygroupmaycontainseveraladults
– Reproduc.on:
– Onevixeninagroupproducescubsonceayearinspring
– Liders:4-5cubsbornblindanddeafinaden(calledanearth)
– Cubsstarttocomeoutat~4weeksold
– Conserva.onstatus:
– Notprotectedlegally
– TheHun.ngAct2004outlawedhun.ngwithdogsinEnglandandWales,alsoappliestohun.ngofdeer,haresandmink
– DiseaseandZoonoses
– Distemper
– Leptospirosis
– CAV-1
– Rabies
– Echinococcusmul*locularis
– Scarcoptesscabei
– Toxocaracanis
– Abundancees.ma.on:atleasttwo
Foxes, Rabbits, Mice and Agriculture
– Rabbitsandmiceareagriculturalpests
– Rabbitsest.£120millionloss
– Ratsandmiceest.£30millionloss
– Foxesest.£12millionloss
– However,foxeseatrabbits-indirectbenefitof£7million
– Possiblyeconomicallyvaluabletocommercialforests-eatvoles
Stoat: Mustela erminea
– Na.vespecies
– Descrip.on:longslenderbody,shortlegs,characteris.cblack.pbushytail
– Diet:– Smallmammals:rabbitsandwatervoles
– Smallrodents
– Birds,eggs,fruit,earthworms
– Distribu.on:occursthroughoutBritainandIreland,livinginanyhabitatsatanyal.tudewithsufficientgroundcoverandfood
– Habitat:– Urbanandgardens
– Riversandwetlands
– Coastalandmarshland
– Deciduouswoodland
– Grassland
– Mixedwoodland
– Heathland
– Arableland
Stoats continued…
– Behaviour:
– Huntalongditches,hedgerowsandwallsorthroughmeadowsandmarshes
– Searchsystema.cally
– Preykilledbysinglebiteoftheneck
– Nestsofformerpreyaretakenoverasdens
– Withinterritoryresidentstoatwillhaveseveraldenswhichisusesperiodically
– Malesandfemalesliveseparately,markingwithscent
– Animalswilldefendterritoryagainstintrudersofsamesex,butinspringmales’systembreaksdownastheyrangeinsearchoffemales
– Breeding:
– Females(includingthisyearskits,whichmayonlybe2-3weeksold)arematedearlyinthesummer
– Delayedimplanta.onfor9-10months,butac.vegesta.ononly4weeks
– Lidersize6-12young-deaf,blind,barelyfurred
– Femalesfeedthemupto12weeks
– Conserva.onstatus:
– LegallyprotectedinIrelandbutnotinUK
– Beingkilledbyfarmershaslidleeffectonnumbers
– Abundancees.ma.on:probablyoneinthisarea
– Diseases:
– Distemper
– TB?
– Yersiniapes.s
– Erysipelothrisrhusiopathiae
Dog: Canis lupus familiaris
Conclusions
– Assessmentofsignificanceofanyhabitatsandspecieswithinoradjacenttosite– Areaofwoodlandadjacenttobothfarmlandandurbanareas,opportuni.esfor
interac.onbetweenhumansanddomes.canimalswithwildlife
– Specieswithinsurveyareapoten.alreservoirsofdiseaseforbothhumansanddomes.canimals
– Highlevelofbiodiversity,indica.onofhealthyecosystem
– Furthersurveyrequired,whatthatshouldconsistofandwhenitshouldbecarriedout– Moreextensivesurveyrequired,temporallyandspecially
– Soilanalysis
– Furtherinves.ga.onofdiversity:moreplants,insects,etc
Thank you
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