Biodiversity and environmental change: the evidence base. Susan Davies Director of Policy and Advice, SNH

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1 Biodiversity and environmental change: the evidence base Susan Davies Director of Policy and Advice, SNH

2 What does SNH do? All of Nature for all of Scotland or Looking after all of Scotland's nature and landscapes, across all of Scotland, for everyone Our role is to Secure the conservation and enhancement of Scotland s natural heritage Foster understanding and enjoyment Encourage sustainable use

3 Key work within SNH Advise Government on policies Develop and advise on good practice Carry out and fund research Provide advice on management Deal with casework, issue licences Look after protected areas NNRs Award grants Communicate and share knowledge

4 Why do we need science in SNH? To provide the environmental evidence base for our work and that of Government To provide baseline information to measure environmental change To meet Government environmental targets; assessing the state of protected areas and trends in their features To underpin development of policies and practices which care better for nature To provide new and emerging ideas and understanding to manage protected areas to a high standard To advance our understanding of nature for the public, politicians, agencies, NGOs, land and water managers, researchers and across the Scottish Government agencies we are working in partnership within CAMERAS (Coordinated Agenda for Marine, Environment and Rural Affairs Science) to share and use this knowledge

5 Outline the the evidence base Biodiversity 2010 targets The current state examples Looking ahead working with students

6 Biodiversity the variety of life Wildlife in Scotland how many species? 90,000? habitats? 286? Great Spotted Woodpecker Jill Pakenham

7 International Biodiversity Year conservation, sustainable use, equitable sharing of benefit 2010 slow / halt biodiversity loss the target COP 10 - Nagoya life in harmony into the future

8 UK Biodiversity Action Plan 2008 Species 38% increasing / stable 22% declining 32% unknown Habitats 43% increasing / stable 33% declining 20% unknown BARS

9 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment of drivers of ecosystem change

10 European Biodiversity 2010 Key messages Concerns: - biodiversity under serious pressure - over-exploitation of marine fisheries - invasive non-native species - potential impacts of climate change EEA

11 SOME EFFECTS ON THE NATURAL HERITAGE - Some Losses (Lichens) - Slower colonisation/less movement (Beech regeneration) - Flower earlier New Species to Scotland Earlier Appearance Holly Blue Brimstone Southern Brown Seaweed PLANTS BUTTERFLIES MARINE New Species to Scotland Changing Patterns of Movements/Migration SOIL Faster Nutrient Cycling Release of carbon-microbes CLIMATE CHANGE HABITAT CHANGE - Coastal - Peatlands - Woodland Tiree - Species Pine/Beech ECOSYSTEM Loss of Synchrony Disruption of processes New species/ pests/diseases BIRDS New Species Nuthatch Earlier Nesting Changing Migration Patterns (Globally 48% of waders in decline of known data)

12 So, what do we know? start with terrestrial habitats and species

13 Scotland s land cover 2000 bog, heath, montane grassland woodland arable other CEH

14 Countryside Survey land cover % Scotland 26 bog 12 acid grass 12 conifer wood 11 heath 11 improved grass 7 arable 6 neutral grass 3 fen, marsh, swamp 3 broadleaved wood 2 built 2 bracken CEH

15 Countryside Survey changes in plant diversity Species richness Fen 80 Broadleaved Woodland 87 Acid Grassland 95 Neutral Grassland 88 Bracken 101 Bog 92 Heath 88 Improved Grassland 93 Coniferous Woodland 93 5 Arable CEH

16 Terrestrial breeding birds sample survey Great Spotted Woodpecker Jill Pakenham

17 Sea and coast major challenges

18 Changes in Distribution

19 Seabird population changes % Abundance 79 Productivity 58 JNCC et al

20 Overall, what is happening to our environment?

21 Results of SNH Site Condition Monitoring 2009 protected areas All Habitats Marine Geological Features Habitat Category Freshw ater Coastal Wetland Upland Woodland Low land Heath Grasslands Unfavourable Destroyed (Totally/Partially) Unfavourable Recovering Favourable % Unfavourable % Favourable Since 2006, the percentage of features in a favourable or unfavourable recovering condition has increased from 63% to 68% Management measures are being put in place to continue this trend

22 Problems sites face at UK level

23 So. we are developing a robust evidence base of what is happening in Scotland s s environment and how to manage it better But, can we do more? Did Queen Victoria wonder how SNH might work more closely with students or, was something else on her mind?

24 PhD studentships We have funded 15 PhD studentships since 2005 (since 2009, jointly with SEPA). three each year We have also funded 7 CASE PhD studentships Topics include * restoration of montane heaths * conservation genetics of rare plants * wind farm effects on seabirds * socio-economics of species re-introductions * mink ecology * micro-organism diversity in peatlands * acoustic effects of tidal turbines on marine mammals

25 SNH-SEPA PhD studentships Peatland responses to fire: the consequences to vegetation and greenhouse gas balance Dr Alan Gray and Dr Colin Legg (Edinburgh University), Dr Peter Levy (CEH), Dr Neil Cowie (RSPB Scotland), Dr Graham Sullivan (SNH) Developing adaptation and mitigation strategies to minimise the impacts of climate change on the conservation interests of Scotland's standing waters Dr John Rowan and Prof. Chris Spray (University of Dundee), Dr Richard Jeffries (SEPA), Dr Mary Hennessy (SNH) Prediction of morphological adjustment and societal response to channel instability resulting from increased flood frequency in Scotland Prof. David Gilvear and Dr Bob McCulloch (Stirling University), Dr Richard Jeffries (SEPA), Prof. John Gordon (SNH) And thank you for all the excellent applications

26 Our challenge is to develop the evidence base undertake the necessary research, survey and monitoring report clearly on what is happening identify policies, management, activities and opportunities to improve the environment work closely with universities and researchers, and have our fingers on the pulse make sure the work reaches and impacts on the work of the Scottish Government (and indeed, UK and EU) make sure the work has real positive outcomes for Scotland s environment

27 An offer well, questions Do we have datasets that would be of interest to you for research BSc / MSc / PhD projects? Should we identify analytical projects for students to undertake as part of these projects? Should we/you make more use of NNRs for research and demonstration? Can we do more to assist student studies what about placements?

28 We want to work more closely with universities and research institutes to develop our understanding of what is happening in and to Scotland s environment We need your ideas, talent, energy and help please