Bringing Back Nature’s Engineers: Beaver Reintroduction in the UK

Bringing Back Nature’s Engineers: Beaver Reintroduction in the UK

By chXout Team Comment Closed
Bringing Back Nature's Engineers: Beaver Reintroduction in the UK For centuries, beavers were absent from the UK's landscapes due to hunting and habitat loss. A movement to reintroduce these industrious creatures is making exciting progress and we could be spotting more of them in the wild soon! Why Reintroduce Beavers? Beavers are often referred to as “nature’s engineers” for their remarkable ability to build dams and create wetland habitats. Their activities slow water flow, reduce flooding risks, and enhance biodiversity. Wetlands formed by beavers provide homes for countless species of plants, birds, insects, and aquatic life—transforming degraded landscapes into thriving ecosystems.Moreover, beavers play a crucial role in combating climate change. By storing water and increasing carbon sequestration in wetlands, they help mitigate the effects of droughts and rising temperatures. Reintroducing beavers isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about restoring balance to nature. The UK's Journey to Beaver Reintroduction Beaver reintroduction in the UK began as a small but ambitious initiative. In 2009, the Scottish Beaver Trial...
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Why is holly (not always) prickly?

Why is holly (not always) prickly?

By chXout Team Comment Closed
Have you ever wondered why holly leaves are prickly? A study by Herrera and Bazaga (2012) looked into the very interesting link between mammalian browsing and the European holly tree (Ilex aquifolium) defensive response of producing prickly leaves. Research has already taken place to suggest this link, with this particular study looking into a “three-way link between herbivory, phenotypic plasticity and epigenetic changes in plants.”We should probably start by looking at the definitions of some of the terms used:Epigenetics: this is the study of how the way your genes work can be changed by behaviours and the environment without any changes to DNA sequences.Plasticity: the ability to adapt to environmental or habitat changes.Phenotype: an observable trait or characteristic, for example, eye colour.Phenotypic plasticity: when an organism is able to produce different phenotypes in response to environmental changes.Heterophylly: where environmental conditions can cause significant variation in leaf shape or form on a single plant.DNA methylation: an epigenetic change where methyl groups are...
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IUCN Red List Update

IUCN Red List Update

By chXout Team Comment Closed
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species collates the extinction risk of animal, plant and fungi species. It is used to gain an insight into biodiversity health and aid conservation decisions. The assessment lists species into one of the below categories:Not EvaluatedData DeficientLeast ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically EndangeredExtinct in the wildExtinct157,190 species have been assessed to date with over 44,000 species threatened with extinction.As the COP28 UN climate conference takes place in Dubai, the IUCN released an update to the list on Monday 11 December 2023 in the hopes of bringing attention to the link between biodiversity and climate change.The update included the first global freshwater fish assessment which found that one quarter of the assessed species are at risk of extinction. Freshwater fish are crucial to ecosystem function, human food provision and livelihoods. Threats to freshwater fish species are summarised in the table below. Threat % Freshwater Fish Species affected Climate changePollutionDams & water extractionOverfishingInvasive species & disease1757452533An...
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DNA Barcoding Fungi

DNA Barcoding Fungi

By chXout Team Comment Closed
DNA Barcoding Fungi THE FUNGI KINGDOM Fungi are one the largest and most diverse groups of organisms in the world. As we have the plant and animal kingdoms, fungi make up a kingdom of their own. From just talking a look at them, you would probably assume that fungi and plants are very similar, when in fact fungi are actually biologically closer to animals. Fungi are responsible for important environmental processes such as nutrient cycling and plant, animal and soil health. Humans also rely on fungi in food production, including items such as cheese, bread and chocolate and the manufacture of drugs and biofuels. Not forgetting that there is a huge market for edible mushrooms all over the world. Mycology is the study of fungi. For something that is so important to ecosystems and biodiversity, fungi are under-studied when compared with animals and plants. There are estimated to be at least six times as many species of fungi than plants, anywhere between 2 and 11...
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Invasive species one of the 5 main drivers of biodiversity loss

Invasive species one of the 5 main drivers of biodiversity loss

By chXout Team Comment Closed
Invasive species one of the 5 main drivers of biodiversity loss What are invasive species? Invasive species are those which are not native or indigenous to an ecosystem and have a negative impact on that area or other organisms around them. This is different to a non-native species which are usually introduced by humans and do not have the same negative impact with no threat to the area or other organisms.Invasive species are sometimes introduced accidentally but can also be purposely introduced by humans without realising the consequences. human activity is the biggest reason for the spread of these species.They are called invasive species because they can:adapt very quickly.reproduce quickly.harm property or the economy.harm or kill native plants and animals.cause competition for food and resources with native species.sometimes bring in diseases. Examples of invasive species Common invasive species in the UK include the European rabbit, grey squirrel, muntjac deer, American bullfrog and American mink. European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica) How much of a problem...
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Using eDNA analysis for great crested newt surveys

Using eDNA analysis for great crested newt surveys

By chXout Team Comment Closed
The great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) is the largest and rarest newt to be found in the United Kingdom. In the last century the species has faced a large decline leading to them becoming a protected species in the UK and Europe. Great crested newts (GCN’s), their eggs, breeding sites and resting places are protected by law.  This makes it an offence to: capture, kill, disturb or injure great crested newts deliberately. damage or destroy a breeding or resting place. obstruct access to their resting or sheltering places (deliberately or by not taking enough care). possess, sell, control or transport live or dead newts, or parts of them. take great crested newt eggs. Due to their protected status, it is now often a requirement to survey for GCN when there are waterbodies within a certain radius of a development site as part of the planning application. Standard methods of ecological surveys include torch surveying, bottle traps and egg searches by licenced surveyors. Environmental...
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