The

BulletinYOUR MAGAZINE FROM THE BRITISH ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY BES BULLETIN VOLin 46:2FOCUS / JUNE 2015 Photo: Krisztina Fekete Rachel Bicker leads a small volunteer team clearing Himalayan balsam and trapping non- native American Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). The photo captures Rachel with her crayfish trap in her hand while on the opposite bank one of the volunteers approaches with a huge bunch of Impatiens glandulifera. Contents July 2015

OFFICERS AND COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 2014-15 REGULARS President: William Sutherland Welcome / Alan Crowden 4 President Elect: Sue Hartley Vice-President: Rosie Hails President’s Piece: Making a difference / W. J. Sutherland 5 Vice-President: Andrew Pullin Honorary Treasurer: Drew Purves Young Investigator Prizes 2014 6 Council Secretary: Dave Hodgson Honorary Chairpersons: Public Engagement / Jessica Bays 8 Andrew Beckerman (Meetings) Alan Gray (Publications) Ecology Education and Careers: 10 Will Gosling (Education, Training Undergraduate Careers Conference Report / Jennah Green and Careers) Four views on the Fellowship scheme / Laura Deacon, Luke Nelson, Juliet Vickery (Public and Policy) Richard Bardgett (Grants) Rebecca Hollely and Ruth Shepherd

ORDINARY MEMBERS Science Policy: 12 OF COUNCIL: People, Politics and the Planet: Where next for UK environment policy? / Retiring Ben Connor and Rebecca Shellock Julia Blanchard, 2015 Greg Hurst, Paul Raven A Calendar of Society Events in 2015 / Amelia Simpson 18 Emma Sayer, Owen Lewis, 2016 Matt O’Callaghan Special Interest Group News 19 Diana Gilbert, Jane Hill, 2017 Climate Change Ecology; Peatlands; Conservation Ecology; Quantitative Ecology; Joanna Randall Ecological Genetics; Macroecology; Plants, Soils, Ecosystems; Parasite and Zoe Davies, Markus Eichhorn, 2018 Lindsay Turnbull Pathogen Ecology and Evolution; Tropical Ecology

Bulletin Editor: Alan Crowden Of interest to members 30 48 Thornton Close, Girton, Cambridge CB3 0NG The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management / Sally Hayns 50 Email: [email protected] Publishing News 52 Associate Editor: Emma Sayer New titles in the Ecological Reviews book series Lancaster Environment Centre, Journals News Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ Email: [email protected] Book Reviews 56 Book Reviews Editor: Sarah Taylor Diary 65 School of Life Sciences, Huxley Building, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG Tel: 01782 733497 FEATURES Email: [email protected] Speed Interviews: Why get involved in BES Council? / Emma Sayer 15 PUBLISHING IN THE BES BULLETIN Meeting Reports: 25 The Bulletin is published four times Demography Beyond the Population / Alden Griffith and Roberto Salguero- Gómez a year in March, June, August and Methods in Ecology and Evolution: 5th Anniversary Symposium / Rob Freckleton December. Contributions of all types are welcomed, but if you are planning Happy Birthday to MEE / Rob Freckleton 28 to write we recommend you contact one of the editorial team in advance to discuss your plans (Bulletin@ Professor John Packham 1930 – 2015 31 BritishEcologicalSociety.org). Oliver Rackham 1939 – 2015 / Peter Grubb 32 Material should be sent to the editor by email or on a disk in Word or rtf format. Oliver Rackham and ‘the genius of place’ / Keith Kirby 34 Pictures should be sent as jpeg or TIFF (*tif) files suitable for printing at 300dpi. Brief Notices: Tibor Jermy 1917 – 2014 and John Lund 1912 – 2015 36 Books to be considered for review should be sent directly to the Book Reviews Taking Account of the Shared Values of Ecosystem Services / Jasper Kenter and Mark Reed 37 Editor Sarah Taylor. Passionate About Science? Hell Yes! / Emma Sayer 40 Cover photo: Leejiah Dorward An adult gannet leads immature (fourth or fifth year) birds back to The ‘Peaks and City Takeover’: one-hit wonder or the start of something special? 42 the huge gannet colony at Hermaness Watch this space... / Cat Stokowska in Shetland. A Metaphor meets an Abstraction: Healthy Ecosystems / John Wiens 44 Design: Neo (weareneo.com) Print Management: From our Southern Correspondent / Richard Hobbs 46 H2 Associates (Cambridge) Ltd. Rant and Reason: No Shortage of Ideas / Markus Eichhorn 49

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WELCOME

The British Ecological Society is the oldest ecological society A Society of in the world, having been established in 1913. Since 1980 it has been a Registered Charity All the Talents limited by guarantee. Membership is open to all who are genuinely interested in ecology, whether in the British Isles or abroad, and membership currently stands at about 5000, about half of whom One of the challenges in putting together a undergraduate fellowship scheme (p10); are based outside the UK. Bulletin that will appeal to the broad spectrum this year the format changes to a residential of BES members is that we come to the Society summer school, more on which in due course. The Society holds a variety of from a very wide range of backgrounds, Of course young ecologists have ideas and meetings each year. The Annual disciplines, interests and ages. We have devout enthusiasm in abundance as demonstrated by Meeting attracts a wide range of papers, often by research theoreticians and utterly pragmatic practitioners Cat Stowkowska’s account of a conservation students, and includes a series in our ranks. Some are employed to work in event that piqued the interest of students in of informal specialist group metaphorical ivory towers, others think any Sheffield and beyond (p42). This ‘Peaks and discussions; whereas the Annual time not spent out in the field finding solutions City Takeover’ took care to include tasks in the Symposium and many other to practical problems is time wasted. I’ve city as well as in the surrounding moors, and smaller meetings are usually never tried to tempt our Membership Officer taking science to city streets is a prime aim of more specialised and include to flout data protection laws by asking him to Soapbox Science, which as Emma Sayer reports invited speakers from around identify the youngest and oldest members of (p40) takes women scientists out into public the world. the Society, but I do know the membership spaces of London, Swansea, Belfast, Glasgow includes teenagers and at least one centenarian. and more to explain their work. Emma’s Proceedings of some of these meetings are published by In some walks of life finding material to cross interviews show such events simultaneously the Society in its Ecological age and interest boundaries so widely drawn boosts the self confidence of the scientists Reviews book series. The Society would be impossible, but not in ecology. involved, challenges the perception of science distributes free to all members, While I don’t kid myself that every recipient as a subject pursued by men in white coats four times a year, the Bulletin of this issue is going to be reading every word and engages the public with a bunch of really which contains news and views, from cover to cover in a state of rapture, you knowledgeable and enthusiastic advocates. meeting announcements, a can dip into this issue just about anywhere More power to their collective elbow. comprehensive diary and many and find enthusiasm, engagement and a thirst other features. In addition the for knowledge. It feels slightly wrong to say so, A second group fell victim to the Sayer Society produces five scientific but this is especially evident in the obituaries, interview blitz; Council members (p15). journals. The Journal of Ecology, which are sadly rather numerous. We mourn Those currently involved in running the Journal of Animal Ecology, the loss of Tibor Jermy, John Lund, John Society worry that some members assume Journal of Applied Ecology and Packham and Oliver Rackham in this issue, we are a closed shop and that there is some Functional Ecology are sold at a discounted rate to members. but all four enjoyed long and successful careers mysterious ‘club’ that one has to belong to in order to take a role in running the BES. Methods in Ecology and Evolution and left the world a better place for their is free to BES members. The passing through (See pp31-36). Nothing could be further from the truth; Society also supports research Council and BES committees constantly need and ecological education with Bill Sutherland uses the career of Oliver refreshing with new members, but we have yet grant aid. Further details about Rackham to illustrate ways in which ecologists to be overwhelmed by volunteers. There are the Society and membership can exert influence on policy and practice (p5). three Council vacancies every year, and some can be obtained from the That future generations of ecologists are going committees are currently in need of additional Executive Director (address inside to take up the challenge is amply demonstrated members. Contact Hazel Norman at Charles back cover). by the excellence of the papers that won Young Darwin House to discuss. Investigator Prizes for their principal authors The Bulletin circulates exclusively (p6). These range from a contribution to the to members of the British Ecological Society. It carries discussion of rival theories of metabolic scaling, information on meetings and an examination of the creation of grazing lawns other activities, comment in African savanna, through to a global meta- and other topical items. analysis of land-use effects. To encourage the Unsigned commentaries are the flow of new recruits to our field the Education responsibility of the Editor and team lead by Karen Devine constantly comes do not necessarily represent the up with initiatives to foster and encourage Alan Crowden / Editor views of the Society. the teaching of ecology, and dozens of [email protected] budding ecologists have benefited from the A limited company, registered in England No. 1522897 and a Registered Charity No. 2812134. Registered Office: Charles Darwin House,12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JU

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PRESIDENT’S PIECE Making a difference

William J Sutherland / President of the British Ecological Society @Bill_Sutherland

Oliver Rackham was a proper Cambridge professor – most often spotted cycling bolt upright, with dramatic white beard, jacket, tie, floppy hat, sandals and bright red socks. He had a major influence on my thinking. I remember the hairs rising on the back of my neck as I discovered that you could go into a wood, examine the banks, trees and ground vegetation and unpick its history; this still gives me a thrill today. Both in his writing and in person he displayed a remarkable deep knowledge of landscapes, ecology and history. In The History of the Countryside, most paragraphs succeed in saying something original or profound or witty (and often all three).

It was thus a great shock when, in of woodland history through reading At the excellent joint meeting of the February, news spread rapidly of his original Latin manuscripts combined with BES and Zoological Society of London sudden death. His funeral brought intensive field surveys and data collection, there was a range of examples of the together many aspects of his life: the which enabled him to understand the means, and challenges, of linking science respect of colleagues, a coffin of ash importance of ancient woods and their and policy. An effective example was to mark his last book, a bouquet of traditional management. His timing was described by Sarah Durant, who along early woodland flowers and a burial in a remarkable coincidence – he arrived with Nathalie Pettorelli, identified that the the crypt of his beloved Corpus Christi on the conservation scene, like a white UK government’s proposed Infrastructure College chapel (a right only of previous knight, as government funds encouraged Bill’s new powers to control or eradicate college masters, which he briefly was). the clearance of woods or their replanting invasive, non-native species included An obituary and appreciation follows with conifers. Whilst this now seems native species that are now extinct, on pages 31-35 by Peter Grubb and an obvious shocking act of vandalism it species that may become naturally Keith Kirby. was he who provided the justification established under a changing climate, for their protection and awareness of and species listed in Schedule 9 of the Oliver invented the term Ancient the problem. Similarly, once-managed Wildlife and Countryside Act (including Woodland and stressed the importance woods were being left unmanaged even barn owl, capercaillie, chough and red of history and the local. He was scathing though their characteristic species were kite). The legislation could also preclude in the attempts to replant woods disappearing (Jeremy Thomas showed future species reintroductions. Again they smashed apart in the extraordinary the extinctions of woodland butterflies identified the precise problem, that there storm of 1987, which he described as were then occurring at a faster rate on was a narrow window for change and “a rare and wonderful event, which nature reserves than on commercial established contacts with decision makers we have been privileged to witness” forestry sites) and again he was there and concerned organisations whilst also and rightly damned tree planting when needed and initiated the essential organising a letter in Nature with a wide schemes in locations where trees management. Finally he had contacts group of signatories (including me). would naturally grow. with whom he collaborated. Ancient As Sarah described, this letter provided woodlands were largely protected by the publicity that helped bring about Although he superficially appeared a triumvirate of him, George Peterken, significant change in the proposed the ultimate ivory-tower academic, he who classified, mapped and determined legislation. had profound influence on policy and the required management, and the practice. I will describe two examples: he Forestry Commission, who, in the face The BES’ new strategy is ‘A world played a serious role in the protection of of the evidence, reversed their policies inspired, informed and influenced by once-neglected ancient woods and was such that ancient woodlands are now ecology’. The BES organises a range instrumental in initiating the renewal of well protected. In the case of woodland of activities through the Policy coppicing, which we now appreciate is a management he worked with the Committee and Policy officers. key component of retaining the interest Conservation Corps to reintroduce However, as shown by these examples, of managed woods. coppice management to Hayley the real power is in impact of members, whether doing the science that In both cases I think he made a difference Wood and through this example underpins policy or by identifying though the combination of three helped make it conventional practice. political problems and suggesting elements of insight, timing and contacts; Again he had a hands on approach, solutions. Collectively we members these elements are probably fundamental so Hayley Wood’s trees currently must be making a huge difference. to most cases of successful research into have his recently painted marks practice. His unique insights came from mapping out the coppice boundaries. a combination of a deep understanding

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AWARDS Young investigator prizes 2014

The BES Young Investigator Prizes are awarded annually to the best paper by a young author at the start of their research career, in each of the Society’s five journals.

Each 2014 prize winner has received grasses often presented as an example Matty Berg. Michiel is working on £250, a year’s membership of the BES, a of co-evolution between grazers and the importance of ecological autocatalysis year’s subscription to the relevant journal, grazing tolerant grasses. Previous for savanna ecosystem structure. and free registration to the Annual work has proposed that grazing lawns Michiel’s main interests are understanding Meeting in Edinburgh. were initiated and maintained in these what factors drive the organization and grasslands through a positive feedback functioning of ecosystems, focusing on First authors, who are less than 30 years between large grazing herbivores and the interplay between abiotic gradients old, or in the early stages of their research nutrient-rich lawn grasses. By contrast, and biotic feedback mechanisms career, can nominate themselves when Veldhuis and colleagues propose that to understand how they’ve shaped their paper is accepted for publication. defoliation and soil compaction may ecosystems to what we observe today. The winners are then selected by the initiate grazing lawns through a journal Editors at the end of each year. change in plant-soil water balance favouring drought-tolerant lawn species. The winning papers and two highly Through careful investigation and commended papers from each journal measurement they found that grazing WINNER OF THE ELTON have been compiled into a freely available lawn soil properties and water balance, PRIZE 2014 Virtual Issue which you can access from and possession of drought-tolerant traits the journal websites. The Editors and in grazing lawn species (e.g. Digitaria James Maino the BES would like to congratulate the longiflora, Urochloa mosambicensis, winners and highly commended authors Dactyloctenium australe and Sporobolus on their outstanding papers. nitens) were consistent with their hypothesis. Their proposed mechanism of The 2014 Elton Prize winner is James grazing lawn formation is general enough Maino for his paper for worldwide applicability, especially for WINNER OF THE HARPER grasslands during dry seasons. Reconciling theories for metabolic scaling co-authored with Michael R. Kearney, Michiel P. Veldhuis completed his PRIZE 2014 Roger M. Nisbet and Sebastiaan A.L.M. Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Kooijman (Journal of Animal Ecology, 83: Michiel Veldhuis ecology and evolution at the University 20–29). of Groningen, The Netherlands. During his Master’s he worked on two different Metabolic theory specifies constraints research projects. The first explored the on the metabolic organisation of role of seed dispersing rodents (agoutis) The Editors are pleased to award the individual organisms and has important in the creation/maintenance of tropical implications for scaling up from 2014 Harper Prize to Michiel Veldhuis forest tree diversity. This involved tracking for his paper A novel mechanism for individuals to ecosystems. In this paper, dispersing seeds at the Smithsonian James Maino and his co-authors attempt grazing lawn formation: large herbivore- Tropical Research Institute on Barro induced modification of the plant–soil water to reconcile different theories to explain Colorado Island, Panama, under the this metabolic scaling. They show that balance, published with colleagues Ruth supervision of Dr. Patrick Jansen and A. Howison, Rienk W. Fokkema, Elske two prominent ideas in metabolic scaling Dr. Roland Kays. The second project took are not necessarily mutually exclusive, Tielens, and Han Olff (Journal of Ecology, Michiel to the South African savannas volume 102, issue 6, pp. 1506 – 1517). and they present a modified framework of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, which resulted based on the fundamental processes Veldhuis’ study investigated the role in his receipt of the 2014 Harper Prize. of acquiring and using pools of stored of large herbivores (e.g. warthog, As part of this project he studied metabolites which allows both intra- and impala, plains zebra) in creating spatial herbivore effects on vegetation through inter-specific comparisons to be made. heterogeneity through the creation changes in soil moisture. The editors thought that the paper was innovative and liked that James and his of grazing lawns in tropical savanna. In 2012 he started his PhD at the co-authors tested a priori predictions Grazing lawns are spatially distinct, University of Groningen under the from their parameterised model against intensively grazed areas of stoloniferous supervision of Prof. Han Olff and Prof.

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a real dataset for mammalian respiration, were overwhelmingly located on rough Anke Stein, Ameur Manceur and with encouraging results. This paper bark surfaces and virtually absent from Ralf Seppelt (Journal of Applied Ecology, made an excellent contribution to the smooth bark. Experimental tests of bark 51: 1690-1700). Journal’s recent Special Feature on beetles’ ability to grip smooth versus “Metabolic Constraints and Currencies rough bark revealed that bark beetles The paper from Katharina Gerstner and in Animal Ecology”, and it has already have difficulty gripping and quickly fell colleagues provides a comprehensive sparked significant interest in this exciting from smooth bark but not from rough analysis that helps to resolve the debate and controversial field of ecology. bark. They also found that even partial surrounding human land use and its coverage by smooth bark on a tree’s effects on biodiversity. It has been Our Elton Prize winner, James, was the trunk significantly reduced total bark proven that human land use is a major lead author of this paper and the editors beetle attacks. In short, using a simple contributor to the global biodiversity were impressed that this was his first but rigorous combination of empirical crisis, but this does not seem to be publication written when he was still in and observational approaches Ferrenberg repeated at smaller scales. Much of the first year of his PhD. James’ PhD is and Mitton resurrected the Smooth Bark the current disagreement regarding part of a jointly awarded programme Defence Hypothesis! Similar to other the impacts of human land use on between the University of Melbourne forms of anti-insect defence, smooth bark biodiversity may be due to variability and Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam). His also appears to be influenced by plant according to region, scale of analysis, research explores patterns in animal ontogeny whereby younger trees have and the specific land use being life-history that hold across diverse greater defences than older trees. examined. This paper overcomes this species and looks into what extent they issue by directly testing the effects of can be explained by universal physical Scott developed an interest in plant- these factors using a meta-analytic and chemical constraints. James utilises insect interactions at the University of framework and a global dataset extracted Dynamic Energy Budget theory in Maryland, College Park, USA where from 375 studies. The careful analyses combination with large data sources he completed an MSc in entomology of the contexts in which land use on the diverse life histories of insects to with the late Robert Denno. A lifelong impacts on biodiversity provides a develop mechanistic models of animal fascination with western North America’s useful template for the study of bioenergetics. The resulting mechanistic conifer forests led him to a research important emerging questions. models explain a variety of well-known position in Sequoia National Park, but poorly understood patterns in California, where he began studies of This paper represents a substantial biology, from metabolic scaling to bark beetle responses to trees injured by amount of work on a key topic that is U-shaped pupal respiration in insects. prescribed fires. Interest in evolutionary likely to be very well cited. The impacts aspects of the bark beetle-conifer of land-use change on biodiversity are system pulled Scott to the University of known to be scale-dependent and vary Colorado, Boulder, where he completed according to a wide range of factors. This paper provides an overview that WINNER OF THE HALDANE his PhD in 2014 under the guidance of Jeffry Mitton. His time at the University reports the negative impacts of changes PRIZE 2014 of Colorado allowed his to pursue a wide in land use for plants, but crucially range of research projects, in addition highlights the context-dependent Scott Ferrenberg to his dissertation work on conifers, sensitivities that point the way for further

and he now pursues a diverse set of work in a clear manner. The Editors

question in population and community would like to congratulate Katharina on ecology. Scott is currently a postdoctoral an excellent piece of work by an early career author and wish Katharina every The 2014 Haldane Prize winner is Scott scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s success in her future career. Ferrenberg for his paper Smooth bark Canyonlands Research Station in Moab, Utah, where he studies the impacts of surfaces can defend trees against insect Katharina is currently finalising her climate change on biological soil crust attack: resurrecting a ‘slippery’ hypothesis PhD studies at the Helmholtz-Centre of and plant communities. co-authored with Jeffry B. Mitton Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig. (Functional Ecology, 28: 837–845). Her research focuses on investigating the effects of land use on global biodiversity The concept of smooth bark on trees patterns of vascular plants. She uses and shrubs acting as an anatomical WINNER OF THE SOUTHWOOD the countryside model to study species- defence against epiphytic vegetation PRIZE 2014 area relationships and at the global and phytophagous insects has, for some level she finds research syntheses such time, fallen out of favour. Ferrenberg Katharina Gerstner as meta-analyses particularly helpful. and Mitton, in a study of bark beetle Her background is in mathematics, attack on Pinus flexilis – a pine species having received a diploma in that exhibits both smooth and rough Mathematics at University of Jena, bark surfaces – set out to test the role Germany and she is broadly interested in of bark defence against insects. Their The 2014 Southwood Prize has been the application of sophisticated statistical study involved both field surveys and awarded by the Editors to Katharina methods for ecological problem-solving. experiments in the Colorado Rocky Gerstner for her paper Effects of land use Mountains, USA. Results were strikingly on plant diversity – A global meta-analysis straightforward: bark beetle attacks co-authored with Carsten Dormann,

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Public engagement

WINNER OF THE ROBERT MAY PRIZE 2014

Laure Gallien Jessica Bays / Engagement Officer at the British Ecological Society and Ecological Continuity Trust [email protected] The 2014 Robert May Prize winner is Laure Gallien for her paper Identifying the signal of environmental filtering and Public engagement is a term used to describe the many competition in invasion patterns – a contest ways by which the work of research institutes and of approaches from community ecology, co-authored with Marta Carboni and universities is shared with the public and arises from a Tamara Münkemüller (Methods in Ecology desire to connect research institutions with communities, and Evolution, 5: 1002–1011). maximising the transfer of knowledge between the two and Today, biological invasions are of major generating mutual benefit. concern for maintaining biodiversity. However, understanding what drives the success of invasive species at the scale of the community remains a challenge. Effective public engagement in science Outreach grants Two processes have been described enables individuals to get involved Grants are available from the BES as main drivers of the coexistence in dialogue and action on scientific to facilitate public engagement and between invasive and native species: issues, thus helping funders and outreach work. The last round of environmental filtering and competitive researchers better understand the awards enabled activities to take place interactions. However, recent reviews perspectives, opinions, and concerns of in diverse locations; from Lakshadweep have shown that competitive interactions the public. In January the BES initiated (India), to Edinburgh (Scotland). are rarely detected, and thus their its public engagement programme, These grants ensure that suitable importance as drivers of invasion success providing a platform for researchers activities are supported globally, placed under question. But can this to communicate the excitement of maximising our impact and reach. be due to pure methodological issues? ecology to the public. Outreach grant applications are open Using a simulation model of community Web resources to members and non-members with assembly, Laure and co-authors the next round of applications closing show that the infrequent detection In line with the launch of our public in September 2015. We are currently of competition can arise from three engagement programme, web considering how the remit of these important methodological shortcomings, resources are being developed to grants can be further aligned with and provide guidelines for future studies complement our programme of the public engagement programme of invasion drivers at the scale of the events, providing information, advice and are particularly keen to recruit community. and opportunities to take part in new members to our review college, engagement activities; please take specifically those with experience During her MSc in Biodiversity, Ecology a moment to look at the website delivering public engagement and Evolution, Laure developed a (http://www.britishecologicalsociety. activities. If you would like to become a passionate interest in the study of org/education/public-engagement/ member of our review college, or want biological invasions, and decided to events/). To establish the extent and to find out what this entails, please carry out a PhD on the ecological type of engagement activities currently see www.britishecologicalsociety.org/ and evolutionary drivers of invasion being undertaken by members we have grants awards/bes review college with Wilfried Thuiller and Sébastien also initiated an online survey (https:// (or email grants@britishecological Lavergne at the Alpine Ecology Lab in www.surveymonkey.com/s/MVY6BYC) society.org). Grenoble (France). She currently lives In the long-term, data gathered will in Switzerland and works as a post-doc be used to measure the impact of our Events with Niklaus E. Zimmermann at the engagement programme, whilst in the We have a diverse variety of events WSL institute, where she explores the shorter term feedback will be used to planned throughout the year. The first influence of evolutionary history on help shape the development of our national event we will be attending extant species invasiveness. regional programme. Regional events is RHS Chelsea Flower Show (May will be member-led, with resources 19th-23rd) where we will be curating developed that add value to existing a Discovery Zone display. This will activities. Please stay tuned for ways focus on the ecology surrounding you can get involved. plant-soil interactions and will feature

8 Lauren Sandhu and Erika Newton at the BES stand at Chelsea in 2013 rhizotrons and microscopes; visitors connection with ecology in a fun and Glastonbury Festival: entering the display will feel as though informal manner. Previous evaluation of Pilton, June 24-28 they are transported to an underground these activities has found that 60% of BES Annual Meeting: environment where they will be able all interactions were classified as high Edinburgh, December 13-16 to view root structures at a minute quality, indicating that the majority of level. Collaborations have been forged participants did just that. This year we Jessica Bays is the new Engagement Officer between multiple universities, these have have 17 PhD students on board and are at both the British Ecological Society and been invaluable and have assisted in the pleased to announce that appearances the Ecological Continuity Trust. In her role cultivation of plant material and the are so far confirmed at Wychwood, at the BES, Jessica works with researchers 3D printing of root structures which Glastonbury & the British Ecological to help them communicate ecological can be handled by visitors. Society’s Annual meeting. Please science to the public. At the ECT Jessica is see below for the schedule of events working to engage the academic community, Having secured funding from NERC to confirmed so far. take part in their Summer of Science promoting the use of long-term ecological experimentation sites. Jessica joined the 50th anniversary activities, we are For more information on events BES in January, having previously worked pleased to announce that the highly planned, or how you can get involved at the Carbon Trust, where she managed successful Sex and Bugs & Rock N Roll please get in touch with Jessica Bays communications and assisted in the project activities will once again be touring (Engagement Officer) via email: management of the extensive Energy music festivals and assorted events [email protected] near you! Early career researchers Technology List research programme. trained in public engagement, have Confirmed Events for 2015 Jessica is looking forward to working been supported in the development of with researchers, helping them share the RHS Chelsea Flower Show excitement of ecology with the public, their own ecology ‘busks’ to perform London, May 19-23 to festival attendees. Ecology busks are so please get in touch if you are keen short engaging activities that encourage Wychwood Festival to get involved. fellow festival go-ers to make a personal Cheltenham, May 29-31

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ECOLOGY EDUCATION AND CAREERS Encouraging undergraduate ecologists

Karen Devine / Education Manager, British Ecological Society [email protected]

In recent years the BES Undergraduate Fellowship Scheme has supported many promising emerging ecologists through their education, training and in starting their careers. In 2015 the Scheme will be replaced by a new Undergraduate Summer School so we asked members of the final cohort to tell us about their experience of the scheme. We begin with Jennah Green’s account of another successful Undergraduate Careers conference:

In early February nearly one A workshop style session focussed on how I am now the student representative hundred budding ecologists to present transferable skills effectively on for the SIG and I am looking forward from universities throughout future applications. This full programme to my time on the committee. Since the UK attended the of presentations and discussions was the end of the fellowship the BES has Undergraduate Careers Conference, accompanied by informative posters continued to support my interest in organised by the BES Undergraduate throughout the venue, answering science communication. I attended a Fellows. Speakers from a range of questions about pursuing a career in great training day on science busking ecological career backgrounds ecology and providing details about and using resources provided by the delivered insightful presentations opportunities with the special interest BES I have given talks in schools on about a variety of topics associated groups at the BES. Ecology, both of which have enhanced with science-based careers. my passion for educating and The day was a fantastic opportunity communicating science to others. The morning session helped delegates for delegates to explore a range of I feel embedded within the BES to explore a variety of ecological career different career paths within ecology, network and I know that throughout options, including research, policy, and to network with speakers, fellows my ecological career I will always consultancy, communication, education, and other undergraduate ecologists. stay involved with the Society. field work and international careers. The fellows had a great time organising Bill Sutherland delivered an interactive and participating in the event and hope Luke Nelson plenary speech presenting top tips for that everybody who attended found it how to begin a career in science, and a a valuable experience in their pursuit panel discussion provided honest insight of a career in ecology. into the challenges of ecological careers and advice on how to tackle them. FOUR VIEWS ON THE FELLOWSHIP Being an undergraduate fellow has SCHEME been a fantastic experience, and I have The afternoon session shifted in focus learnt lots about the BES, working in towards helping career development, Laura Deacon ecology and career skills. As part of with advice about how to build an the fellowship, I have represented the effective skill set and how to find BES at a careers fair at my university, the ideal job or higher degree after where I highlighted what the BES can university. A panel of postgraduate offer students. Having the opportunity speakers answered questions about The fellowship gave me many brilliant to share the advantages the BES offers finding and funding Masters and PhD experiences and the end of the fellowship really demonstrated the benefits that I programmes. This was followed by leaves me with new opportunities within had received from the scheme, as well presentations on a range of topics the BES. I was able to get involved as enabling me to give something back including the value of voluntary work with the Macroecology Special Interest to the Society by encouraging other and internships, insights into the Group and helped to plan their event at students to get involved. interview process, tips on job searches the Annual meeting in Lille. As a result, and how to present a professional CV.

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The Undergraduate fellows of 2014 were joined in Lille by three alumni of the scheme, Francisca Sconce and Lydia White on the left and Dom Andradi-Brown on the right.

Rebecca Hollely Ruth Shepherd

As part of the undergraduate fellowship, I think the main accomplishment of the at Stirling University). Through we attended the BES-SFE annual meeting BES fellowship scheme was the varied presentations of the scientific work we in Lille. This was one of the highlights opportunities it provided, and with both have conducted and small group of the fellowship for me. Over 1500 that, a diversity of skills. Over the year discussions we aimed to enlighten ecologists attended the conference, and I and the other fellows have had many students about ecology. Standing up it was the perfect opportunity to meet so experiences including organising and and speaking in front of 50 students, many people that were passionate about running the Undergraduate careers who I know from experience are ecology. The days were full; divided into conference, attending the Annual not good at hiding their disinterest, short talks where people presented their meeting in Lille, mentoring and, for was extremely daunting. However, research, followed by workshops and some, involvement with the BES Special throughout the presentation the pupils poster sessions, and I’ll admit it was a Interest Groups (SIGs) or BES ambassador remained interested and after the little overwhelming to be surrounded by work. All these opportunities were hugely countless questions we were asked so many successful ecologists. I heard beneficial in helping me in my ecological I believe we succeeded in our aim! the latest research on ground-breaking career: for me, the experience I gained This experience not only left me with a ecological topics, discovered new areas through getting involved with the BES feeling of great satisfaction, it has also of interest, and met many inspiring ambassador scheme was possibly the seriously made me consider teaching people. It was an incredible experience, most useful and eye opening. to inspire future ecologists. and I cannot thank the BES enough for giving me the opportunity to go! The BES introduced the BES ambassador Supporting ecologists along their scheme for PhD students with the aim ecological career pathway was the of promoting ecology to secondary ultimate aim of the BES fellowship. school pupils. I was fortunate enough to As this year marks the last year of the visit a secondary school in Kilmarnock, fellowship I think I can say on behalf Scotland for the day with Katie Murray of all fellows how valuable the scheme (BES ambassador and PhD student has been.

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SCIENCE POLICY People, Politics and the Planet: Where next for UK environmental policy?

Ben Connor / Policy Officer, British Ecological Society Rebecca Shellock / Policy Intern, British Ecological Society [email protected] [email protected]

Making ecology count was exactly the point of the recent Natural Capital Initiative summit, held from 6-7 November 2014. It is a subject that demands the involvement of the broadest range of expertise, and that was what the summit provided. Unusually there was an even mix of academics, policy makers, and business leaders coming together to discuss Natural Capital: what it is, what progress has been made, what we need to do next, and what problems we face in using it as a practical tool.

At the time of writing, the 2015 UK and Science), Barry Gardiner MP (Labour, concerns to the panel (See box 1), and to general election looked set to be one MP for Brent North and Shadow Minister assess the policy options proposed. Over of the closest fought electoral battles for the Natural Environment), Baroness the course of the evening the discussion in decades, with no party securing a Kate Parminter (Liberal Democrats, covered a wide range of issues including clear lead in the polls amidst an Environment Spokesperson), Natalie climate change and energy, biodiversity increasingly fragmented political Bennett (Green Party, Leader), Dr Eilidh loss, the role of EU legislation, the badger landscape. Yet as you read this – barring Whiteford MP (Scottish National Party, cull and the role of independent scientific a particularly close or unexpected result – MP for Banff and Buchan) and William advice, sustainable agriculture, and a new government will be in place, Cash (UK Independence Party, Heritage grouse shooting. But after two hours, and beginning to outline its policy and Tourism Spokesperson). was the audience any the wiser as to priorities and legislative programme how the next government might secure for the next parliament. The debate gave BES and CIEEM a sustainable future for people and members a crucial opportunity to put planet? Here are six key things we What can we expect from environmental their most pressing environmental learnt from the debate. policy over the next five years? While the environment was afforded scant attention in the televised pre-election debates, it was top of the agenda at “People, Politics and the Planet – Any Questions”, held at The Light in London on Monday 9th March. Organised by the BES, The Sibthorp Trust and CIEEM, and expertly chaired by broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, the event brought together a panel of politicians from the UK’s six largest political parties to debate their environmental commitments with an audience of over 300 BES and CIEEM members and the general public.

The high-profile panel consisted of Lord Rupert de Mauley (Conservatives, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Natural Environment Question Time! Photograph courtesy of Jason Reeves.

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BOX 1

What do our members think? 1 Tackling climate change What are the top environmental issues that need to be tackled in BES and CIEEM members were asked 2 Embedding an understanding of the next UK parliament? to complete an online survey, before the environment into government and after the ‘People, Politics and the decision-making Our members were provided with a list Planet’ debate. The surveys aimed to of environmental issues and were asked (1) find out what burning questions 3 The dependency of the economy to vote for the issues that they believed our members would like to ask on a healthy environment. to be the most important for politicians representatives from the UK’s major 4 Shifting away from short-term politics to tackle in the next UK parliament. The political parties (2) gain our members’ to long-term sustainability top five environmental issues were: opinion on the main environmental issues that will need to be addressed by 5 Tackling the long-term decline 1 Biodiversity loss in biodiversity future government. Over 300 members 2 Habitat degradation, planning policy, responded to the survey. Following the ‘People, Politics and the land use change and agricultural subsidies What do our members want to ask Planet’ event, members were asked to identify topics that they felt were the UK’s major political parties? 3 Climate change missed during the debate. Topics Our members had over 300 questions included future funding for research 4 Moving to a sustainable that they would like to ask the UK’s and government organisations, Marine ‘green’ economy (including over- major political parties. Predominantly, Conservation Zones (MCZs) and the exploitation, resource efficiency, questions were themed around the green economy. and energy generation) following topics:

The natural capital approach should be part of a comprehensive science will have a vital role to play in is becoming mainstream strategy to tackle Bovine TB, and that addressing this issue. During the debate, The debate established the extent this was supported by science. However discussion mainly focused on the role to which the language and framing Barry Gardiner was clear that the Labour of genetically modified organisms of natural capital has become a key Party disputed this interpretation of the (GMOs) in tackling this problem. component of environmental policy. evidence, and that culling would cease Only Natalie Bennett maintained clear Lord de Mauley made clear that he was immediately under a Labour government. opposition to the release of GMOs into “fundamentally convinced” that the Eilidh Whiteford and Natalie Bennett the environment (yet allowing for the “economy is completely dependent on the also questioned the scientific basis for possibility of ongoing research), whilst environment”. Baroness Parminter argued the Government’s approach, a point Lord de Mauley cited evidence from that the Natural Capital Committee echoed by the questioner, Professor the European Food Safety Authority should be placed on a permanent, Rosie Woodrofffe, a member of the that GMOs were safe for humans and statutory footing, whilst Barry Gardiner team that designed the Randomised the environment. Barry Gardiner, Eilidh stated that a Labour government would Badger Culling Trial. Whiteford and Baroness Parminter all develop a parallel system of national indicated that they would consider the The ongoing debate around the science of use of GMOs if appropriate safeguards natural capital accounts by 2020. While the badger cull demonstrates the crucial it is highly encouraging that the natural were in place and evidence of their role that independent organisations such safety was clear. capital approach is becoming embedded as the BES can play in providing objective within mainstream thinking, it remains scientific advice to help inform decision- With a recent Science and Technology essential that any adoption of the concept making. Encouragingly, Lord de Mauley Committee report acknowledging that is grounded in sound science: something stated that “science and evidence are at debates around GMOs have largely been the BES is working to ensure with our the heart of all we do at Defra”, a pledge dominated by values and politics rather partners in the Natural Capital Initiative. that we hope any future government than science, it is crucial that as we The badger cull remains a will adhere to. search for solutions to the problem divisive issue of food security, decisions are informed Our approach to Genetically by the best possible evidence. Ecology The question of whether or not badgers Modified Organisms must has an important role to play, looking should be culled to prevent the spread be informed by sound beyond GMOs to broader agro- of Bovine TB, and the extent to which scientific evidence ecological solutions. this approach is grounded in sound Sustainably feeding a rapidly growing science, was one of the most polarising population will be a key global challenge of the debate. Lord de Mauley reiterated in the coming decades, and ecological the Conservatives’ position that culling

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There is more agreement on the Most parties do not favour need to tackle climate change than a ban on grouse shooting BOX 2 on how this should be done Grouse shooting, and the illegal The British Ecological Society’s There was broad agreement that tackling persecution of hen harriers and other priorities for environmental policy- climate change is a pressing concern, birds of prey associated with it, has making for the next Parliament are: with Lord de Mauley, Natalie Bennett proved a recent hot topic amongst and Eilidh Whiteford highlighting it as conservationists. Natalie Bennett was 1. That environmental policy is one of their personal priorities, and only the only panellist to commit her party to informed by sound scientific William Cash questioning the wisdom of banning grouse shooting altogether. Barry evidence, and that policy- carbon emissions targets. Yet on the detail Gardiner stated that Labour would end makers have access to the best of whether fossil fuel extraction – such the illegal persecution of raptors and ban available ecological science to as fracking – should still be supported lead shot, whilst the Liberal Democrats inform decision-making. The by government, the panel remained and Conservatives pledged to work with British Ecological Society is an split. While Lord de Mauley saw fracking rural businesses to stamp out illegal independent, authoritative learned as a “cleaner” source of fossil fuels, practices, whilst also acknowledging society committed to presenting and William Cash favoured its use over the economic benefits of shooting. scientific evidence in an objective windfarms, Natalie Bennett accused the Research by ecologists has suggested and unbiased way. Government of pursuing a “fracking new approaches to resolve long-running fantasy”, and called for a total ban. conflicts between grouse shooters and 2. That ecological science is valued Eilidh Whiteford and Barry Gardiner both conservationists and may offer a starting for the vital role it has to play supported a moratorium on the practice point in addressing this thorny problem . in meeting some of the most before certain conditions were met. Looking ahead: to the General important challenges of the 21st A landscape scale approach to Election and Beyond century. The UK’s universities and tackling biodiversity loss is required research institutes are home to As the post-election dust settles, many of world-leading ecological science In line with the increasing recognition these issues will be high on the priority that helps us to predict the of the value of our natural capital, list of the new Environment Secretary consequences of human activity the panel was mostly convinced that as he or she settles into post following on the environment and the a landscape approach to species and the election. And In all of these issues, importance of the environment habitat protection is the way forward. ecological science has an essential role to for human welfare. Barry Gardiner appealed to the principles play. Within the BES External Affairs Team of former BES President Professor Sir John we have identified three ambitions for 3. That the value of the environment Lawton’s Making Space for Nature report good environmental policy-making over to human wellbeing and prosperity : “bigger, better and more joined up”. the term of the next Parliament (Box 2): – our natural capital – is recognised Lord de Mauley echoed this view, and environmental policy informed by sound across government. Protecting pointed to the Government’s progress in scientific evidence; recognising the vital role and enhancing the UK’s natural this area, asserting, perhaps optimistically, of ecological science in meeting societal capital is essential for securing a that the target to halt biodiversity loss by challenges; and integrating the value of sustainable economy and society, 2020 could be met. While Labour and the environment to human wellbeing and and the environment must be fully the Conservatives did not outline specific prosperity across government. policies for how this would be done, both Natalie Bennett and Kate Parminter Over the next few months, as part of committed their parties to introducing the BES’s new Strategic Plan, we will be new legislation – a Nature Act – if elected, fleshing out our policy priority issues for YOUR HELP IS VITAL the next Government, underpinned by whilst also affirming the importance Our policy work depends on the support of upholding the European Birds and the three key principles outlined above. and expertise of our members. Get in Habitats Directives (currently under Regardless of who is elected, we will touch to let us know what you think the review by the European Commission – see seek to ensure that sound science is key environmental policy issues should the article in the March 2015 Bulletin by placed at the heart of decision-making be for the new Government, or register Ben Connor, for details). for the environment. We will continue to promote the solutions and insights that your interests and expertise on the BES ecological science can offer to address website to stay informed as we develop pressing challenges from biodiversity our priorities. conservation to food security, and in Find out more about the BES’s policy order to do this we will be developing work at www.britishecologicalsociety. case studies and resources demonstrating org/public-policy/. the impact of ecology. Watch the full video from “People, Finally, with our partners in the Natural Politics and the Planet –Any Questions” Capital Initiative, we will further develop at www.britishecologicalsociety.org/ the case for decision-making for the public-policy/policy-events/2015- sustainable management of natural events/environmental-question-time/ Photograph courtesy of Jason Reeves capital based on sound science.

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SPEED INTERVIEWS: WHY GET INVOLVED IN BES COUNCIL?

Interviews conducted by Emma Sayer

MARKUS EICHHORN Not many BES members know what goes on behind (@markus_eichhorn) the scenes to create such an active, inclusive and influential ‘learned society’. We invited members of the BES Council to do a speed interview for the Bulletin to give our readers a better idea of who could get involved and why.

I became a Council member because... WE ASKED: a gnawing sense of obligation. Why did you become a Council member? Who should be on Council... Anyone who thinks that BES isn’t representing their interests as an ecologist properly, Who do you think should join Council? or who can see a gap in its work. More (What makes a good Council member?) diverse perspectives can only strengthen the Society (says the white male academic from his ivory tower). Basically, What has the BES done for you or your field more people who aren’t like me. of study/work? The BES has.... funded my PhD, and has also contributed towards several What have you done for the BES? research projects through its grant scheme. I’ve been at almost every BES Finally, what’s your favourite science/ecology annual meeting for the last 15 years, along with many specialist interest joke or pun? group events, which has provided me with a supportive network of collaborators and friends that make The one thing all Council members agreed upon was working in ecology a pleasure. The that any BES member should consider standing for Council symposium on forest ecology in if they want to contribute to the society’s success. Cambridge a few years ago was the single best meeting I’ve ever attended. My contribution to the BES... I’ve mostly contributed through the special interest groups, first with the Tropical Ecology Group then later running the Forest Ecology Group. I’m also an unreliable contributor to the Bulletin. Favourite joke or pun... None of them are clean enough for the Bulletin. Ask me at the bar at the next BES meeting.

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DREW PURVES LINDSAY TURNBULL (@dpurves) (I’m too old for twitter) The BES has helped me.... BES publications and meetings have been incredibly helpful in breaking down barriers between ‘theoretical’ and ‘empirical’ ecologists, to the extent that the terms don’t mean much any more. You now see much more modelling work informed by data and field work – and vice versa. This is great for the whole field of ecology. My contribution to the BES... Well, I sign on to online banking all the time to approve payments for just about everything we do, from the annual I became a Council member because... meetings to editors’ salaries to grants! I became a Council member because... I was approached by Charles Godfray But more importantly, I’ve used my I wanted to become more involved in BES asking me to become treasurer, I experience in modelling to build activities and to obtain an ‘insider view’. think because he knew that I took a predictive models of the BES finances It’s easy to stand outside organisations quantitative / modelling approach to 15 years and more into the future under and criticize them, but it’s less easy to ecology and so figured I could cope with different scenarios. Before that model, we think how they could really be better! numbers! Before that point the BES was had a general sense of nervousness about just a benign presence in my academic our finances that held us back. Now, we Who should be on Council... I think life. Suddenly I was helping run it, which can make much more confident financial it’s very important that the Council was exciting but also scary. decisions, e.g., in substantially increasing contains people from all kinds of different our annual spending as part of our new backgrounds in ecology. In particular I Who should be on Council... Anyone 5-year plan. think we need more involvement from who believes that ecology is interesting under-represented groups. and important could make a great Favourite joke or pun... I’ve definitely Council member, whatever their laughed a lot in the presence of The BES has helped me.... Publish background, job, or skills. Given the BES’ ecologists but I can’t remember any important work. Hosted conferences, new 5-five year plan, I’m sure we’ll see specifics. Something to do with the particularly the AGM in which ecologists the Council include more members from bi-products of microbial populations can get to know each other and outside academia – although we have powered by the break down of sugars exchange ideas. under anaerobic conditions. always had people from non-academic My contribution to the BES... research institutions and we currently Not very much so far! have one person from a big tech company ;) Favourite joke or pun... An ecologist, a mathematician and a statistician are hunting deer. The ecologist takes aim and fires just in front of the target; the mathematician takes aim and fires just behind the target. The statistician says: “We got it!”. Joel Cohen normally tells this joke at the start of his talks.

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OWEN LEWIS JULIET VICKERY IAIN STOTT (@OwenTLewis) (@iainmstott)

I became a Council member because... I became a Council member because... I became a Council member because... I had to admit that I had my arm twisted I’ve gained a great deal from BES since Ecologists face a rapidly changing to put my name forward by a former BES I was a PhD student at Oxford and was world in science and as BES early-career President. But once involved, I realized keen to give a bit back. rep, I want to make sure early-career that I should have got involved long ago. researchers are instrumental in shaping Who should be on Council... Those with that future, as well as being prepared for Who should be on Council... I think a commitment to the value of science it. I think the BES does amazing work for Council will work best if it reflects the and a desire to see it ‘nurtured and ECRs and countless others, and I really breadth of the BES’s membership. So any noticed’ in society. Those keen to get wanted to be a part of it. member, whatever their career stage or stuck in and make a difference, to bring job description, should consider getting new ideas... and who can find time to Who should be on Council... I think a involved if they are keen to contribute to read and think before meetings(!) good Council depends on all members the society’s growth and success. and their diversity of backgrounds, The BES has helped me.... Exposed me identities and experiences. Diversity The BES has helped me.... The to knew ideas and inspiring people. breeds creativity: for me there’s no Annual Meeting and the stable of BES single perfect archetype as I think any My contribution to the BES... Not as publications are outstanding in an monotypic Council would be a terrible much as I would have liked! But I hope international context. They have been one! hugely influential and important for I have helped its work in bridging the me, and for many other professional gap between science and policy and The BES has helped me.... I’ve been to ecologists. encouraged it to reach out a bit more annual meetings since the first year of my to scientists in NGOs. PhD, which have been crucial for meeting My contribution to the BES... colleagues, forging new collaborations Favourite joke or pun... I love the Currently I’m an Associate Editor for and making new friends. The atmosphere Larson Far Side cartoons. Journal of Applied Ecology, and a Council at BES meetings is always really representative on the Finance Board relaxed, and I quickly learned that the and Publications Committee. It’s been “networking” I used to dread can be lots fascinating to contribute to the Society’s of fun! The BES were also nice enough to Strategic Plan for 2015 – 2020 and in award me the first Robert M May prize particular to the publications strategy. for one of my PhD chapters, which to this Earlier in my career I was the Local day I’m still surprised that anyone bar my Organiser for the Annual Meeting when supervisors and examiners have read. it was held in Oxford. My contribution to the BES... For a Favourite joke or pun... It’s the Ns that while I acted as a student rep at the justify the means. University of Exeter, to raise the profile of the BES and encourage new members. I’m a regular reviewer for four of the six BES journals. I’m also a prolific retweeter! Watch this space, I intend to do much more now I’m on Council… Favourite joke or pun... Pretty much anything tweeted by @AcademicsSay.

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A CALENDAR OF SOCIETY EVENTS IN 2015

Amelia Simpson / BES Events Manager [email protected]

Listed below are events hosted or supported by the BES and our Special Interest Groups. Please check the BES web pages for further details and the very latest information on these events.

JUNE AUGUST SEPTEMBER 14 - 15 JUNE 14 - 16 AUGUST 26 - 28 Climate Change Ecology and Quantitative Macroecology SIG: EU MACRO 2015 – Joint Tropical Ecology SIG: Systematics Ecology SIGs. Using Climate Data in meeting of the BES, GfÖ and CMEC Association Symposium: The value of long Ecological Research. Location: Biocenter, University of term monitoring plots for plant systematics Location: Met Office, Exeter Copenhagen, Denmark and ecology in the tropics. Location: Edinburgh OCTOBER JUNE 20 OCTOBER 9 Forest Ecology SIG: Woodland ecology and 30 – 4 SEPTEMBER Forest Ecology SIG: Fire ecology as an management workshop Aquatic Ecology SIG: Aquatic Biodiversity emerging discipline. Location: Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire and Ecosystems 2015: Evolution, Interactions and Global Change Location: School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool JULY Location: University of Liverpool NOVEMBER JULY 7 -8 SEPTEMBER Aquatic Ecology SIG: Are Ecosystem Services NOVEMBER 2 - 3 Academic? SEPTEMBER 3 - 4 Climate Change SIG and Plant, Soils, Tropical Ecology SIG: Annual Early Career Ecosystems SIG: Climate change mitigation Location: National Oceanography Centre, Researcher Meeting: Tropical ecosystems and ecosystems. Southampton and land-use change. Location: Charles Darwin House, London JULY 13 – 14 Location: University of Stirling BES Symposium: The Ecology and Evolution NOVEMBER 13 - 14 of Emerging Plant Pests and Pathogens: SEPTEMBER 8 – 9 Peatlands SIG: A Life in Ecology Agricultural Ecology SIG: Rethinking Challenges to Global Food Security and Location: Sheffield UK Ecosystem Reliance Agricultural Systems; A Session in Permiculture Convergence Location: Penryn Campus, University of DECEMBER Exeter, Cornwall Location: London DECEMBER 13 - 16 JULY 20 - 24 SEPTEMBER 9 - 11 BES Annual Meeting Peatlands SIG: Wild Thing – Wilder by BES Education: Our first Summer School, Location: EICC, Edinburgh, Scotland for talented 1st year ( 2nd Year Scottish) Design part 2 undergraduates. Location: Sheffield UK

Location: Malham Tarn Field Centre SEPTEMBER 11 Quantitative Ecology SIG: Reproducible species distribution modelling workshop Location: Charles Darwin House

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SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP NEWS

the role of ecosystems in the climate Please contact [email protected]. system and how better land management com to discuss your ideas in the first can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and instance as space is limited. promote carbon sequestration. The first day (9th Sept.) will end with Further information on the group and our a guest lecture in the evening. The activities can be found on the web pages following two days will mix plenary and (http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/ parallel sessions with a dedicated poster getting-involved/special-interest-groups/ presentation session on the Thursday climate-change-ecology/). We want the afternoon (10th Sept). A conference group to be broad and inclusive of the full dinner will be held on the Thursday range of climate change interests within evening. CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGY ecology and we look forward to more people getting involved over the coming Confirmed speakers include: Adrian Mike Morecroft months and years. Newton, Alastair Driver, Peter mike.morecroft@naturalengland. Bridgewater, Ted Green, Keith Alexander, org.uk Jill Butler, Della Hooke, Ian Rotherham, Peter Taylor, Rob Lambert, James Fenton, The Climate Change Ecology Group has George Peterken, Sue Everett, Chris Spray, been going for a year now. We have had Jim McAdam, Mauro Agnoletti, Tomasz a very successful one-day conference Samojlik, Frans Vera, Kenneth Olwig and considering the most recent advances Tom Williamson. Chris and Anne-Marie reported by the Inter-Governmental Smout will be attending as guests of Panel on Climate Change and the next honour. steps for ecologists, ran a workshop on conservation and climate change at ‘Sphagnum Identification Workshops’ the annual symposium and organised a – Peak District in autumn 2015 – dates to session at the annual meeting in Lille. be announced PEATLANDS Over the first few months of 2015 we The highly successful theme is continuing Ian Rotherham have been developing plans for the with further workshops in autumn 2015 [email protected] running of the group and have a small on the Sphagnum mosses. These will amount of funding from the BES to ‘Wild Thing – Wilder By Design Part focus on the identification, recording employ an intern to really kick-start and diversity of these species using the our communications and develop our 2’ – 3-day conference 9th to 11th September, Sheffield. Peak District area as a case-study. They social media presence. Looking to the will provide hands-on experience both future, we hope to be the go-to place Following the highly successful meeting in in the field and in microscopy to aid for discussions and information sharing May 2014, Ian Rotherham and colleagues identification and understanding of these around climate change and ecology and are organising a follow-on conference on species. Places are limited as groups are build up our community. the theme which will be developing the kept small and pre-booking is essential. We are looking forward to two major ideas and paradigms. The conference will examine concepts of cultural severance ‘Meet the Bog Mosses – public events’ events in the rest of the year. Firstly – Thorne Moors and Peak District – May / we have a joint workshop with the and the eco-cultural nature of landscapes as well as addressing critical issues June 2015 and autumn 2015 – details to Quantitative Ecology Group on ‘Using be announced Climate Data in Ecological Research’, around (re) wilding in both rural and urban situations. The paradigms of wilder hosted by the Met Office in Exeter, ‘Waxcaps as Indicators Workshops’ – landscapes and the interactions between 14 – 15 September. This will be a with the Forest Ecology SIG – Peak District nature and culture, between history and two day event with a technical focus autumn 2015 – dates to be announced and is intended to be of particular ecology, and between climate, people interest to those engaged in hands- and nature, will make for a continuing The highly successful theme is continuing on modelling and analysis of climate and rich discussion. with further workshops in autumn 2015 change impacts, including PhD students on Waxcaps & Allied Fungi. These will There will be a strong international and postdocs. Our second major event focus on the identification, recording dimension to this conference. However, is a two day conference on ‘Climate and diversity of these species using the we welcome displays and posters from Change Mitigation and Ecosystems’, Peak District area as a case-study. They local community heritage groups as 2-3 November, Charles Darwin House, will provide hands-on experience both well as from regional, national and London. This is a joint venture with the in the field and in microscopy to aid international bodies. We also welcome Plants, Soils and Ecosystems SIG and will identification and understanding of these posters from early-career researchers consider some of the big issues around species. Places are limited as groups are as well as the more established. kept small and pre-booking is essential.

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‘A Life in Ecology – A Celebration Publicity Officer: Rachael Maskill, Moors for Another initiative carried out by our of the Work and Inspiration of Dr the Future, The Moorland Centre, Edale. liaison officers is the establishment of a Oliver Gilbert Pioneer Ecologist. 14th Tel: 01629 816577 or 07917 392815 network of organisations that work in November 2015 at Sheffield Hallam [email protected] some aspect of conservation in the UK University (and field visit / River Don whether this be policy, education, site lectures on 13th November) Sheffield. Events and publications details from: stewardship, research and last but not Christine Handley on 0114 2724227 or least, ecological work with a conservation It is ten years on from Ollie’s premature [email protected] application. The aim of the network is to death. This 2-day conference is being harness existing lines of communication organised by Professor Ian Rotherham and with UK conservationists in order to Dr Paul Ardron both long-term friends better serve the community although and associates of the late Dr Oliver Gilbert how this is achieved will be decided once to encompass his many interests and as a the network is formed. If you think that celebration of his contributions to urban your organisation should become part of ecology, lichenology, exotic plants, and this network and has not already been urban and post-industrial landscapes over invited, please contact Sarah Dalrymple a period of 50 years. Invited speakers will ([email protected]). deliver papers relating to topics, which reflect some of Oliver’s many interests Finally, an early career event is being that included ‘alien’ species, lichens, planned for the autumn, further details urban woodlands, and the flora associated to follow. Our meeting officers are also with post-industrial sites. Oliver was one CONSERVATION ECOLOGY working hard finalising the organisation of of the first academic ecologists to look Nathalie Pettorelli an event this September/October, in York, in detail at the urban environment and [email protected] on conservation planning in the UK. More he established terms such as ‘the urban on this very soon!” commons’, and his book The Ecology The Conservation SIG committee has of Urban Habitats still stands alone as been pretty busy over the past weeks. the primary text in this field. He also Thanks to our communication officer, challenged much conventional thinking we now have an active Twitter account on the merits or otherwise of invasive (@BESConservation) that has attracted aliens such as sycamore and Japanese over 300 followers in the first couple of knotweed. Along with George Barker, months. We also have both a Facebook Oliver pioneered academic interest in group (join this to receive invites to urban habitats and in urban ecology. events) and Facebook page (‘like’ us to see new posts directly on your newsfeed) Speakers include Penny Anderson, Dr Rob with over 500 followers. Please do check Francis, Dr Peter Shaw, Professor Melvyn these out if you want to stay up to date Jones, Dr Anna Jorgensen, Dr John Barnatt with what the SIG is doing; we also want and Professor Mark Seaward. There will to share more of your stories, publications QUANTITATIVE ECOLOGY be a celebratory volume of conference and ideas with these audiences, so please Rick Stafford papers from the event. tweet us your news or post it directly on Quantitative@britishecologicalsociety the Facebook page or group. ‘Managing Molinia’ 3-day conference Just a short update this time. Those of you 14th-16th September, Huddersfield. The newly re-launched SIG has then following us on Facebook (www.facebook. Details and booking from www. put together its first event, thanks to a com/BESQuantitativeEcology) or Twitter nationaltrust.org.uk/marsdenmoor collaboration with the Zoological Society (@BES_QE_SIG), probably know that we of London. Entitled “The Conservation have greatly expanded our committee Contact details via: Peatlands@ science/policy interface: challenges and and are generally more active in terms BritishEcologicalSociety.org opportunities”, the one day symposium of social media and other activities. was held in London on 16 April. Speakers Many thanks to Miriam Grace and Chris Chair: Professor Ian D. Rotherham, included Sarah Durant, Rosie Woodroffe, Clements (Social Media Gurus), Susan Department of the Natural and Built Peter Brotherton, Helen Bayliss and Jarvis and Duncan Proctor (Education and Environment Abigail Bunker. Supported by the Training), Dominic Bennett and Simon BES and the Alumni Foundation, the Faculty of Development and Society, Dellicour (Online Resources), Angela students of ‘Nature Network Sheffield’ Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Watkins (Policy and Industry) and Laura moreover hosted an ambitious ‘Peaks Sheffield S1 1WB Graham (Blog Master). and City Takeover’ in March – an action- Email: [email protected] packed weekend celebrating all things The blog (https://besquantitativeecology. telephone; 0114 2252874 conservation and bringing together wordpress.com) now has a weekly round students and the community (see p42 up of quantitative ecology news and will Secretary: Sarah Edwards, School of for a report). Watch this space for future shortly contain more details of our events. Geography, University of Leeds, plans and for student involvement with [email protected] the SIG!

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ECOLOGICAL GENETICS Paul Ashton [email protected]

Ecological Genetics Group Meeting Easter 2015

Paul Ashton (centre) with student prizewinners James Borrell (left) and Carl Barker Student presentations were excellent as always though winners of the best student talk and poster prizes, sponsored MACROECOLOGY by Oxford University Press, were the @besmacroecol unanimous choice of the panel. Best talk being won by James Borrell (Queen Mary, This year sees our first international EGG delegates at the World Museum, Liverpool London) for his talk entitled ‘Diversity at venture, EU MACRO 2015: a joint The 59th meeting of the Ecological the Range Edge: Insights from a Pioneer macroecology conference of our SIG, the Genetics Group was held at Liverpool Woody Plant’ with best poster being won macroecology group of the Gesellschaft from 30th March to 1st April with the by Carl Barker (Edge Hill) for his piece on für Ökologie (GfÖ), and the Center for introductory session being held at the ‘Clonal incidence and structure in a UK Macroecology, Evolution & Climate excellent Hard Day’s Night Hotel, which range-edge population of Tilia cordata’. (CMEC), with additional funding from also provided accommodation, before the Carlsberg Foundation. The 2.5 moving to the World Museum Liverpool day meeting will be held 14-16 June for the remainder of the meeting. The in Copehagen, Denmark, and aims to delegates were treated to the usual provide a forum for macroecologists EGG mix with talks from established from the three groups to share ideas speakers covering subjects as diverse as and establish future collaborations. The the evolutionary implications of clonality programme will be an exciting mix of (Paul Ashton), the genetic variation in invited talks (each followed by 15 mins Sphagnum following wild burns (Gemma for discussion), regular talks, ignite Beatty) and the genomics of CAM plants talks (google it!), a poster session and (Rachel Brenchley). A highlight this year lunchtime workshops. was the first EGG professorial lecture Pub quiz time! given by Professor John Warren on An As always, we will also provide ample uninteresting sex life and why we eat the In addition to the formal sessions opportunity to socialize, with a mixer, things we do. This followed John’s usual delegates enjoyed an excellent tour of poster session and conference dinner. entertaining and thought-provoking style. the collections at the World Museum, Following recent SIG tradition, one If you missed it you will need to buy his Liverpool led by botany curator Geraldine student will deliver a plenary talk. forthcoming book. Reid. There was also time to explore this wonderful institution. The EGGHeads Invited speakers: Nick Isaac, Ally The work by new researchers presented quiz was popular despite the miserable Phillimore, Signe Normand, Nate Sanders, at the meeting was also diverse, performances, the winners scraping Susanne Fritz, Carsten Dormann. incorporating genetic monitoring of the over the line with a score akin to a 2.2. Organization committee: Sally Keith, endangered freshwater pearl mussel to However the exploration of Liverpool’s Marten Winter, Adam Algar and Carsten inform ex-situ conservation strategies excellent real ale pubs may have had Rahbek. (Rebecca Kyle), fitness of Devil’s Bit something to do with this! Scabious and its relationship to Marsh Website: eumacro2015.weebly.com; Fritillary numbers (Laura Jones) and Thanks go to Hard Day’s Night Hotel Twitter @eumacro2015 and World Museum Liverpool for the the problems of extracting DNA from In other SIG news, we held a joint excellent facilities and to the BES, ancient peat preserved Scots Pine pollen meeting with the National Forum for Genetics Society, GTVision and Oxford (Kathleen Crossan). On the second day Biological Recording, at the University UP for financial support. delegates were joined by students from of Sheffield from 23rd-25th April. The City College Liverpool who are the recent theme of this conference, A Question of recipients of a Royal Society partnership Ecology: Answers from Biological Recording grant with Edge Hill University. This is for aimed to facilitate interactions between an EGG type project on the parentage of the volunteers who collect such valuable the hybrid sedge Carex x gaudiniana. A biodiversity data, and the macroecologists thought provoking presentation from City who are trying to use it to answer of Liverpool staff member Nigel Blackstock questions about our changing world. provided the context of this work.

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We have also seen some recent personnel Committee International Year of Soils changes on the SIG committee. After Our committee has just become (#IYS2015) three years as the driving force behind the more international, with several new Perhaps you have already heard the Macroecology SIG, Nick Isaac has stepped members! The organizing committee buzz about soils, and why everyone down as chair. We’d like to thank Nick now consists of: for all his efforts in bringing the Macro should be thinking about them this SIG into existence and turning it into the Ellen Fry, The University of Manchester year: 2015 is the International Year thriving community we have today. In his of Soils! Just hop on Twitter and look place, we’re delighted to welcome Rich Tom Crowther, Yale up posts tagged with #IYS2015 – Grenyer as our new chair. Laura Deacon Franciska De Vries, The University new photographs and articles are has also come on board as a new student of Manchester (Secretary: being posted every day. There has committee member. [email protected]) been a plethora of great pieces on the importance of soil, including ten Mike van Nuland, University of Tennessee things everyone should know about Sarah Pierce, Imperial College soil (sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/ ten-things-know-soil/), resources from Relena Ribbons, Bangor University the FAO (bit.ly/1y5zwS8), the Soils Atlas Mike Whitfield, Trinity College Dublin (agrilinks.org/blog/why-soils-highlights- 2015-soil-atlas), and a cool infographic Plants, Soils, Ecosystems blog and from Mother Nature Network (bit. journal club! ly/1GSE0x5). There was a recent New York Times piece on no-till farming besplantsoileco.wordpress.com practices and how they benefit soils The idea behind the journal club is to (nyti.ms/1Ab2yuA), and the Guardian recently published a piece on how we PLANTS, SOILS, ECOSYSTEMS highlight interesting papers in the field of plants, soils and ecosystems (potentially depend on soils (gu.com/p/47vg4/). Mike Whitfield, Trinity College, Dublin a very broad topic!) and stimulate With more articles being published [email protected] discussion. So far in 2015, we have as the year progresses and various had 1,203 views from 781 individuals. conferences and meetings taking place, A BES special interest group on plant- there are plenty of ways to join in with soil interactions, with a focus on Relena Ribbons recently wrote a post the discussion. biogeochemical cycling, community all about how you can get involved in dynamics, and ecosystem functioning. the International Year of Soil (see more Opportunities below). If you’d like to see more frequent Aims The International Year of Soils is in full posts, why not write a guest post for us swing, with activities ranging from • To promote research on plant-soil on paper you find interesting? It’s great those geared towards professional soil interactions and their role in ecosystems practice on critically reviewing a piece of scientists and soil ecologists to public through workshops, symposia, and literature and writing about research, as outreach campaigns. To learn more events at BES meetings well as a good way to raise your profile. about activities that are happening in Or, if you want to join the discussion, your area check out the FAO calendar of • To provide opportunities for networking you can always comment on the posts events (www.fao.org/soils-2015/events/ and collaboration among researchers or get in touch on Twitter using en/). Do you have an interest in learning involved in the study of plant-soil hashtag #psejclub. more about soils in an online course? interactions and ecosystem ecology Check out the free online course from • To serve as a platform to discuss and Lancaster University (www.futurelearn. share techniques, expertise, and data com/courses/soils). Have an interest in reaching out to younger audiences? • To promote research across scientific Check out the colouring book, children’s disciplines to students, facilitate book, and card game from the Global training opportunities in different Soil Biodiversity Initiative (www. techniques, and provide support globalsoilbiodiversity.org/?q=education). for early-career researchers What can you do for the soil? Wracking your brain for some concrete actions you can take to be more considerate of the soils beneath your feet? Taking small steps to be more mindful about your food consumption and food waste practices are good places to start. Compost food wastes to create nutrient rich compost to use in your garden beds. Purchase locally-

22 Plants, Soils, Ecosystems Bulletin Sequencing meta-analysis sourced food, and support local farmers workshop, The University of and community supported agriculture Plants, Soils, Ecosystems not only Manchester, 18-20th May 2015 groups to reduce the carbon footprint sends interesting emails about job of your meals. Grow your own food – opportunities, studentships and meetings We’re organizing a workshop to bring whether you live in an urban or rural regularly to those who signed up for our together ecologists and bioinformaticians environment a variety of gardening email list, we also compile a bi-monthly to work on a meta-analysis of sequencing options are available: try growing fresh Bulletin, which involves everything of data with the aim of exploring patterns herbs in the windowsill or a large pot interest to ecologists interested in plant- in belowground biodiversity. By the time of cherry tomatoes on your apartment soil interactions, and is complied by our you read this, the workshop will have balcony. Educate yourself about the committee members Relena Ribbons already taken place, so expect a report soils in your area and foods that grow and Mike van Nuland. If you also want to follow in the next Bulletin! best given your climate conditions here. to stay up to date with everything that Use that compost pile you have been is happening in Plants-Soils-Ecosystems The description and biogeography of building up to fertilize your garden, and world, sign up for the newsletter! But belowground biodiversity is severely you will have come full circle. more importantly, the success of PSE lagging behind that of aboveground depends on you, so keep sending us diversity. This is despite increasing Get your friends, family, and children your jobs, studentships, and interesting recognition of the importance of soil involved, because we all need food to facts. You can the archive of past organisms for ecosystem functioning, survive and sustain ourselves. Take some bulletins on our website: including carbon and nitrogen cycling, time to appreciate the soils that fulfil besplantsoileco.wordpress.com and feedbacks to plant community such a fundamental requirement of our composition, which underlie ecosystem existence. Think about the little steps 2015 activities services such as food production and you can take to improve the soils in your We have a very exciting list of activities climate mitigation. Moreover, recent area, or reduce your carbon footprint to planned for 2015! Keep an eye open for evidence suggests that patterns of help lead to a healthier planet. more information about dates, venues, belowground biodiversity might not speakers, and registration via our email follow those of aboveground biodiversity. Relena Ribbons is a FONASO Ph.D. list, Twitter feed, and Facebook page Thus, belowground biodiversity offers fellow at Bangor University and the (see below for details). Things you can a unique opportunity to test and University of Copenhagen, researching expect in the coming year: develop ecological theory. However, tree species effects on soils and nutrient bringing together soil biodiversity data is cycling. She loves gardening. Drop her challenging, especially when it comes to an email at: [email protected], sequencing data, because pipelines and follow her on Twitter @relenaribbons, metadata are not standardized. and check out her website: relenaribbons.weebly.com. Confirmed speakers/leaders of the workshop are: • Dr Kelly Ramirez, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, the Netherlands and GSBI

• Dr Rob Griffiths, CEH Wallingford, UK

• Dr Jennifer Talbot, Boston University, USA

• Dr Hyun Soon Gweon, CEH Wallingford, UK

• Dr John Davison, University of Tartu, Estonia

• Mattias de Hollander, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, the Netherlands

The aim of this workshop is to do a meta-analysis of sequencing data from soil microbial communities. Both publicly available data and participants’ data will be used, and the anticipated outcome is a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The workshop will consist of lectures by our invited speakers to highlight recent advances, and participants will be expected to give a short presentation

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about their background and expertise. The majority of time will be spent identifying ecological questions to address with the data, analysing the data in novel ways, and drafting a manuscript.

Joint meeting with the Climate Change Ecology Special Interest Group, Charles Darwin House, London, 2-3rd November 2015 The topic of this joint meeting will be climate change mitigation, focussing on carbon and emissions of other PARASITE AND PATHOGEN TROPICAL ECOLOGY greenhouse gases from terrestrial ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION Lindsay Banin ecosystems. Sessions will cover processes, Andrew Fenton [email protected] pressures, and mitigation, linking the [email protected] broad, policy-relevant scale with smaller Events experimental scales. There will be a A couple of years ago we held our In April 2015, TEG joined the GTÖ mix of invited speakers, submitted talks first research retreat – ‘Ecology Meets meeting in Zurich (http://www.gtoe- and posters. Co-organised with Mike Medicine’ at Gregynog Hall Mid-Wales conference.de/). It was a lively and Morecroft (Natural England). (http://www.gregynog.org). This highly well-attended meeting, with over successful event centred around open, 300 delegates coming from over Workshop on Environmental broad discussions of topics relating to 30 countries. TEG co-hosted a pan- change and forest soil fungi, Royal the application of ecology to disease European networking and collaboration Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, management, which were then debated event, which was well enjoyed by the October 2015 and further refined over the course of participants. In February 2016, GTÖ will This workshop will aim to set critical 2.5 days through workshop / discussion host their meeting in Göttingen, followed loads (for instance, for nitrogen pollution) formats. Ultimately the event led to a by the European ATBC (Association and scale up towards macro ecology. BBSRC grant application and a number for Tropical Biology and Conservation) Co-organised by Laura Martinez-suz of successful journal publications. meeting in Montpellier in June, which (Kew Gardens) and Sietze van der Linde The retreat was extremely well received BES-TEG members are warmly invited (Imperial College, London). by the 22 attendees with ‘stimulating to attend. discussion’ and valuable ‘time out to Get involved! think’ cited as two of the most important 26-28th August 2015, University aspects of the event. of Oxford We are looking for regular contributors to our online journal club (see section We aim to hold a similarly-structured TEG are supporting a special symposium above), and for enthusiastic people with event later this year, again at Gregynog on ‘The value of long term monitoring ideas for organising meetings, training but this time we plan to focus on aspects plots for plant systematics and ecology events, field trips, or anything else of parasite / pathogen transmission. in the tropics’ (chaired by Tim Baker and interesting within the field of plant-soil The committee has already discussed Toby Pennington) during the Systematics interactions and soil ecology. Email us a few potential topics, e.g. modes of Association Biennial meeting (http:// at [email protected] if you transmission, the role of co-infection www.systass.org/biennial2015/). are interested and have ideas about in disease transmission, transmission 3-4th September, University how to make the special interest within multi-host communities, and of Stirling group work for you! environmental and societal impacts on transmission. However we are very open This will be our 8th Annual BES-TEG Join us! to other possibilities and wanted to hear Meeting; we hope to see you there! Sign up for our email list by sending an from you the membership regarding Follow our twitter feed or blog for further email to [email protected] Subject: preferred topics, and also to gain an initial information on the programme of events BLANK Message: SUBSCRIBE PLANT- feel for the likelihood of attendance. At and details on how to join the meeting. SOIL-ECO Firstname Lastname, follow present we are looking at mid-week dates us on Twitter @BESPlantSoilEco, or for this 2-3 day meeting, to be held in News and contacts like us on Facebook (facebook.com/ early September. You can keep up to date with news, BESPlantsSoilsEcosystems). opportunities, events and research We hope to attract between 35 and 50 highlights via our blog – https://tropecol. attendees this time and we are very open wordpress.com/ in addition to @BES_ to groups coming with the aim of Tropical on Twitter and our Facebook completing a particular task, e.g. writing page. You can contact us directly through a grant / paper. Costs cannot yet be the form on the blog or via e-mail: provided specifically but the event [email protected]. (including all meals and accommodation) We look forward to hearing from you! should be no more than £200 per person.

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MEETING REPORTS Demography Beyond the Population

Alden Griffith / Wellesley College, USA. Roberto Salguero-Gómez / University of Queensland, Australia. Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Germany.

The end of March welcomed both spring and the first BES Symposium of 2015, Demography Beyond the Population. Over one hundred delegates gathered at historic Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield for three days of presentations and discussions, preceded by a day of hands-on workshops at the University of Sheffield.

Overall, the symposium aimed to • Elucidate analytical tools and metrics Given the focused spirit and intimate highlight the role of demography as that facilitate the integration of nature of the symposium, the overall a bridge across ecological, spatial, population-level processes into other format was guided by the goal of and temporal scales. Demography is ecological spatial and temporal scales maximizing the number of contributing particularly well suited to tackle this task: (and vice versa). voices. To this end, oral sessions contained not only are population-level processes a mix of 20 minute talks by 18 invited situated along the middle of these three One of the (many) best things about BES speakers and 5 minute ‘lightning’ talks axes, but recent methodological advances Symposia is the combination of leading- by contributing speakers. Most lightning have opened up new opportunities for edge research, small size, and focused talks were also accompanied by a poster, ‘ecological bridge-building’. General scope. Keeping with this spirit, the allowing for additional discussion and topics explored included environmental symposium emphasized a continuity of feedback during the subsequent break. drivers of populations, comparative engagement, with single plenary sessions This format allowed for more than half demography, evolutionary demography, and long, semi-structured breaks for of all delegates to speak to the entire inverse modeling, trait-mediated discussions and posters. An important part group, with a total of 38 lightning talks. demography, and species distribution of the experience was the unforgettable With long breaks and oral sessions never modeling. venue, as Cutlers’ Hall provided an lasting more than 90 minutes, we were incredibly elegant (wow!), yet relaxed able to hear from 56 speakers over the ambience to the symposium. It is fair to three days! The 36 continuously-displayed say that not too many ecology symposia posters provided a constant source of have break-out sessions in the drawing engagement and discussion, ranging room, with talks attended by larger-than- from bumblebee demography to entire life portraits of Queen Victoria (could ecological communities. not keep her eyes off the presentations) and the Duke of Wellington (who never seemed terribly engaged)!

The symposium programme is available online at www.tinyurl.com/bes-beyond-demog

The overall goals of this symposium were to:

• Explore ways in which demography intersects other areas of ecological and evolutionary research.

• Identify gaps in ecological and evolutionary understanding that can be informed by an understanding of population-level processes. The magnificent Cutlers’ Hall, where the ‘Lightning’ talks provoked subsequent discussion symposium took place. (Photograph:O.R Jones) around the posters

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One of the first themes to emerge during come a long way, yet they demand either have shown that some demography can the symposium focused on attributing a strong mechanistic understanding certainly be more informative than none, and understanding demographic variation of specific systems or a substantial but it likely depends on how it intersects (in space and time, and among/within amount of data – or both. Talks by with other datasets and how much is individuals). Variation is certainly no Cory Merow, Frank Schurr, and Yvonne already known about a particular system. stranger to ecologists, as we often find Buckley highlighted recent advances in However, as Steve Ellner convincingly ourselves in the position of considering niche modeling and range dynamics, demonstrated, trying to robustly identify an r2 of 0.2 as being “hey, pretty good!” which have demonstrated the value of climatic drivers can require more than However, as Elizabeth Crone pointed out incorporating demographic mechanisms. a decade of demographic data in some in her talk, “variance is not just noise”, However, underlying correlations with cases. What to do then? Do we commit and different sources of demographic demographic processes are often quite our lives (and those of our children or variation (which are often not made weak, and as Anna Csergo demonstrated, Ph.D. students) to tracking demography explicit) can translate into both positive suitability based on climate is not always from birth to death? Or can novel and negative population-level effects a good predictor of local population- methods in Bayesian population models, through interesting buffering feedbacks. level performance. This intersects with as those developed by Fernando Colchero This has large implications both in terms the important point by Johan Erhlén among others, and interfacing with other of how we collect demographic data (e.g. that we have traditionally been focused disciplines, help us find ‘shortcuts’? can we really substitute space and time?) on predicting occurrence rather than and make inferences and predictions. abundance. Important challenges on There are two exciting things to point Hal Caswell’s contribution along these this frontier include the relatively local out about the demographics (ha!) of the lines was based on exploring the degree neighborhoods of competition and symposium. First was its considerable to which individual stochasticity in microhabitat effects and the likely geographic reach, with delegates coming reproduction throughout a lifetime leads mismatches between occurrence and from 22 different countries and territories to variation among individuals; essentially habitat suitability. A small break-out across four continents. In fact, 65% of a demographic null model. This early group following these talks brainstormed delegates traveled to Sheffield from explicit focus on the complexities of about the ways forward. outside the UK. Additionally, there were a demographic variation set the stage large number of early-career researchers well for themes and discussion points A very broad, yet crucial, area of making important advancements in the that followed. discussion concerned the data required field. As co-organiser, Rob Salguero- for ‘demographic bridge building.’ Sure, Gómez wrote on the Journal of Ecology demographers love a good dataset with Blog, “demography has in the last thousands of values for individual growth, years experienced a rather prominent survival, and reproduction – but we also recruitment event!” It was great to see have knees that begin to fail in our mid- such momentum in the field at the thirties (granted, n = 2). A key question symposium, and BES and Journal of that remains is how much demographic Ecology were thrilled to offer prizes to data is needed for particular applications three student posters. The two runners-up and questions. Some recent studies were Julia Barthold and Maria Paniw for

Breakout sessions: constructive debate in elegant surroundings

Understanding the environmental drivers of demographic processes and scaling their outcomes is an area that currently holds both significant promise and challenges. Many presentations touched upon this theme, covering a broad range of taxa and scales. This is an area where quantitative methods have Geographic provenance of the 102 participants who participated in the BES symposium “Demography beyond the population”, in March 2015 in Sheffield, England.

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their respective state-of-the-art research a hierarchical framework to incorporate lines on the estimation of unobserved and make functional traits predictive of demographic processes. The winner of the population dynamics, while Maria Uriarte student award was Edgar González, based discussed the effects of climate variability on his work on the ‘inverse demographic and human land use on forest dynamics, problem’. This effort consists of the composition and productivity. determination of individual-level vital rates based on the observation of Demography is the science that studies population structures, and represents populations. Its main focus resides in the an important avenue towards addressing accurate quantification of individuals of problems of available demographic the same species that coexist in space and data discussed above. time, and the evaluation of how the rates of survival, growth, dispersal/migration, Other examples of how demography reproduction, recruitment, etc. shape goes well beyond the concept and overall population-level responses. Based realm of ‘the population’ were well- on the belief of the organisers of this showcased by several other invited symposium (Figure 4) that there is more speakers. Jessica Metcalf spoke about to demography than just the population, applying ecological and evolutionary this symposium has showcased some methods (e.g. Integral Projection Models) of the cutting-edge applications of to understanding complex patterns demographic tools and theories to of disease and vaccination. David examine questions as broad as the main Hodgson used the recently launched determinants of life history variation, COMPADRE Plant Matrix Database to the controls of invasive species, effects ask what properties make species more of precipitation on forest composition reactive or more likely to undergo local and productivity, or the incorporation of extinction in the light of perturbations. hidden components in the life cycle of a Maria del Carmen Mandujano and species. Clearly, a lot of these questions Jordan Golubov presented state-of-the- are works-in-progress, and more questions art research that feeds on extremely remain to be tackled. However, we feel long-term demographic records in confident that the field of demography various species of cactae, where, using at large, and population ecology phylogenetic analyses, they were able specifically, will continue to help bridge to analyze the role of seedbank on the scales with the important contributions population viability of over 30 species. of both senior researchers and those Also expanding demography beyond the from the newly recruited pulse of population, Eelke Jongejans presented early career demographers.

Symposium and workshop organisers: (from left) Rob Salguero-Gómez, Cory Merow, Alden Griffith, Dylan Childs, Jessica Metcalf, and Sean McMahon. (Photo credit: D. Boukal)

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEE

Rob Freckleton

It is April 2010 and the world stands still. Literally. Planes are grounded and flights cancelled with thousands of people displaced in foreign countries and unable to get home. A volcano in Iceland has erupted and a massive ash cloud swathes the northern hemisphere. However all of this pales into insignificance compared with what happens on the 10th of April: the official launch of MEE! Whilst lesser scientific societies are behumbled by such calamity and cancel their symposia, the MEE inauguration goes ahead. For one attendee, a 3-day 1900km journey by road, rail and sea is no impediment to being there!

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It was in such panicked and slightly to get the publication credit they richly Cooper (who braved some initial ‘issues’ inauspicious circumstances that our deserve for their work. Before MEE there with the technology), and a wonderfully new journal was launched in 2010. was simply nowhere to publish such pragmatic talk about statistics and model A packed house, the first major event papers in the ecological literature, and selection from @BulbousSquidge. Iain at the recently occupied Charles Darwin our journal has therefore demonstrably Stott also particularly stood out: Iain was House, celebrated the launch of the changed the face of ecological publishing. the first winner of the Sir Robert May new MEE with a series of talks celebrating prize for a paper by a young author and what has come to define the journal: a gave a delightful overview of the impact breadth of scope ranging from statistics to his paper has had in the years since it data visualization and from phylogenetics was published. to informatics.

Submissions had opened back in August 2009 and, amazingly, the first paper submitted to MEE (MS 09-08-000) is our most cited (422 citations on WoS and counting!). Alain Zuur and colleagues presented a protocol for data exploration that has proved to be incredibly influential and useful. The success of this paper, as many in MEE, has been the Jana Vamosi, the other senior editor of MEE, balance of solid theory with good clearly presided over the Calgary session of the communicated advice. Videos, podcasts, anniversary symposium and code accompany many of our papers and have really delivered on our vision to On 22nd April 2015 we celebrated our improve the uptake of new methods. 5th Anniversary back at CDH. Volcano As Janneke Wit comes loud and clear over the proof. This time talks were streamed live speakers from Calgary, the audience in London through the internet and we linked up sees her slides in real time. with Jana Vamosi, our Canadian senior editor, for a truly global symposium that In the last hour of the symposium we was fully allowed anyone in the world combined with the Canadian symposium to attend, and didn’t require speakers to – an audience in the UK at a Canadian travel halfway across the globe to deliver a symposium and vice versa. Amazingly 20 minute talk. the quality of the experience was really good: although it admittedly not quite the same as being in the actual venue, the opportunity to link across such a distance without anyone taking a plane and consequent environmental impacts is just outstanding. Elena Ieno, co-author of the most highly cited MEE paper, spoke at the anniversary meeting There were many highlights in the day and the success resulted from excellent So wind forward 5 years – the journal has presentations supported by fantastic expanded from publishing 60 papers in work by the BES team in CDH. the first year to an expected 140 in 2015. The journal started with one executive So what for the next 5 years? The number editor and 12 associate editors; we now of submissions is extraordinary and shows have 3 senior editors and an editorial that methods development is lively and Mark Brewer, aka @BulbousSquidge board of 55. We have been accepted that there is a huge amount interest in among the scientific Galácticos and were Our speakers on this occasion were this area. But there are challenges for ISI listed in our first year, with a healthy chosen to represent different groups us: for example, how do we deal with Impact Factor from the start (not that we of our journal’s community – including complex, fast moving areas such as code care about IFs, of course...). the president of the society, an editor and software development and ensure of one of our very supportive sister longevity for our methods? What are What is really pleasing is that in this time journals, authors, a prize winner, associate the new technologies that we can use to we really believe that our journal has led editors and super-referees. And the talks better communicate to readers? It has to authors actually writing papers that were uniformly excellent. Highlights been a frenetic and fast changing 5 years they would not have done so before: a included hearing about the dark side in publishing and we hope that the next particular example is that applications of comparative methods from Natalie 5 will be as exciting. papers allow those developing new tools

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OF INTEREST TO MEMBERS

THE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION CHARLES DARWIN HOUSE 2 Registration and payment is via Bristol OF EMERGING PLANT PESTS University’s online shop: AND PATHOGENS: CHALLENGES www.shop.bris.ac.uk/browse/extra_info TO GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY *Please note Registration closes on AND ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE 26 June* 13 – 14 July, 2015 MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF Penryn Campus, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK ECOLOGICAL DATA USING CANOCO 5 Organising Committee: Course tutors: Jan Lepš & Dr. Daniel P. Bebber, University of Exeter – Petr Šmilauer Co-ordinator. Charles Darwin House 2, a second building Applications are now being jointly owned by the Societies that share Dr. Britt Koskella (University of Exeter, accepted for this course, Charles Darwin House, is now in use. Penryn, Cornwall) – Local Organizer. to be held at the Faculty of It provides supplementary office space Science in Ceske Budejovice, Prof. Sarah J. Gurr (University of Exeter) – and meeting rooms for Society staff and Czech Republic, from 26 Liaison with other Societies. committee members. The original building January – 6 February 2016. remains as the main venue for conferences This symposium will bring together This popular course, offered and workshops. The new building is experts in genetics, cell biology, ecology, regularly since 1997, focuses located on Grays Inn Road within a very evolution, plant pathology, modelling, on major modern approaches short walk of CDH. microbiology, climate change, remote to the analysis of multivariate data, sensing, agriculture and forestry to and is specially designed for researchers synthesize recent research into emerging ONLINE REGISTRATION IS and students in all fields of ecology plant pests and pathogens (EPPPs) and NOW OPEN FOR: ECOLOGICAL and conservation. share findings across disciplines. The aim NETWORKS: THEORY, is to describe the threat that EPPPs pose, In-depth lectures and practical sessions EMPIRICISM AND PRACTICE cover the following topics: the mechanisms by which they evolve and IN A CHANGING WORLD spread, the ecological and environmental • Classical ordination methods (PCA, 2nd International Symposium factors that influence emergence, and the DCA, PCO, NMDS) management strategies that can be used on Ecological Networks for control. Bristol, UK, 7 and 8 September 2015 • Constrained ordination methods (CCA, RDA), including partial analyses, variation There will also be a Public Policy Debate The Keynote Speakers are: partitioning, principal response curves, on Monday 13th July, in Falmouth at the and permutation tests of multivariate Professor Jason Tylianakis, University of Maritime Musuem. Tickets and travel to hypotheses the venue are free to all those attending Christchurch, New Zealand the Symposium. Professor Pedro Jordano, Estacion • Tuition on the interpretation of various Biologica de Donana, CSIC, Spain ordination diagrams, and on the efficient Speakers include Charles Godfray use of Canoco software; all practicals are (Oxford), Sarah Gurr (Exeter), Michael Dr Anna Traveset, Mediterranean Inst. of run with Canoco 5 (www.canoco5.com) Shaw (Reading), Joan Webber (Forest Adv. Studies, Terrestrial Ecology Group, Research), Joy Bergelson (Chicago), Eva Mallorca, Spain • Course participants are expected to bring Stukenbrock (Max Planck), Santiago Elena data from their own projects and will be Dr Thilo Gross, Department of Engineering (CSIC-UPV), Andrea Campisano (Italy), given time to apply methods mastered Mathematics, University of Bristol Andreas von Tiedemann (Gottingen), during the course to their own datasets. Chris Gilligan (Cambridge), Anne-Katrin Dr Michael Traugott, Institute of Ecology, The course lecturers will be available to Mahlein (Bonn), James Brown (John University of Innsbruck provide individual assistance. Innes), Julian Smith (FERA) The course follows the structure of The hosts are: the book by Šmilauer & Lepš (2015): For more information see the Professor Jane Memmott, University Multivariate Analysis of Ecological Data Events section at the BES website of Bristol using Canoco 5, 2nd Edition, Cambridge www.britishecologicalsociety.org Dr Michael Pocock, CEH University Press. Dr Darren Evans, University of Hull Further information about the course can be found at www.regent.jcu.cz and you Dr Daniel Montoya, University of Bristol are also welcome to address any enquiries Please see the symposium webpage here: to the course manager, Petr Šmilauer, www.brc.ac.uk/networksymposium/ at his e-mail address: [email protected]

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Professor John Packham 1930 - 2015

Professor John Richard Packham MSc PhD FLS was born in Brighton on 15th June 1930 and died in Bridgnorth, Shropshire after a short illness, on 11th March 2015.

A graduate of Bristol University, in In 1976, whilst teaching at for many years and was a founder 1956 he became head of Biology at Wolverhampton, John successfully member of the national Continuous Alcester Grammar School, and also completed his PhD, which was Cover Forestry Group. In 1982, working married his wife Mary. In 1965 he supervised by Arthur Willis of Sheffield in collaboration with David Harding became Lecturer in Ecology in what is University. Concerned with the ecology and later with other members of now the University of Wolverhampton. of the woodland herbs Oxalis acetosella staff at Wolverhampton he produced He spent the rest of his working life at and Lamiastrum galeobdolon, his thesis the Contemporary Biology textbook Wolverhampton, taking a leading part in included experimental physiology The Ecology of Woodland Processes, the development of Ecology as a subject as well as ecology. It resulted in the which ran into two editions and was and the transitions of Wolverhampton accumulation of a substantial body re-edited in collaboration with Peter initially to a Polytechnic and later to a of quadrat data in woodlands and Thomas of Keele University as the University, before retiring as Professor of uplands which led to the publication Ecology of Woodlands and Forests as Ecology in 1994. He continued to work of Biological Floras of both species recently as 2007. He served on the and publish as an emeritus professor and contributed to the UK National editorial board of the Arboricultural until as recently as 2007. The late Vegetation Classification. He also Journal and undertook research and N.J.Musgrove, his last major student, used Mark Hill’s computer program collaboration with the University of was awarded his PhD on the vegetation ‘Indicator Species Analysis’ which Uppsala in Sweden. He was also very of the Long Mynd in Shropshire in 2008, later became TWINSPAN and retained interested in coastal habitats: he and John was still publishing book life-long academic links with Mark. He became a life member of the Marine reviews in 2013. made contributions on other woodland Biology Association in 1954, in 1997 he studies, such as woodland field layer published the book Ecology of Dunes, John was very well respected as a restoration with Eleanor Cohn and 23 Salt Marsh and Shingle in collaboration teacher and course leader as well as years of monitoring seed production in with Arthur Willis and in 2001 he a researcher; he insisted on students Fagus sylvatica across the UK with Geoff co-edited the book Ecology and becoming proficient in field botany Hilton. In 1975 Charles Sinker asked Geomorphology of Coastal Shingle. and usually kept his slightly wicked him to become executive editor of a sense of humour well-hidden. Amongst proposed Flora of Shropshire which he John had a profound influence on all other virtues, John had the ability carried through to successful publication he worked with. A colleague wrote “he to get people to believe they could in 1985 as the Ecological Flora of the was meticulous and thorough, in the succeed, a precious ability in a teacher. Shropshire Region. A seminal work, manner of a true academic”. A former All of us who worked with John at it played an important role in the student wrote “everything he said, from Wolverhampton have many happy development of the vice-county Flora informal conversation to giving formal memories of field work and field and although Charles was the ‘presiding guidance or writing for publication, was courses with him, despite the fact genius’, John was definitely the ‘chief informed by careful consideration and that he worked the students – and executive’ in its production. the weighing of available evidence.” fellow staff – very hard. His friendship, guidance and wide John was widely interested in knowledge will be very much missed. woodlands and forestry. He led the University Woodland Research group I.C.Trueman March 2015

31 BES BULLETIN VOL 46:2 / JUNE 2015 Oliver Rackham 1939 - 2015

Our Honorary Member Dr Oliver Rackham died suddenly and unexpectedly, aged 75, on 12 February. He was the leading historical ecologist of his generation in Britain, and arguably in all Europe. He was one of those few people who combine originality with encyclopaedic knowledge. More than that, his books not only changed the understanding of present-day woods and the countryside in general for academics, but inspired countless nature lovers and conservation activists.

His coverage expanded steadily from the Foundation Professor of Biology at abilities and highly supportive, and one wood in Cambridgeshire to Lancaster, Oliver – then just finishing Norah his wife (née Wilson) who died woods in Britain generally, then to the his PhD in plant ecophysiology – took when Oliver was in this early teens. landscape as a whole, and on to woods over leadership of the Management Oliver was introduced to Ted Ellis, the and landscapes of Greece and other Committee. He found a wealth of well-known naturalist, conservationist parts of the Mediterranean Basin. By information about the wood, its extent, and writer, and spent a number of then he was also in demand to open composition and management in week-ends with Ted and his wife in the eyes of experts and enthusiasts in the Middle Ages by reading the Ely their remote cottage home with no the USA, Australia and Japan. He railed Coucher Book compiled in 1251 to electricity. He was educated at Norwich against various follies of management detail the Bishop’s manors. The ‘book’ School, where he specialised in maths and commerce, which have had serious is a manuscript written in mediaeval and physical sciences in the sixth form, deleterious effects on woods particularly. Latin, so effectively inaccessible to most expecting to become a physicist. In his The story is spelt out in more detail by ecologists. Oliver’s Hayley Wood was third year in the Sixth Form he won a Keith Kirby in his companion tribute published in 1975, and was soon highly scholarship to Corpus Christi College, which follows. influential. It led to the series of books Cambridge and studied ‘A’ level botany covered in Keith Kirby’s piece. at Norwich College. After the scholarship Oliver’s passing prompted obituaries exam he attended Latin classes intended in not only the Guardian, Independent, Oliver’s earliest studies of Mediterranean for the Classical Sixth, and is said to have Telegraph and Times but also the landscapes covered various parts of been quicker and more accurate in his Economist, commentaries in at least five Greece, but he is best known for his translations than any of the classicists! Greek newspapers and one Italian, and outstanding work on Crete, done a sensitive treatment in the programme in collaboration with the American When he went up to Corpus in 1958, his Last Word put out by BBC 4 on 6 March archaeologist Jennifer Moody. Their mentor in physics (Tom Faber) suggested (you can still hear the interview on the Making of the Cretan Landscape (1996) that he broaden his studies in his first BBC website, including extracts of Oliver set a new standard, and for countless year by including a biological subject. in full flow in a wood). visitors to the island transformed He chose botany and soon displayed their experience. With the Cambridge outstanding ability. I first met him when Oliver first made his mark in historical geographer A T (Dick) Grove, Oliver he was in his second year. Because ecology while studying Hayley Wood, broadened his coverage to The Nature he thought more quickly than other the finest wood on the boulder clay of of Mediterranean Europe: an Ecological students, had insatiable curiosity and western Cambridgeshire, near St Neots. History (2001) – another massive work asked endless questions, the research The fledgling Cambridge and Isle of full of original observations. student assigned to give him tutorials Ely Naturalists’ Trust had purchased the (‘supervisions’ in Cambridge speak) wood in 1962, following a plea from Oliver was born near Bungay, Suffolk couldn’t cope with him in a class of Donald Pigott, then a University Lecturer on 17 October 1939, the only child of three, and asked me to take him alone: in Cambridge carrying out research Geoffrey Rackham a bank clerk who a great privilege for me. in the wood. When Donald left to be was well aware of Oliver’s outstanding

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Oliver worked for a PhD under Clifford Evans (President of the BES 1974- 1975) on ‘Transpiration, assimilation and the aerial environment’, and most importantly studied the limitations on photosynthetic rates imposed by the slow diffusion of carbon dioxide in water and by the low capacity of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, the enzyme catalyzing the incorporation of CO2 into sugar. In his quantification of the resistances in the diffusion path (set out beautifully in his paper in the Sixth BES Symposium Volume of 1966 on Light as an Ecological Factor) he was decades ahead of other researchers, who began to realise its importance only in the later 1990s.

In 1964 he was elected a Fellow of Corpus, and appointed a University Demonstrator in Botany. He moved in 1968 to work at the Plant Breeding Institute (PBI) in Trumpington on the impacts of drought on barley. While at the PBI, his mind was taken up increasingly with the historical ecology of woods, and in 1972 he left to become an independent researcher supported by grants from a variety of sources.

He remained a Fellow of Corpus for the rest of his life, and served as the College’s Master in 2007-2008. He had long given lectures to advanced students in the University, and in 2006 was appointed an Honorary Professor. In 2002 he was the first ecologist to be elected a Fellow of the British Academy.

Oliver was eccentric in many ways, not least in dress, combining easily sandals and red socks with a dinner jacket. He was much loved by the staff and students who got to know him. More than 200 people packed the College Chapel for his funeral, with getting on for 100 more at an overflow in the Hall.

Peter Grubb

Oliver in Buff Wood, Cambridgeshire, April 2009. Photo by David Wright. 33 BES BULLETIN VOL 46:2 / JUNE 2015 Oliver Rackham and ‘the genius of a place’

His was an unusual combination of Second World War, and would point Oliver Rackham skills: an ability to deal with primary to many sites where this had also been transformed the way historical sources – the Ely Coucher Book, singularly unsuccessful. Fortunately he manorial rolls, 19th century wood-sales; lived to see that policy turned around. that conservationists detailed and precise field observation He was equally scathing about the and foresters in Britain and interpretation; and a way of putting National Trust’s early management of viewed the countryside; these across in an authoritative way. Hatfield Forest, of thick conservation His books and ideas, though full of management plans that ended up from a perception of scholarship, were accessible to the gathering dust on shelves, and of the generalised landscapes general public. While he did not invent National Vegetation Classification’s failure that changed in largely the term ‘ancient woodland’ he brought to reflect adequately the variations in an understanding of the importance of the coppice layer of lowland mixed uniform ways in response ancient woods into general use: I even deciduous woods. His own inspiring to the broad sweep came across ‘ancient woods’ recently in a volume on The Last Forest, the Story of of history, to seeing police procedural novel. Hatfield Forest appeared in 1989. individual woods, Yet it was only in 1976 that Trees and In his 1975 book on Hayley Wood he meadows, collections of Woodland in the British Landscape was noted the effect that an expanding published, just less than 40 years ago. deer population was having on the hedges, as each having The ideas in that were developed in oxlips – one of the earliest references their own particular his monumental Ancient Woodland : its to adverse deer impacts, other than on trajectory. He showed History, Use and Vegetation in England regeneration, a good ten years before (first published in 1980 but added to this became a more general concern. that this approach in a revised edition in 2003) and the He was rightly sceptical during the early worked as well in the 2006 Woodland – chosen to be the eighties of the effects on ‘acid rain’ Mediterranean region 100th volume in the New Naturalist on tree health in Britain, but became series. Together they have provided the increasingly concerned in the last decade as in northern Europe. solid independent academic backing for about the inadvertent movement of pests projects such as the Nature Conservancy and diseases around the world through Council’s Ancient Woodland Inventory the plant trade. His 2014 book The Ash and for numerous local campaigns to Tree was triggered by the latest of such save particular ancient woods. In The potential crises to our trees and woods. History of the Countryside he extended his historical ecological analysis to other In 2008 he and Jennifer Moody spear- types of landscape, again setting a headed a successful campaign against pathway that many others have followed development on the Toplou Peninsula in since. His paper on ‘Savanna in Europe’ Crete. It was this that led the Greek press presented to a conference in 1996 to publish warm appreciations of his foreshadowed much of the recent debate work when he died. on the openness of the pre-Neolithic His work and lively way of speaking forest cover. made him a sought-after contributor Modern organisations, whether to historical and ecological conferences governmental or NGOs, are not very both in Britain and across the world. good at tailoring their activities to what He could also be counted on to take Oliver would call the ‘genius of a place’. an active part in any field excursions, So he was a regular and vocal critic of although the downside was that these organisations, both government and might then take longer than planned as NGOs when they adopted standardised participants clustered round him to get Oliver Rackham, wearing sandals and approaches. He was particularly critical his views on the structure of a patch of trademark red socks, bowed deeply on of the Forestry Commission and its forest, or the origins of some nondescript receiving his Honorary Membership of the programmes for replanting ancient earthwork. BES from Malcolm Press. woodland with conifers after the

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Oliver with a group of conservation volunteers in Hayley Wood, 2013. Photo by Julie Hambrook Berkman

His interest in what actually happened on the ground, made him a staunch advocate for the maintenance and restoration of traditional forms of management, generally illustrated with examples from his favourite East Anglian sites, such as Hayley Wood or Bradfield Woods for coppice, Hatfield Forest or Staverton Park for wood- pasture. However, he might also throw in pictures and anecdotes from further afield, from Japan or North America to illustrate the point that there many of these practices were near-universal (apart from Australia!) solutions to common problems.

At a recent conference on coppice in the Czech Republic many of the speakers were consciously or unconsciously following his techniques from the linkage of old documents with field features, to the use of medieval paintings as illustrations, inspired by his analysis of the accuracy of the coppice background to a boar hunting scene (used also as the frontispiece to Oliver’s Ancient Woodland).

He would have been heartened by the widespread recognition that across Europe much of the broadleaved woodland has had a long coppice history, while its value in cultural and biological terms has been closely linked to the varied and particular histories of different places. There is a place for allowing natural development and change to landscapes, but we must first understand their meaning and significance if we are to know where to allow such changes and what may be lost.

No-one who met Oliver or has read his work can fail to look at the world in a different way; it is, to use his analogy, a palimpsest and our actions are but the latest scribbles on its surface. Oliver in Hopkins Memorial Forest, Massachusetts, in Keith Kirby 1981 inspecting a trunk of sugar maple ‘worked upon’ by a pileated woodpecker; photo by Henry W Art 35 BES BULLETIN VOL 46:2 / JUNE 2015

BRIEF NOTICES

Tibor Jermy John Lund 1917 – 2014 1912-2015

BES Honorary member Tibor Jermy died on 23 September 2014, at the age John Walter Guerrier Lund, CBE, DSc, of 97. He was recognised internationally for his contributions to the study of FRS, FIBiol, FCIWEM, was born 27 insect–plant interactions, as well as insect–plant ecology and evolution. November 1912, and began his studies in Manchester, where he gained his Tibor Jermy was educated at the Peter Pazmany University in Budapest and BSc and MSc. became a fellow of the prestigious Jozsef Eotvos College. During of World War II he was conscripted and spent 2 years in the Soviet Union as a prisoner of war. On Moving to London in 1935, he was returning home he found a role at the Plant Protection Institute, where he dealt awarded a PhD in 1939, under Professor with topics ranging from ecology to practical protection methods. Recognizing F E Fritsch, and a DSc in 1951 both by the potential of biological control, he initiated research on predator release the University of London. Following against the Colorado potato beetle and genetic control of other pest species. a period as Demonstrator in Botany Despite the restrictive policies of the socialist regime concerning travel to western at the University of Manchester and countries, Jermy received a Ford Foundation fellowship in 1966 and spent a University of London, he joined the West year in Vincent Dethier’s laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania, USA. One Midlands Forensic Science Laboratory in result of Jermy’s work in Pennsylvania was a very influential paper on induced Birmingham as Staff Biologist. In 1944 preference, which became one of his most highly cited publications (co-authored he joined the Freshwater Biological with Frank Hanson and Vincent Dethier). Association as an Algologist, beginning his work at Wray Castle studying Tibor Jermy was a key figure in Hungarian entomology, introducing and fostering the planktonic algae Asterionella in experimental entomology in the country. As the director of the Plant Protection Windermere. It was during this time Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS), his achievements he met a fellow scientist, Hilda Canter, were formidable, developing the capacity for research on insect pheromones, who was to become his future wife. In physiology, and agroecosystems. He established a network for studying 1955 the collection of illustrations which population changes in insect pests, and encouraged long-term studies of the had been started by Fritsch was given trophic connections in maize and apple. He supported the establishment of a to John and the FBA, when he became chemical ecology laboratory unique in eastern Central Europe. After election as a Curator of the collection. John continued member of the HAS he became more active in science policy-making. He received his ground breaking work for FBA at Hungary’s State-prize and the Gold Medal of the HAS, as well as being elected The Ferry House, eventually ‘retiring’ in as an Honorary Member of the British Ecological Society, and as an International 1978 as Deputy Chief Scientific Officer. Member of the American Philosophical Society. He then carried on his work as both an FBA Honorary Research Fellow, as well Based on information in the obituary by A. Szentesi and M. Toth in Entomologica Experimentalis et Appplicata 154 88-89, 2015 as the Honorary Curator of the Fritsch Collection (now continued by Dr E Y Haworth) and an FBA Vice President (1967), continuing his work on-site at the FBA until 2005. Over the years he had also collected many accolades including being honoured with a CBE in 1965, a Fellow and Chairman of the Royal Society and President of the British Phycological Society. John was widely known and admired among the freshwater community for his warm, friendly and caring personality, as well as his wonderful sense of humour.

Provided by the Freshwater Biological Association

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Taking account of the shared values of ecosystem services

Jasper Kenter / Laurence Mee Centre for Society and the Sea at the Scottish Association for Marine Science Mark Reed / Knowledge Exchange Research Centre of Excellence at Birmingham City University.

Last year the follow-on phase of the UK National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA) was completed. The follow-on phase aimed to address a number of areas that were underdeveloped in the NEA. One of the key areas of work was on ‘shared values’ of ecosystem services (ES).

Shared values are those that bind people Ecosystem services have become a hot To be well-informed, equitable and together, for example as citizens and as topic and increasingly pervasive paradigm transparent, the policies and decisions members of communities. Economics for understanding human-environment that we make need to take account of traditionally considers the values of relations, but the economic thinking the views of the diversity of stakeholders individuals, but some of the values that associated with the ES concept has been that they may affect. People’s views are people hold are not for themselves, seen by many as too narrow. The NEA strongly influenced by the values that but for others and the communities recognised the need for a more plural they hold, which can be deeply held. and society in which they live. These conception of values, that values are not However, not all of the ways that collective, shared values often relate to solely individual and instrumental and people value the world are necessarily the landscapes people live in and visit. that social and deliberative processes pre-formed in their minds nor easily Many people experience emotional and can be important for eliciting values, and articulated, only becoming clear when spiritual connections to these places that these questions became important topics people get together to discuss (or are hard to express in monetary terms. for the NEA follow-on (NEAFO). ‘deliberate’) what matters to them.

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Taking these values into account early on • Cultural or societal values are HOW CAN SHARED VALUES in the decision-making process can help culturally shared principles, virtues and BE ASSESSED? make more robust decisions that are more goals, as well as a shared sense of what A variety of methods may be used for likely to be accepted by society. is worthwhile and meaningful; different kinds of situation and at different New approaches are needed for • Communal values are held in stages of consultation to help stakeholders identifying and taking account of these common by the members of a express their views and underlying values. often hidden, yet strongly held, shared community (based on geography, They fall into six main groups: values. Traditional (e)valuation often faith, belief or activities, for example); fails to reach out to these values. This • Deliberative – such as in-depth is because it tends to assume that the • Group values are expressed by a discussion groups; citizens’ juries; opinions people express as individuals tap group of people through consensus or into all forms of value, and that adding majority vote, or more informally; • Analytical–deliberative – such up different people’s values represents the as participatory modelling where • Deliberated values are those that sum total of values held by a constituency stakeholders work with academics individuals or groups express as a of people. Values are ‘plural’. Not all to develop models that take into result of deliberating with one another, types of values can be boiled down to a account a range of variables involved typically involving discussion and single value, be that in money terms or in a proposal; learning; expressed in other ways. This is because • Interpretive and potentially different types and dimensions of values • Other-regarding values express the deliberative – such as participatory are not directly comparable (they might sense of importance attached to the mapping using geographical be ‘incommensurable’). Rather, to elicit wellbeing or moral standing of others information systems (GIS) or these shared, plural and cultural values, (humans, other living creatures, and the techniques such as storytelling; it is often necessary to use a mix of natural and historical environment); and monetary, non-monetary and hybrid • Interpretive – such as analysis approaches to include the fullest possible • Value to society is the benefit, worth of media coverage or the study of range of value systems necessary to or importance of something to society cultural history from documents; inform more robust, inclusive and far- as a whole. sighted decision-making. Often such a • Psychometric–deliberative – such as mix will include deliberation, to make Taken together, these different types of using a ‘values compass’ to consider the explicit and learn about the values held by shared value (also referred to as ‘social’ importance of different transcendental different groups in society, so that these or ‘shared social’ values) represent those values to a community; and can be incorporated in decisions. NEAFO that we come to hold and assign through found clear evidence of how deliberative our interactions with others in one way • Psychometric – such as using and mixed-method approaches were able or another. They inform and shape a questionnaires to assess the wellbeing to elicit a more inclusive suite of values concept of the common good. Within this benefits of green or blue spaces. than conventional approaches, finding values framework, there are some further evidence of clear differences between value types that are not necessarily a type Different methods are suitable for eliciting individual and shared values across several of shared value, but that are important different types of value. A comprehensive empirical studies. to define. We contrast transcendental assessment requires a mixed-method values with contextual values, which are approach. For example, shared values WHAT ARE SHARED VALUES? context-dependent. For example, one can be assessed by combining desk-based studies of historical data with (social) NEAFO has developed a framework might value peacefulness (transcendental) and also value the Scottish Highlands media analyses and focus groups to assess that helps to clarify the different likely public reaction to a controversial dimensions of values relevant to shared (contextual), perhaps because one might experience them as a peaceful place. policy decision. They can also be assessed values: the concept of value, the provider by combining non-monetary valuation of values, the process through which Beyond transcendental and contextual values, there are value indicators, techniques (like multi-criteria analysis) they are elicited, and the scale and with deliberative monetary valuation intention of values. including monetary values. Cultural, societal, communal and group values techniques in project appraisal. can all be contrasted with individual Based on this framework, we identified To help apply these methods, NEAFO values, deliberated with non-deliberated seven different, non-mutually exclusive developed a handbook for decision- values, and value to society with value types of shared values: makers with a range of practical examples to the individual. We recently published and case studies to help inform the choice • Transcendental values are the a new paper based on NEAFO work of methodology depending on the aim principles and overarching goals that further fleshes out this framework and context of the evaluation, resources that guide us, going beyond specific and its implications1. situations. Examples include honesty, and time available, and to highlight why security, enjoying life, social status and shared values are important to different harmony with nature; audiences and stakeholder groups.

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It is ultimately a judgement call to consultation, especially if these views Jasper Kenter (www.jasperkenter.com) consider when shared values should be are dominated by the most articulate, is lecturer in ecological economics and considered explicitly in decision-making. affluent or politically powerful voices. If head of the Laurence Mee Centre for However, as a general rule, there is decision-makers take account of a greater Society and the Sea at the Scottish particular added value to taking a shared diversity of values, decisions are likely to Association for Marine Science. values approach in the following cases: be more representative of the values of those that they affect, and may also be Mark Reed (www.profmarkreed.com) • where issues or ecosystem services less contested. The process can also help is professor of interdisciplinary under consideration are complex; to identify groups whose values are not environmental science and directs the being considered, and identify ways of Knowledge Exchange Research Centre • where there is a lot of uncertainty; engaging them more effectively, and the of Excellence at Birmingham City • where values are likely to be subtle process can also identify new and hitherto University. The authors were joint principal and implicit; unsuspected values that may lead to new investigators of NEAFO work package 6: and unexpected solutions to problems. Shared, Plural and Cultural Values. • where issues or evidence are contested; While much further research is still • where there are a large number of necessary to further develop shared values different stakeholders. approaches to evaluation, the NEAFO REFERENCES reports and handbook can already help 1 Kenter, J.O., O’Brien, L., Hockley, N., Ravenscroft, N., In these cases, integration of shared researchers and decision-makers to start Fazey, I., Irvine, K.N., Reed, M.S., Christie, M., Brady, E., values of the environment into decisions implementing these approaches. Bryce, R., Church, A., Cooper, N., Davies, A., Evely, A., Everard, M., Fish, R., Fisher, J.A., Jobstvogt, N., Molloy, in these cases can make a big difference C., Orchard-Webb, J., Ranger, S., Ryan, M., Watson, V. & on the process of evaluation. Focusing The NEAFO report and handbook on shared, Williams, S. (2015) What are shared and social values only on individual and economic values plural and cultural values are available at of ecosystems? Ecological Economics, 111, 86–99. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.01.006 (open access). can limit the validity of valuation and www.lwec.org.uk/sharedvalues.

39 BES BULLETIN VOL 46:2 / JUNE 2015 PASSIONATE ABOUT SCIENCE? HELL YES!

Emma Sayer / University of Lancaster & Associate Editor of the Bulletin @panemma

Soapbox Science is back again with more events turning city open spaces into an arena for public learning and scientific debate. Emma Sayer explains the background and introduces some of this year’s speakers...

Soapbox Science is a highly successful doing that. I like the idea and am terrified, of women to science (and to science platform to promote women in science in equal measure, of the challenge of communication – maybe we are natural and their research to the public. It has not explaining science to a non-scientific born communicators after all), to increase only been featured in The Guardian, The audience and in such an unusual setting. scientific literacy and to gain public Independent, Times Higher Education support for what we do! Being a soapbox and on the BBC but also in previous issues My plan is not to ‘wow’ the public scientist gives me the platform to of the Bulletin (April 2013 and June 2014). myself but to let peatlands talk for (hopefully) help achieve all of these! Founded by Nathalie Pettorelli (ZSL) and themselves. Although likely to be familiar Seirian Sumner (University of Bristol) in to the UK public, these are fascinating I am hoping to wow the public through 2011, Soapbox Science has gone from and extremely special ecosystems that interaction – we will assess extinction strength to strength over the last few provide us with wonderful and essential risk of species –LIVE! Thankfully my years, growing from a single annual event ecosystem services, such as water work focuses on the current extinction in London to multiple events in cities all provision and carbon sequestration. For risk crisis, a topic that many people are over the UK. Thanks to its popularity, my soapbox talk I will be focusing mainly actively concerned about and interested there is a lot of competition to participate. upon carbon storage and how this may in. I am hoping to take specific examples We asked five of this year’s speakers why help us when the climate gets warmer. of species and involve the public in they had applied for a soapbox slot and To help me illustrate the point, I will bring making decisions on the extinction risk how they were going to ‘wow’ the public. ‘peat in a box’ and a map to show that, of these species – what puts one species even though they may be ‘normal’ in the at a higher risk than another, how does ANGELA GALLEGO-SALA UK, peatlands are rare globally. this translate into a scale of extinction risk, and why does this ultimately matter? Biogeochemist, University of Exeter. MONIKA BÖHM Species are yet to be decided, but are Conservation Scientist, ZSL likely to feature anything from charismatic mammals to dung beetles and the humble freshwater mussel. Whether this has the ‘wow’ factor – we’ll see on the day!

JANE MEMMOTT Ecologist, University of Bristol

I have decided to become a soapbox scientist because I believe in changing people’s perception of who does science As scientists, we probably have and why we do it. I also hope to make been guilty of skirting around public a small contribution towards inspiring engagement in the past – true, we are the scientists of the future and I would probably not natural born communicators particularly like to encourage girls to when it comes to interacting with the consider science as a career. I like the idea general public, but it is absolutely vital of making science part of our everyday in this day and age to both engage life, and enabling adults and children and inform. Why? To show that not Science is both really fun and really to encounter science in the high street all ecological scientists wear socks and important. It’s fun because it’s about seems to me like a wonderful way of sandals (I hardly know any – do you?), asking questions and trying to understand to highlight the immense contribution how the world works and this can involve

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everything from asking why bees buzz to it. The topic that I am going to present Me: WOW!! I’m going to be part of what makes people happy. It’s important is related to Tidal Energy in Estuaries, Soapbox Science! because if we want to live sustainably, so which is quite an unknown subject for that the world is a good place for us, for the general public despite recent news Spouse: Does that mean you are racing other species and for our grandchildren coverage of tidal lagoon projects in the a homemade vehicle out of a soapbox? too, then we need science to help us do UK. As the topic is related to both energy Me: err no…but…. so. For example how to grow more food and environmental issues, I expect to find more sustainably and how to restore social concern about it. *Spouse starts playing with TV remote* damaged ecosystems so that they can Me: …but it does mean I get to spread During the event, I would like to share provide clean water for local towns and the word of soil science to the public ideas about the continuous process cities are both very topical questions on London’s Southbank being asked by scientists all over the of creation of tides as well as the high world today. resource existing in UK estuaries for *Spouse stops inspecting TV remote* energy extraction and the tidal turbines Plants are really useful – we eat them, we that we can use for this purpose. In order Spouse: REALLY? How? make houses with them, we use them to do this, some small tools can help with Me: I have a cunning plan for fuel and for decoration for starters. the explanations and catch the attention Moreover they don’t just sit there looking of younger people. A dialogue with the *groans* pretty, rather they trick birds and bees audience would be preferred to the more Me: A massive soil map – find your dirt into doing jobs for them – for example formal presentation style more common and find out what it does! Soil recipe – plants like foxglove train bees to visit the between our peers in academia. It is make a soil! Soil snakes and ladders – look flowers in a particular order to help them going to be a bit of a challenge for me after the soil and everyone’s a winner! make more seeds. And next time you because I am not used to talk in such a reach for nutmeg in the cupboard, pause situation but I hope that the public will Children: Why? to think that toucans eat them too. On enjoy and learn about Marine Renewables my soapbox, I’ll have live plants to tempt and their application to the real world. Me: Because soils are more than just in the local bees and giant seeds as ‘show dirt and for growing stuff. and tells’. I’ll have the world’s largest seed JACQUELINE (JACK) HANNAM All: *leans in*….such as? on display, along with a dodo’s dinner Soil Scientist, Cranfield University and some very familiar kitchen ingredients Me: Come and participate to find with some unfamiliar stories about them. out more. Plus there will be other Drop by and find out more! scientists talking about more cool stuff. Are you coming? MIRIAM GARCIA-OLIVA All: Hell yes! Research Engineer, University of Exeter

FIND OUT MORE This year, Soapbox Scientists will be enthusing about their research at events in London, Swansea, Belfast, Bristol, Exeter, Newcastle and I’m utterly thrilled and nervous in equal Glasgow. Visit www.soapboxscience. measure to be part of the annual Soapbox org or follow @soapboxscience on Science event on London’s Southbank Twitter to find out more. on 30 May. So I confess I’m a novice science communicator for anything other than academic audiences. But This year I have decided to join the I’m passionate about my science (SOIL, Soapbox science event in Exeter and hell yes!) and feel that being part of this I think that it is going to be a very event with 11 other amazing scientists interesting experience. I am in the last is 1) a fantastic opportunity to dispel year of my PhD. A few months ago I was the myth of a scientist (lab coat, specs… talking with my supervisor about the lack err check…oops) 2) become a better of female students taking Engineering science communicator and 3) see how degrees and as a consequence he sent science communication can really make me information on to apply for the event. a difference to encouraging people of all We think that action is necessary to ages to become engaged with science. So encourage women to become Scientist the conversation at home with the people and Engineers. that share my name (aka The Family) went something like this: Approaching people in the street would give me the chance to show them our research and learn what they think about

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The ‘Peaks and City Takeover’: one-hit wonder or the start of something special? Watch this space....

Catherine Stowkowska / Co-Chair Sheffield University Conservation Volunteers

Six months ago I sat in the Students’ Union with Chris Bradshaw – Chair of the Sheffield University Conservation Volunteers (SUCV) – and put to him a crazy idea. Thankfully, his mixed response of ‘That would take a LOT of effort Cat...’ with ‘...but if we could pull it off, it would be incredible’ was apparently the right blend of realism and enthusiasm for what has since been a rollercoaster of an experience. And one of the greatest non-academic achievements of our short careers.

The ‘crazy idea’ was to create the ‘UK every year. Imagine then if, further down societies, now known as the ‘Nature Student Conservation Volunteers’ – a the line, this UK SCV network could Network Sheffield’, had taken on a life national network linking up the groups inspire and support fellow students in of its own thanks to their readiness to equivalent to our own in other universities establishing conservation or ecology- embrace it (naturenetworksheff.wix.com/ across the country. The Peaks and City based societies in every university! naturenetworksheff). We’re still working Takeover was the ‘catalyst’ we intended Together, those member societies would on avoiding clashes between societies’ to use to initiate this movement. The be in a position to reach out to engage events – but having that much going on Takeover was a weekend event in Sheffield with every generation of students whilst is definitely a positive ‘problem’. combining conservation tasks, workshops, providing keen volunteers for countless talks and social events. Crucially, we also local community groups. Nature Network Sheffield thus provided wanted it to be a proof of concept of the the perfect foundation for an event of the potential of the student population as a We started small by first putting a call scale of the Peaks and City Takeover; and source of volunteers that, when called out to any societies within our own the Takeover in turn allowed each society upon, could provide the manpower university that have an interest in nature. to showcase its strengths. Our Natural for conservation work that might not We’re lucky in Sheffield to have such History Society organised a talk by James otherwise be feasible. a range – from SUCV (now forty years Borrell – an exceptionally gifted speaker old) to the Beekeeping Society (hatched whose insights into conservation science just this year). We’d figured that better in pristine places on the planet contrasted communication and a forum for putting nicely with the management methods forward ideas for collaboration would be we undertook at Blacka Moor for the useful – but it wasn’t until we collated Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust. So event information for our website and as not to ignore the amazing efforts being social media outlets that we realised just made within Sheffield itself, a morning of how many of these events would appeal city tasks was added to the programme broadly across the spectrum of the society with activities led by the Birdwatching, A satisfied crowd at the end of our Blacka memberships. One of our ongoing aims Beekeeping, SUCV and Student Eats Moor conservation task (photo courtesy of is to serve our students as the central societies. Partnership with the latter Joshua Hackett) hub for information on all environmental brought in a food and sustainability- activities in Sheffield. orientated audience alongside our The way we work in SUCV means that regular conservationists. We also asked anybody can join our tasks – whether for Many emails, a few meetings and the Film Unit to screen ‘Project Wild a day or every week. Our members come a week of publicity fairs later, the Thing’ as the campaign for ‘#wildtime’ from all disciplines, not just from those excitement in conversations between and re-engagement of children with taking ecological degrees, and we assist members of different societies (often nature epitomises the love of the natural with the practical conservation work and meeting for the first time) made me world that brought us together in the surveys of about fifteen local organisations realise that this federation of student first place. For any folkies out there

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(or future Takeover organisers!), we The Takeover couldn’t have happened heartily recommend Isembard’s Wheel – without the financial support of the British nothing could have drawn the weekend Ecological Society and the University of to a close with more fun and poignancy Sheffield Alumni Foundation. We are also than a folk band. indebted to the time and effort of each of our local partners and the encouragement Coming at the concept of the Takeover of too many individuals to name! from a PhD student’s perspective, I had envisaged a conference-style workshop www.naturenetworksheff.wix.com/ with an SUCV-style working field trip. In naturenetworksheff the end, the workshop morphed into an www.twitter.com/NatureNetSheff insightful careers session facilitated by www.facebook.com/naturenetworksheff guests such as the BES’ own Karen Devine. Chris Bradshaw trying out a new hairstyle It also provided breathing space for me and a staff to support his role of SUCV Chair to get feedback on how the Takeover was (photo courtesy of Billy Clapham) ‘...it was great spending being received and what would bring my fellow students to a future edition As this article is for a respected academic the weekend with others (#CoastnCity16 anyone?), or the UK SCV society’s publication, I’m aware that also passionate about itself, should it create a lasting legacy. I’d talk of childish antics may be a little too like to pass on one resounding message: if jovial to be taken seriously. So I should nature. Having a variety of you want to engage students, or anyone probably quote my personal favourite really, concentrate on making it fun. The #wildtime moment as something other events really highlighted impact and the outreach and the work than witnessing my friends acquiring that conservation isn’t will happen naturally as a product of beards made of moss or climbing trees engaging people’s enthusiasm. scarily high when we were supposed to just about management be cutting them down. But I refuse to or surveying you need Now that we have students from believe that most readers weren’t drawn Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby and to ecology by moments like those, and I to do, it’s about taking Leeds on board (everyone else is hereby know it’s these reminders that keep me invited!), along with support on the working through the trickier bits of R code part and spending time academic side of life from the BES when I’d rather be roaming the Peaks. with others and enjoying Conservation SIG, the ‘UK SCV’ vision As David Bond found on his journey with stands a good chance of becoming a Project Wild Thing, it’s all too easy for the nature (and getting others reality. Failing that, we may at least have hard work that comes with striving for to do so!). Only then will inspired thirty-something people (plus a cause that you love to take away time our task partners, the folk band and the spent enjoying the thing itself without people really care and friends that were dragged along) to go you even realising it is happening. So my dedicate their time and and do something more in the Peaks, #wildtime offering is this: sitting in a birch or the city, with their friends, at some with my friends around me, looking out life to conservation.’ point in the future... over a valley at Blacka Moor, and taking a moment to just quietly be – to look, Luke Nelson breathe, and soak in the beauty of nature.

Ready to go with the scrub clearance task at Blacka Moor (photo courtesy of Natalie Clamp) BES BULLETIN VOL 46:2 / JUNE 2015

A Metaphor Meets an Abstraction: The Issue of “Healthy Ecosystems”1

John A. Wiens / Oregon State University [email protected]

A Metaphor and an Abstraction walk or stress. The health metaphor has been used But there’s the rub. An individual who is into a bar. “I’m not feeling so good,” for decades – Aldo Leopold considered land healthy by one measure may be near death health, “the capacity of the land for self- by another measure. “Health” says the metaphor. “I feel like a renewal,” to be central to his land ethic.3 But is an aggregate property of numerous ship adrift in the night.” talk of ecosystem health has now become attributes of an individual. And so it is mainstream,4 so it is important to understand with ecosystems, except that the “That would make you a simile, not what it means and what its limits are. measures and the standards are ambiguous a metaphor,” says the Abstraction. and ill-defined. The power of the “health” or “healthy” “But go ahead.” metaphor is in its allusion to human health, Consider a forest. To a private forest “That’s the problem. People think something we all appreciate. We can easily manager or silviculturist engaged in recognize that a lake experiencing an algal production forestry, a healthy forest may be I’m one thing, but I’m actually bloom or a waterway choked with invasive one that is thinned to reduce fuel loads, is something else.” water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has not physiologically stressed or susceptible to lost some of its natural functionality – it is beetle outbreaks or disease, meets the needs “Well, how do you think I feel,” says no longer a healthy ecosystem. The allure of people for products and services, and the Abstraction. “I don’t really exist, of the healthy ecosystem metaphor is so is easily harvested. To a forest ecologist, a except in people’s minds.” great, in fact, that it has been enshrined as healthy forest would instead include the full a goal in laws and policies. Environmental array of ecological processes and structural They pause, staring thoughtfully into conservation law in New York, for example, elements that would maintain a diverse their beers. “So, instead of crying establishes the policy “to conserve, maintain and productive ecosystem – heterogeneity and restore coastal ecosystems so that they rather than homogeneity.8 More generally, on each other’s (metaphorical) are healthy, productive and resilient and words such as “sustainability,” “resilience,” shoulders, perhaps we can make able to deliver the resources people want “stable,” “productive,” or “services” figure a go of it if we get together,” and need.”5 The agencies administering the importantly in assessments of ecosystem 9 says the Metaphor. Endangered Species Act aim to “promote health. Conversely, an unhealthy ecosystem healthy ecosystems.”6 And the “Healthy might be recognized by signs of stress: And so they did. Which is why Forests Restoration Act of 2003”7 is intended erratic population fluctuations, absence to reduce the risk of large, catastrophic of top predators, increased dominance by we talk of “healthy ecosystems” fires that would degrade forest health by exotic species, simplification of food webs, or “ecosystem health.” redressing the historic suppression of fires declining production and functionality, that allowed hazardous fuels to accumulate. and so on. Although “ecosystem” has a clear meaning Helping damaged or dysfunctional to ecologists and much of the public,2 it ecosystems regain and maintain their health Like people, ecosystems are regarded is really an abstraction – a conceptual tool has become the goal of a good deal of as “healthy” if they are structurally and that helps to focus thinking, orient research resource management, conservation, and functionally “normal.” With people, there and management, and gather phenomena ecological restoration. are well-established benchmarks for normal together so that their interrelationships can health, be it body temperature, alkaline be examined and understood. Ecosystems It’s hard to argue with the common-sense phosphatase, or something else. Not so for do not actually exist as discrete, bounded appeal of healthy ecosystems. If we put on ecosystems. J. Baird Callicott offered that the entities; they are not “things.” a (metaphorical) science hat, however, we “objective condition” of ecosystem health must ask, “What is ‘health,’ and how shall is the “normal occurrence of ecological Some readers may dispute my we know it?” There are well-established processes and functions”; that is, “as they characterization of “ecosystem” as an standards for what makes a person healthy – have occurred historically.”10 The choice of abstraction. After all, many ecologists study normal body temperature (measured orally) an historical baseline, or even whether one ecosystems, and there is a well-established is 37° C (98.6° F); hypothermia sets in at uses historical conditions at all, is therefore journal of that name. Instead of debating 35° C (95° F) and fever at 38° C (100.4° critical. Environments vary, so using different this point, however, I’d like to consider the F). When I last had a blood test, the results points or windows of historical variation “health” part of the expression. “Health” is a specified ranges of “healthy” values for to specify a baseline leads to different metaphor applied to ecosystems to indicate some 27 measures – the standard range designations of what is “normal.” To some that they meet some standard of well being. for alkaline phosphatase, for example, is ecologists and conservationists, for example, By this line of thought, a healthy ecosystem 40–129 U/L. Mine was 83 U/L, so I guess the closer a system is to being unaltered by is one that is functioning well, contains all its I’m healthy, at least by this measure. human actions, the healthier it is. A forester essential parts, and does not show obvious or rancher would probably have a different signs of deterioration view of what is healthy.

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The difficulty of deciding what span of particular results in specific, quantifiable history should be considered “normal” terms? Ecosystem ecologists, for example, WHICH OF THESE IS A HEALTHY is confounded by thresholds. When a talk of ecological stoichiometry, trophic FOREST? IT ALL DEPENDS ON system crosses a threshold, it may enter a cascades, net carbon balance, or above- WHAT ONE VALUES. new, alternative state. Should its health be ground net primary production. All of these assessed in relation to what was previously are components of what one might term 1. An old-growth Douglas-fir–western normal or the “new normal” of the “health,” all of them are measurable, and hemlock stand with complex structure alternative state? And what are the standards none carries with it normative assumptions and high stand diversity; Gifford Pinchot for “health” when the environment about what is “best.” Yet mention of them National Forest, Washington. Photo: Jerry undergoes rapid, directional changes, as would dull the senses of anyone other than F. Franklin. it is doing now? When shifts in species’ an ecologist. distributions create novel ecosystems, are 2. A thinned Douglas-fir plantation with these by definition unhealthy because they The usefulness of “ecosystem health” is simple structure and low stand diversity; depart from the historical “normal”? in conceptualizing and communicating H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon. something about the state of natural Photo: Jerry F. Franklin. Such questions strain the appropriateness systems, particularly to non-scientists. The 3. A mature ponderosa pine stand on the of the health metaphor for ecosystems. abstraction – ecosystem – draws us to think Kaibab Plateau, Arizona. Fire in this forest More bothersome, at least to a scientist, about processes and linkages among units will cause little or no mortality in the old is the issue of values. “Health” is a value- other than individuals or species, making it pines. Photo: Susan Salafsky. laden term, and values are socially, not more likely that we will see the mechanisms scientifically, determined. Science deals with and interactions. The metaphor – health 4. A ponderosa pine forest that has become determining whether things are true or false – draws our attention to the condition of dense and loaded with fuel due to an (or somewhere in between), but “health” a system and the need for conservation absence of fire over the last century. Old is judged as good or bad, healthy or or management. “Ecosystem” is a useful pines are dying due to competition; if a unhealthy – value judgments. This leads to abstraction for things that actually do exist fire occurs, it will be a stand-replacement a conundrum in which a healthy ecosystem and that can be measured and managed, fire that will kill everything, including is what one chooses it to be, depending on and “health” is a useful metaphor for the old pines. In trust lands managed by one’s values – you’ll know it when you see conditions that we deem desirable, whether Washington State Department of Natural it. A pine plantation may be healthy from for utilitarian or idealistic reasons. Resources near Ellensberg, Washington. the perspective of a production forester or Photo: Jerry F. Franklin. a silviculturalist but may be barren to an REFERENCES ornithologist. Moreover, what is regarded Callicott, J.B. 1995. The value of ecosystem health. as “healthy” or “unhealthy” from a given Environmental Values 4: 345-361. perspective may vary depending on the Costanza, R., and M. Mageau. 1999. What is a healthy environmental context. To a forest ecologist ecosystem? Aquatic Ecology 33: 105-115. or wildlife biologist, a healthy coniferous Kolb, T.E., M.R. Wagner, and W.W. Covington. 1994. Concepts of forest health: utilitarian and ecosystems forest in the Pacific Northwest presents a perspectives. Journal of Forestry 92(7): 10-15. visual image of structural complexity while Lackey, R.T. 2001. Values, policy, and ecosystem health. an unhealthy forest has a simple structure BioScience 51:437-443. and low diversity. In the drier climate of the Lackey, R.T. 2007. Science, scientists, and policy Southwest, the positions are reversed: a advocacy. Conservation Biology 21: 12-17. healthy ponderosa pine forest is open and Leopold, A. 1949. A Sand County Almanac. Oxford the unhealthy forest clogged with trees University Press, Oxford, UK. and underbrush (see the figures). Someone FOOTNOTES: in a forest industry interested in timber 1 Thanks to Jerry Franklin, Susan Salafsky, and Tom production would probably evaluate the Spies for comments and photographs. healthiness of the forests in a different way. 2 To an ecologist, “ecosystem” generally describes a complex system of interactions among biological, Differing perceptions of what is “healthy” physical, and chemical components of the can lead to miscommunication and conflicts. environment; to the general public, “ecosystem” And when ecosystem health appears as conveys an image of a complex network of interactions that affect something of interest, ranging from the web a goal in laws or agency policies, societal of life to the elements involved in creating a product values may carry over to twist the debate and bringing it to market (the “business ecosystem”). and affect how scientists pose questions 3 Leopold (1949: 221). or design research. The science itself may 4 For example, the Aquatic Ecosystem Health and become value-laden or normative – the Management Society was founded in 1989, and assumption that some conditions are better in 2015 the Ecological Society of America and the than others that is encapsulated in policy Ecological Society of China initiated a new online journal, Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. infects the science.11 Values can masquerade 5 New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem as science, especially when the science Conservation Act, § 14-0103(2). encounters societal, political, or economic 6 The Federal Register for Friday, July 1, 1994 (Vol. 59), pressures and agendas. p. 34274. 7 So is the concept of ecosystem health Public Law 108-148. 8 useful? Scientifically, it is distracting and Kolb et al. (1994). unnecessary. Rather than attempt to 9 Costanza and Mageau (1999). conserve or manage an abstraction for a 10 Callicott (1995: 345, 348). metaphorical goal, wouldn’t it be better 11 Lackey (2001, 2007) provides especially cogent to state what is to be managed to achieve discourses on ecosystem health in the context of values and policy.

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FROM OUR SOUTHERN CORRESPONDENT(S)

This southern correspondent is temporarily northern – on a 4 month trip, mostly in western North America. Travelling as an ecologist is an immense privilege because one gets to hook up with colleagues and people who really know the area, and hence to see probably much more than the average visitor would.

Calvert46 Island britishecologicalsociety.org

Richard Hobbs / Richard Hobbs [email protected]

I just spent a few days on Calvert Island of other programmes. The research hasn’t yet happened. Perhaps fairy tales on the central coast of British Columbia, spans terrestrial and marine ecology, about wolves eating grandmas and the staying at what must be one of the most geomorphology, archaeology and more. preponderance of little old ladies across outstanding field stations in the world, It turns out that Calvert Island is a very Scotland will prevent this taking place. the Hakai Institute (http://hakai.org/). special place because of its location at Calvert Island is not easy to get to – either what’s known as “the hinge” – a point Much of the research on Calvert Island by float plane (if you’re lucky) or via a where sea levels have been more or less is designed to be long-term – in an age long drive up the length of Vancouver the same for at least 15 thousand years, where obtaining funding for anything Island followed by a boat trip from Port compared to other places inland and more than 1-3 years is becoming Hardy that can take anywhere between further out to sea, where the sea level increasingly difficult, this is amazingly 3 and 6 hours, depending on how has either fallen (or rather the land has refreshing and insightful. The Hakai welcoming the ocean is. This landlubber risen) because of eustatic lift following approach (from their website) is to: found that a bit challenging. But once the retreat of the glaciers at the end of choose a specific geographical region, you are there, you’re in an ecological the last ice age, or has risen with the study it long term (on the order of wonderland and staying in a complex melting ice. This has led to a long period decades), study it year round, study of buildings that were previously a of human occupation – current estimates many factors and their interactions, luxury fishing lodge – and you’re fed 3 suspect that humans have been living carefully monitor changes, short-term meals a day. I’ve enjoyed many stays in there for up to 15 thousand years. and long-term, be well-placed to engage a variety of field stations ranging from And this in turn has affected the ecology in scientific exploration and discovery, the completely bleak and soulless to in a multitude of ways. and use the knowledge gained to help the quirky but comfortable, but Hakai is manage and protect. Phew – how can certainly up there in terms of the facilities Wandering around in the coastal forests you argue with that as an approach! available, friendly staff and so on. and bogs of the island, I was struck by how much of the vegetation I recognised My trip to Hakai is part of a longer visit from my days of working in the heaths to the University of Victoria on Vancouver and bogs of Scotland and northern Island, funded by the Pacific Instutute for England. Many of the bryophytes and Climate Solutions (PICS), a BC Provincial shrubs were the same genera, and Government funded endeavour across the often species, that I had encountered in BC Universities that focuses on climate quadrats at Moor House in the Pennines change impacts and responses. There are or Dinnet Moor on Deeside. Many of many similarities between Canada and these are circumboreal. And quite a Australia – their shared British heritage, few of the tree species were ones that the federal system of government, were very familiar as plantation trees the sometimes uneasy relationships in Scotland – indeed, in the 1970s the between native peoples and European two most common trees in Scotland colonizers and more. Both countries also were Lodgepole Pine and Sitka Spruce, unfortunately currently share right wing both of which grow on Calvert Island. federal governments that do not seem Less familiar was the haunting sound of to value science and see environmental wolves calling in the distance – or even issues as troublesome brakes on The Hakai Institute, Calvert Island BC in the not very distant distance. These development. But at the state or province were coastal wolves who were happy to level, both countries are equally varied in All this is made possible because of the eat fish, octopus and so on, as well as the their approaches to issues such as climate Tula Foundation, founded by husband more normal terrestrial diet. The last wolf change and conservation. PICS is funded and wife team Eric Peterson and seen in Scotland was in 1745, the same handsomely by the BC government, and Christina Munck, who not only fund year as the Battle of Culloden that ended the province has a carbon tax that has the research station but much of the the Jacobite Rebellion. Despite ongoing been in operation since 2008 and seems research conducted on Calvert Island discussion of the potential to reintroduce to work well. and elsewhere, along with an array wolves to remote parts of Scotland, this

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Hobbs with PhD student, Nancy Shackelford (in the middle) and colleague, Rachel Standish, on Calvert Island

In Australia, on the other hand, we climate change. Staff and students at are intrigued, and my university seems have seen things go backwards in UWA have not taken the news of this to be in the international spotlight for terms of how we deal with emissions. initiative well, questioning the motivation reasons it probably doesn’t like. From being viewed as a country that and process of how it’s happened. Many is progressive and leading the way in see this as distinctly dodgy – particularly This story will likely play out for some this arena, Australia is now seen as a in the context of ongoing government time. The wolves on Calvert Island were serious laggard with weird retrograde cutbacks in research and education, a welcome distraction from the ongoing approaches to carbon policy. The politics plus a known aversion to mainstream weirdness of happenings back in Australia. involved have not been salubrious. And approaches to climate change. The As are the Stanley Cup ice hockey playoffs these politics have recently embroiled provision of $4m of funding through that are being played at the moment. A my home institution, the University of no clear process and the involvement of strange and violent sport that takes some Western Australia, in a curious affair. While a controversial figure with contentious getting to know. Not at all like Australian I was swanning about on Calvert Island views on how to deal with climate Rules Football. listening to the wolves howl, news was change does seem suspicious. While I Postscript: Since Richard drafted this essay the hitting the airwaves about a government- fully acknowledge the need to maintain Vice Chancellor at the University of Western initiated “Consensus Centre” to be set academic freedom and allow expression Australia has bowed to pressure from staff, up at UWA with involvement of Bjorn of a variety of views, including those that students and the public over the Consensus Centre Lomborg, the author of “The Skeptical run against the mainstream, I find myself with Bjorn Lomborg. The Australian government is Environmentalist”, known for his radical also failing to see the rationale for this seeking an alternative host institution. views on approaches to dealing with move. Indeed, my colleagues here in BC

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No shortage of ideas

Markus Eichhorn

At several recent major international conferences, debates or symposia have been held on the subject of whether there are general laws in ecology. This is, of course, an ongoing discussion to which many of our greatest Rant Reason minds have contributed (e.g. Lawton 1999, Loreau 2010, Scheiner & Willig & 2011). I’ll now offer my own unbalanced judgement on the issue.

Seriously, ecology, go outside and take fields of their own. It’s still possible to valuable but real progress comes through a look at yourself. The other sciences get a high-profile paper from testing the original insights. Pick up a copy of a are laughing. The fact that this still Janzen-Connell process (1970, 1971), a theoretical ecology journal or put them seems like a question worthy of dispute theory first laid out over 40 years ago, on your regular contents search. If you’re indicates there remain some among us and the Equilibrium Model of Island an editor, make space for radical and convinced that the particularities of their Biogeography (MacArthur & Wilson 1967) innovative ways of looking at ecological personal study system negate all attempts is a hardy perennial despite many attempts systems, even if they remain speculative at synthesis. If this includes you, then to amend, augment or move on from it or untested. Most of all, don’t let great by all means continue working in your (Lomolino 2007, Whittaker & Fernandez- ideas remain secret. special swamp, that no-one else could Palacios 2007). Sometimes it seems possibly understand, and publishing your as though all the big ideas in ecology Statement of interest: I’m not on the important research in Benthos, the journal emerged during a golden age in the editorial board of any theoretical ecology of bottom-dwelling science. We promise late 1960s and early 70s, when the journal, nor have I ever published in any not to bother you. Nephilim walked the earth, and we can of them, though aspire to one day. I do but view the world from the base of however spend a lot of time talking to There seems, however, to be a more their outsize footprints. physicists, which is neither healthy nor deep-rooted problem across the entire good for the skin, but does draw attention discipline. “If you want to keep a secret, Theories are not like jokes --- the old ones to the differences in the ways we think publish it in a theoretical ecology journal”. aren’t necessarily the best. In fact, the about science. So went a witticism doing the rounds at opportunities presented in ecology today INTECOL in London, prompting many necessitate new ways of thinking to best REFERENCES guilty titters. The editors of these journals utilise the sophisticated tools that have Connell, J. H., 1971. On the role of natural enemies in won’t thank me for pointing it out, but become available. Higher computing preventing competitive exclusion there is no doubt that they languish in power means we can dispense with in some marine animals and in rain forest trees. In P. J. the lower reaches of the Impact Factor the ordination techniques required for den Boor and G. R. Gradwell, lists (and however you feel about such multivariate analyses on older computers (Eds) Dynamics of Populations. Proceedings of the Advanced Study Institute in Dynamics of Numbers in rankings, this does say something about from the 1980s and employ more Populations, Oosterbeck, pages 298–310. Centre for citation rates). Not many ecologists would powerful approaches (if you haven’t Agricultural claim to scan the tables of contents every yet heard me rant about those who will Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen, The time a new issue comes out. happily load R yet still use PCA instead of Netherlands. manyglm, just ask, always a pleasure; also Janzen, D. H., 1970. Herbivores and the number of This is wrong, and I strongly believe that see (1)). Individual-based modelling allows tree species in tropical forests. American Naturalist 104:501–528. the opposite ought to be true. I’m not us to simulate the behaviours of single saying that ecologists on the whole are Lawton, J.H. (1999) Are there general laws in ecology? organisms and see how the outcomes Oikos, 84, 177–192. disinterested in theory, rather that we put so frequently depart from population- insufficient effort into developing new Lomolino, M. V., 2000. A call for a new paradigm of level predictions. The large datasets of island biogeography. Global Ecology and Biogeography theories or looking for explanations for our macroecology and ecological genomics 9:1–6. data from those that are already available. throw up whole new possibilities for which Loreau, M., 2010. Linking biodiversity and ecosystems: Many ecologists are simply not aware the potential has gone far beyond our towards a unifying ecological of new ideas. The onus is always on the existing paradigms. Simply using these theory. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society theoretician to produce an application or tools to test old ideas is missing out on Series B 365:49–60. empirical test, whereupon it might catch many opportunities, and the good news is MacArthur, R. H. and E. O. Wilson, 1967. The Theory of Island Biogeography. Princeton University Press. the eye of an editor at one of the ‘big’ that we don’t have to do all the thinking Scheiner, S. M. and M. R. Willig, 2011. The Theory of journals, and then stands a chance of for ourselves – there are already plenty of being noticed. Even so it is usually valued Ecology. The University of Chicago Press. brilliant ideas out there in the wild. Being Whittaker, R. J. and J. Fernandez-Palacios, 2007. Island more for the end result – a nice model fit – ignored. Biogeography. Oxford University than the original insight. Press, second edition. The best way to advance our field is to Those theories which capture the popular publish, read and cite papers that develop FOOTNOTES: imagination of ecologists tend to be the theories upon which we all depend. (1) http://eco-stats.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/introducing- mvabund-package-and-why.html old and have spawned entire research New datasets and techniques are always

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The Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management

Sally Hayns MCIEEM / Chief Executive Officer, Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management T: 01962 868626 / Enquiries @cieem.net / www.cieem.net

By the time you receive this copy of and the need to invest in it. Nor is the whilst increasing, is still primarily from the Bulletin the UK General Election will environment seen as the pinnacle of a households with above average incomes. have been and gone but, at the time of political career. How many politicians do writing, electioneering is in full swing you know who cite the top job at Defra Of course, I am being very simplistic with politicians of all political hues as the height of their political ambition? about this issue but I do think the basic making promises, defending policies Did the excellent The State of Natural tenet holds true. Until we significantly and trying every means they can to win Capital reports of the Natural Capital improve our ability to communicate your ‘X’ on polling day. It strikes me Committee have any impact on the the importance of the environment, the that we have continued to fail to make Treasury’s pre-election thinking? dangers it faces and their impact on the environment a political issue of any societal wellbeing then practical action significance. Environmental protection We have to take some responsibility will continue to be poorly understood and enhancement is viewed by the for this. With a few exceptions (such as and underfunded. We will continue to majority of the political parties as a Professor John Lawton et al’s 2010 report find short-term (and expensive) solutions luxury activity rather than an essential for Defra; ‘Making Space for Nature’: A to crises when they do impact directly part of a healthy society and sustainable Review of England’s Wildlife Sites) we have on people’s lives (such as the flooding economy. Fine words are not followed not communicated the significance of events of 2013/14) rather than investing up by sustained action simply because the environment clearly or persuasively in strategic priorities that will have long politicians are not persuaded of its enough and we have not achieved term benefits. importance. political concern or commitment. How often during the election campaign did I wish I knew some easy answers but, of Perhaps this is not surprising. Politicians you hear the environment mentioned on course, they are complex and will take in general think in short-term electoral the news or in the press? time to implement. Surely we must start cycles which do not encourage making, with educating young people, not just in at times, contentious or unpopular But perhaps to do so is neither realistic schools but connecting them with their decisions which might have a negative nor necessary. Politicians react to public local environment? Possibly every degree impact on mass public opinion. The opinion. The environment was not high programme should include modules situation is probably not helped by on the public’s agenda so why should that link the primary topic to the three the uncertainty of ecological processes it be an election issue? It is the public pillars of sustainability: social, economic and natural ‘chaos’. The environment that should be our target audience. If and environmental. The quality of the is difficult to understand and changes we convince the public then they will environment is inextricably linked in through natural processes as well as convince the politicians. many people’s minds with landscape. human impact. It is often challenging Perhaps we should be focusing on The problem is, for the majority of the (if not impossible) for us to provide ensuring that everyone’s local landscape, public, environmental protection and certainty regarding management the backdrop to their daily lives, is one of management is seen as a luxury activity intervention outcomes or accuracy quality, something that they can connect (sound familiar?) if it is recognised as an regarding the cost of inaction. This with and value. activity at all. It does not stack up well no doubt creates frustration and against the problems of the NHS, jobs, We can continue to talk about ecosystem suspicion about our arguments: whilst education or housing, all of which have services and natural capital amongst we are scientists, seeking evidence and immediate impact on people’s lives, are ourselves (and try to convince ourselves dealing in facts, we are also viewed in more easily understood and, of course, that politicians are listening) or we can some quarters as passionate (probably do matter. Support for environmental do something bigger, better and bolder good) or emotional (very bad) about NGOs because the environment matters, about communicating the importance of the importance of the environment

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sustainable environmental management CIEEM SUMMER CONFERENCE to our wellbeing and that of future Following the successful Spring generations. We would need to speak conference on Managing Change in with one voice, have clear, consistent Coastal Habitats, which was held in and evidenced-based messages and Bristol in March, this year’s Summer make them relevant to people’s daily Conference is on ‘Managing the impact lives. Can we do it? I don’t know, but on biodiversity of plant and animal surely we have to try. diseases’. The one-day conference is We will be looking at the relationship in London on 15th July and bookings between people and nature and are now open. For more details please showcasing examples of how public visit our website www.cieem.net interest and opinion can be influenced through practical interventions at our NEW FELLOW Autumn conference in Sheffield in A CIEEM member has recently been November (see our website for the call admitted as a Fellow of the Chartered for papers). Why not come and join the Institute. discussion? Sue Bell has been a practising ecologist REFIT AND THE REVIEW OF EU for almost 30 years, employed in the ‘NATURE DIRECTIVES’ statutory agencies, voluntary sector, and latterly consultancy. These varied work Staying on matters political, the experiences have led her to contribute Institute is fully engaged with the to ecology across a number of areas, current review of the EU Birds including ecological survey, research, Directive and the EU Habitats Directive policy development and education in (collectively known as the Nature both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Directives). The review is part of the European Commission’s Regulatory Sue is primarily known for her freshwater Fitness and Performance programme ecological knowledge, research and (REFIT). The review is looking at how the practice, most especially of aquatic Directives have performed in relation to macrophytes of Scottish lochs and rivers. the achievement of the objectives for Over her career she has carried out which they were designed. surveys of lochs, many of which have not been surveyed before, contributing In addition to responding to the public to a national classification of standing consultation CIEEM has led a Thematic waters, developed an evaluation system Task Force of European environmental to assist in the identification of standing professionals (through the European water SSSIs, added to the distribution Network of Environmental Professionals knowledge of scarce submerged aquatic or ENEP) that has been engaging directly species and, more recently, researched with the consultants leading the REFIT and tested methods of containing and exercise for the European Commission. managing aquatic plant species. To date this has included submitting referenced evidence and responses to the competence area of the preliminary consultation. Parallel to this work CIEEEM is engaging with members to contribute a response to the public consultation at a UK level.

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PUBLISHING NEWS Kate Harrison / Assistant Editor, British Ecological Society

NEW TITLES IN THE Cambridge University Press. £35 (pbk), ECOLOGICAL REVIEWS £75 (hbk) BOOK SERIES ISBN 978-1-107614-80-2 (pbk) Ecological Reviews, the BES books ISBN 978-1-107041-85-1 (hbk) series published jointly with Cambridge This volume provides valuable University Press, publishes books at information for students, academics the cutting edge of modern ecology, and practitioners with an interest in providing a forum for volumes on topics how forests respond to global change that are focal points of current activity phenomena such as climate, atmospheric and are of long-term importance to the composition, land-use change and forest progress of the field. The series is an fragmentation. Presenting research from invaluable source of ideas and inspiration temperate and tropical ecosystems, the for ecologists at all levels from graduate authors highlight their latest findings students to more-established researchers from plots, satellites and models. and professionals.

We always welcome ideas for new volumes. If you have a proposal or would like further information on the series, please contact Kate Harrison at the BES office in London: [email protected].

LATEST VOLUMES Conflicts in conservation BES members are entitled to a 25% Stephen M. Redpath, Ralph J. Gutiérrez, discount on all Ecological Reviews titles- Kevin A. Wood and Juliette C. Young (2015). details of how to claim this discount are Cambridge University Press. £35 (pbk), in the Members’ Area of the BES website. £70 (hbk) ISBN 978-1-107603-46-2 (pbk) ISBN 978-1-107017-69-6 (hbk)

Conflicts over the conservation of biodiversity are increasing and represent serious obstacles to wildlife conservation efforts worldwide. By bringing together experts from different academic disciplines, policy makers and practitioners, this volume offers many Trophic Ecology new insights for dealing with conflict. Torrance C. Hanley and Kimberly J. La Pierre A must-read for students, researchers, (2015) academics and professionals. Cambridge University Press. £35 (pbk), £60 (hbk) ISBN 978-1-107434-32-5 (pbk) ISBN 978-1-107077-32-4 (hbk)

Bridging the gap between those studying bottom-up and top-down interactions in aquatic and terrestrial systems, this book synthesises the broad literature on trophic interactions to draw possible Forests and Global Change links across a wide variety of ecosystems. David A. Coomes, David F.R.P. Burslem A one-stop reference for researchers and William D. Simonson (2014) as well as those new to the field.

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JOURNALS NEWS

In hot and cold water interactions, particularly in migratory In our July issue (84:4), a paper by Leigh host species. Ally is a macroecologist interested in identifying the impacts Ocean sunfish Marsh and colleagues details the results of a 2010 UK-led expedition to the of climate on phenology, species In our May issue (84:4) we have a paper Southern Ocean. The expedition revealed interactions and fitness, his work often by Itsumi Nakamura and colleagues a community of deep-sea animals involves examining the extent to which (pp. 590-603) who show the first thriving around volcanic vents on the processes operate similarly over space evidence of deep foraging of jellyfish by ocean floor near Antarctica. Among the and time. If you would like to join the the world’s largest bony fish, the ocean many new species discovered was the JAE Associate Editor board please send a sunfish (Mola mola). In the paper the visually abundant Hoff crab (Kiwa tyleri), CV and cover letter to the Journal office authors show how Ocean sunfish body so called because of their hairy-chests. as we are always keen to hear from temperature decreases slowly during The paper demonstrates how these crabs established researchers. deep foraging and recovers rapidly are not restricted by the physiological during subsequent surfacing. Cycles Simon Hoggart, Assistant Editor limits created by the thermal vents that [email protected] of deep foraging and surface warming otherwise exclude reptant (crawling) were explained by foraging strategy, decapods from the cold stenothermal with sunfish maximizing foraging time waters south of the polar front. Using while regulating body temperature a deep-sea remotely operated vehicle by vertical temperature environment. (ROV), the research led by the University Volume 103 Coverage of this paper appeared on the of Southampton reveals the adult life- Journal of Ecology published a Special BBC. To complement this paper, an In history of this species by piecing together Feature Guest Edited by Richard Focus article by Graeme Hays discusses variation in microdistribution, body Shefferson and Rob Salguero-Gómez, how techniques used in this paper, size-frequency, sex ratio, and ovarian in issue 103:4, based on an INTECOL such as animal-borne cameras and and embryonic development, which symposium entitled “Eco-evolutionary accelerometers, have revealed the secret indicates a pattern in the distribution dynamics and the contemporary lives of this cryptic species and have the of female Kiwaidae in relation to their convergence of ecology and evolution”. potential to increase our understanding reproductive development. On the Issue 4 also includes a commentary of the behaviour of other free-living journal blog Animal Ecology in Focus we paper written by Michele Guidone on species. have some exciting footage filmed by “Wave-induced changes in seaweed A sting in the spit the ROV from the expedition (www. toughness entail plastic modifications journalofanimalecology.wordpress. in snail traits maintaining consumption Also In our May issue (84:4) a paper by com/). Coverage of this paper appeared efficacy” by Molis et al. Dino McMahon et al. (pp. 615-624) on on Science Daily and The Conversation. wild and managed bees was covered An In Focus article by Andrew Thurber An additional Special Feature by the BBC. In the paper the authors discusses the importance of this paper. provisionally entitled “Whether in Life report on how bees have suffered or in Death: Fresh Perspectives on How persistent population losses recently. More videos and podcasts from authors Plants Affect Biogeochemical Cycling”, The authors show how viruses play a of papers published in the Journal are and Guest Edited by Amy Austin and major role in managed honeybee losses, available on the Journal of Animal Ecology Amy Zanne will be published later in but viral threats to wild bees are poorly homepage. If you have something you the year. understood. The authors demonstrate would like to contribute to the blog such that several viruses are prevalent in wild as videos, photos or podcasts please get A number of papers have been bees, and that disease spillover between in touch. highlighted by the Journal Editors so managed and wild pollinators is likely to far in 2015. Editor’s Choice papers to occur frequently. EDITORIAL CHANGES date are “A spatially explicit model for flowering time in bamboos: long Earlier this year Jonathan Newman and rhizomes drive the evolution of delayed Nathalie Seddon stepped down from the flowering” by Tachiki et al., “Early human Associate Editor Board. We would like to impact (5000–3000 BC) affects mountain thank Jonathan and Nathalie for all their forest dynamics in the Alps” by Schwörer hard work for the journal. et al. and “Earthworm invasion, white- We are pleased to welcome Elizabeth tailed deer and seedling establishment Derryberry, Bethany Hoye and Ally in deciduous forests of north-eastern Phillimore as new Associate Editors. North America” by Dobson & Blossey. Elizabeth is an evolutionary ecologist Posts about these papers are available who studies the role of environmental on the Journal blog https://jecologyblog. factors in the development and evolution wordpress.com/. The first issue of 2015 Avoiding the extremes: Individual male Kiwa of sensory and signalling systems. is still free to access and it will remain tyleri. Image credit: NERC ChEsSo Consortium. Bethany is interested in host–parasite so for the rest of the year.

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International Fascination involved in hands-on management of of Plants Day ecological resources, to explain what is On May 18th 2015 it was the 3rd needed to ensure effective take-up of International Fascination of Plants day the results of research. and Journal of Ecology has celebrated this Recent Practitioner’s Perspective articles with podcast from the Journal Editors, have discussed the responsibilities which is available on the Journal blog of scientists towards evidence- www.jecologyblog.wordpress.com based conservation in a Small Island Journal of Ecology online Developing State and formally integrating science and policy. You Keep up to date with the latest news can read these articles and more about from the Journal via both Twitter We also have a new FE Spotlight: the Practitioner’s Perspective series (@JEcology) and the Journal’s blog. Comparative analysis points to on the Journal’s homepage (www. Executive Editor David Gibson has functionally-significant variation in wing journalofappliedecology.org/view/0/ interviewed Deborah E. Goldberg for feather structure among a large and PractitionersPerspective.html). the blog and Associate Editor Caroline diverse sample of modern birds from Luke Brophy asks “should ecologists be Butler highlighting the importance of banned from using p-values?” Pap et al.’s Interspecific variation in the structural properties of flight feathers Editorial Board changes in birds indicates adaptation to flight Jonathan Newman (University of Guelph) requirements and habitat. Luke also draws has recently stepped down from the attention to the significant amount journal’s Editorial Board. We would like of species data Pap et al. have made to thank Jonathan for his commitment publicly available – and useable – to over the preceding years. Simultaneously accompany the article in line with BES we would like to welcome Rebecca L. policy regarding data archiving. Both of McCulley (University of Kentucky) and these are published in 29.6 Carol Thornber (University of Rhode Island) to the Editorial Board. Jennifer Meyer Assistant Editor Lauren Sandhu [email protected] Assistant Editor [email protected]

Policy Directions The Applied Ecologist’s blog In issue 52:3 Journal of Applied Ecology Bridging the gap between researchers, Our new Extended Spotlight Community launched Policy Directions; a new practitioners, and policymakers is Phylogenetics and Ecosystem Functioning paper type for articles relating to policy an important aim for the Journal of was released in May. These papers implementation and decision making. Applied Ecology and another way we provide a much-needed evaluation The focus of these articles is to inform are aiming to achieve this is through of community phylogenetics and and improve policy over a wide range of The Applied Ecologist’s blog (https:// biodiversity-ecosystem functioning subjects by providing a broader policy jappliedecologyblog.wordpress.com/) research, and provide concrete guidelines context for the topic and relating it to which features a number of guest blog for the next generation of studies. the wider issues around constrained posts from authors, Associate Editors Accompanying this was a new Virtual decision making. and other ecologists. The blog posts Issue, which brings together various are typically written research summaries important research papers on the topic. The first Policy Direction article and paper insights, but we have also from Sarah Durant and colleagues posted videos, including one about Our next Special Feature, Urban Ecology: “Developing fencing policies for dryland the hybrid ecosystems project in the Expanding fundamental ecological ecosystems” identifies six key areas native forests of Hawaii, and we have knowledge by studying urban ecosystems for the evaluation of fencing initiatives recently started to post blogs from the will be out in July. This Special Feature which, if implemented, will enable better British Ecological Society Conservation gives insight into the diversity and management of dryland ecosystems. depth of urban ecological research Special Interest Group. If you have any and addresses the much-underused Practitioner’s Perspectives ideas for the blog please get in touch by e-mailing [email protected] research opportunities that exist in The Journal also continues to publish urban landscapes. or [email protected]. Practitioner’s Perspectives, which We warmly welcome guest posts on all aim to bridge the gap between applied aspects of applied ecology relating to the ecological research and practical interface between ecological science and environmental management. These management of biological resources. articles provide a platform for individuals

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Changes to the Editorial Board Also, as you may have seen, an article BES PUBLICATIONS TEAM We would like to warmly welcome on the methodology used in India’s tiger Steven Vamosi from the University of census earlier this year received a lot of Calgary as a new Associate Editor. attention. Arjun Gopalaswamy et al.’s paper (http://bit.ly/1w38YKz) called the Erika Crispo and Rosie Hails recently findings of the census into question after Catherine Hill, stepped down as Associate Editors after an examination of the index-calibration Head of Publications many years with the Journal and we method that was used. The article would like to take this opportunity to was reported on around the world in thank them for their service to the newspapers such as The Guardian and Journal and wish them all the best. The Times of India and it has generated some controversy. Alice Plane Andrea Baier, Senior Assistant Editor As a BES member, you can access these Managing Editor [email protected] (and all) Methods in Ecology and Evolution articles for no extra fee.

A report on the Methods in Ecology Special Features and Evolution anniversary symposium appears on pp28-29. Erika Newton, Our latest Special Feature, ‘Opportunities Managing Editor’ at the Interface between Ecology and Chris Grieves Statistics’ was published in the April Assistant Editor issue (6.4) of the journal. The feature was originally conceived at the Eco-Stats meeting at the University of New South Lauren Sandhu, Wales, Australia in 2013. It highlights Assistant Editor, recent interdisciplinary collaborations Journal of Ecology between ecologists and statisticians and highlights how much the two can gain from each other.

The Special Feature contains Jennifer Meyer, contributions from Anne Chao (on Assistant Editor, phylogenetic diversity), Jakub Stoklosa Functional Ecology (on species distribution models) and Francis Hui (on unconstrained ordination). ‘Opportunities at the Interface between Ecology and Statistics’ was organised by guest editor Professor Simon Hoggart, David Warton, who also wrote the Assistant Editor, foreword for the feature. Journal of Animal Ecology

This is a wonderful showcase of the benefits of interdisciplinary work between ecologists and statisticians. Chris Grieves – Assistant Methods in the News Editor, Methods in Over the past few months there have Ecology and Evolution been a few Methods articles in the news. One of our Associate Editors, Barbara Anderson (Landcare Research, New Zealand), has been conducting Alice Plane – Assistant an experiment based on the ‘Tea-Bag Editor, Journal of Index’. The article explaining this novel Applied Ecology approach, which helps to measure the balance between soil carbon storage and release, was published in Methods in 2013 (http://bit.ly/1Hhjc0n). Dr Anderson aims to use the approach to Kate Harrison, see how decomposition rates relate to Assistant Editor varying climate conditions.

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BOOK REVIEWS The book reviews are organised and edited by Sarah Taylor

‘customers’ – places in which Given the cheap price, this book environmental disaster, make people of means would want is not just a collector’s item or cats an important focus for to be buried and would pay for a gift, it’s a source of so much research. Elements of that the privilege. As they became information that we would all research are the focus of overfull and costly to maintain, benefit from. Please read it and Stephen Spotte’s new book many were gradually taken over marvel at the urban world laid on Free-Ranging Cats. As the by the secondary woodland we out by David. title of the book suggests, the see today. For the ecologist, focus is on behaviour, ecology Peter Thomas Part Two gets even more and management. That is interesting since it highlights also the order of emphasis, a whole range of birds and with behaviour a dominant other animals (but sadly not theme throughout much of the plants) we have come to love or book, with an explicit focus on hate, from gulls, ring-necked management in only the last of parakeets and feral pigeons the ten chapters. Ecologically, infesting cities to the rise in there are some notable peregrine falcons. The ecological omissions, with little mention Nature in Towns and Cities reasons for the rise and fall of of disease (except in the section various species are explained on biocontrol) or free-ranging David Goode (2014) New with great insight. Part Three is cats as prey. In the context of Naturalist, HarperCollins, a review of the history of urban disease, in particular, free- London. £55.00 (hbk), nature conservation and its key ranging cats might be expected £35.00 (pbk), £23.49 (ebk) players, including a very good to represent significant reservoirs ISBN 978-0-00-724239-9 (hbk) section of the history and value and vectors of several important of green roofs. Free-Ranging Cats: diseases affecting carnivores. ISBN 978-0-00-724240-5 (pbk) Behavior, Ecology, ISBN 978-0-00-755619-9 (ebk) As an ecologist why would you Management Free-Ranging Cats is sparsely buy this book? Many of us will illustrated and, to some, might David Goode is well-known in have given ‘New Naturalists’ as Stephen Spotte (2014) John come across as a rather dry ecological circles as an urban presents to young relatives in Wiley & Sons Ltd., Oxford. read. Nevertheless, Spotte is not ecologist in various positions in the hope of inspiring an interest £60.00 (hbk), £54.99 (ebk) afraid of controversy, and tackles London and further afield. His in ecology, or to maiden aunts ISBN: 978-1-118-88401-0 (hbk) several prevailing beliefs about book follows on from another because they’re clean and cat biology (disagreeing, for ISBN: 978-1-118-88403-4 (ebk) New Naturalist book, Richard wholesome (the books, that is). example, with the assertion that Fitter’s London’s Natural History Or we buy them because they’ve The common cat is one of cats are mostly social – and even published in 1945, but takes been written by mates or people the world’s most widespread venturing a tentative suggestion a much wider stance with we respect. But do we read mammals. As Stephen Spotte for classifying sociality along examples from many urban them ourselves? Only you can notes in his preface, they are the way!); Rudyard Kipling areas around the British Isles. answer that, but if you don’t, found in habitats ranging from would be pleased to hear that It starts with an overview of you should. Ecology at High sub-Antarctic islands to deserts cats do, indeed, largely walk by the many habitats and variety School and below is now often and equatorial rainforests. The themselves. In addition, Spotte of wildlife in David’s home seen as a boring abstraction global population of owned is both a cat enthusiast and a territory of Bath. Part 1 moves from the real world, and it’s cats is thought to be in the pragmatist. This is a refreshing onto the various habitats then an uphill struggle to get order of 142 million, and the and sensible combination that to be found. This includes University students interested. number in the USA alone might allows the author to endorse cat widespread types found Unlike my undergraduate days, be approaching 100 million. control as a necessity in many ‘encapsulated’ in urban areas very few students are interested One Alaskan village even conservation contexts. Overall, such as woodlands, meadows in natural history. To help solve boasts a cat as mayor! At the the book – and its associated and other open habitats, and the problem, we should be same time, cats are the agents online resources, including more specialty habitats such broadening our own natural of widespread conservation figures and tables – will be of as canals, wetlands, parks history knowledge so we can be problems. Flexible and successful great use to those studying and gardens. These chapters better teachers, in and outside as invasive species, they have and teaching the biology tend to be largely descriptive of the day job. And how much severe impacts on naïve prey of companion animals and, and historical, as inevitably of a chore is this when you in many parts of the world; potentially, to those interested they have to be. But there is have books like this? David’s together with rats, they are more broadly in carnivore still plenty of interesting stuff book, like the many other New credited with causing widespread biology. Moreover, it may well here, such as the history of Naturalist volumes before it, vertebrate declines, particularly be of interest to practitioners cemeteries, where designers is written with passion and among island species. These seeking to manage cats. vied to provide attractive knowledge, and is incredibly contradictory roles, as both Phil Stephens planted areas to tempt readable and entertaining. treasured companion and

56 britishecologicalsociety.org BOOK REVIEWS

oceanic hydrosphere, and a There is a strong historical has been replaced by Robert summary of some of the natural emphasis, which allows us to Howarth. In 2011, Howarth was sources of climate variability. build upon past contributions named by Time Magazine as one Biogeographic and biodiversity and to more easily accept that of 50 “People who Matter” for patterns, unsurprisingly, interpretations can change as his research on the greenhouse occupy much space in the early new evidence unfolds – arguing, gas footprint of shale gas. chapters (very thorough but with perhaps, for a more tolerant Many of the content changes a heavy mathematical bias, not approach to our catalogue of reflect Howarth’s interests in for the faint-hearted!), and there “facts”. Keywords are defined in biogeochemistry and ecosystem is an interesting consideration an on-line glossary (although science. For example, the short of how changes in biodiversity there is no summary of the section on global geochemical through geological time enormous number of initials cycles in the third edition is may correlate with changes and acronyms used – which now expanded into a chapter suggested in the palaeoclimatic would be useful), while more in its own right. In terms of record. Wherever one stands than 1100 references allow content, Parts 1 to 3 run much on the great climate change for more detailed study of the same as the third edition, ‘debate’, it cannot be denied key points. Although there a with the exception that the last Marine Biodiversity, that climates can change, for a number of colour plates in a three chapters on community Climatic Variability and multitude of reasons, and that centre spread, the individual ecology have been moved into Global Change changes have consequences. figures are extremely small and Part 4. By contrast, Part 5 on Grégory Beaugrand (2015) With a growing consensus that difficult to read. Again, it would Applied Issues in Ecology has Routledge. £47.99 (pbk), global temperatures are rising be useful if these were available been dramatically reordered £41.03 (ebk – kindle) more than can be accounted to view on the website as well. and reconfigured. The book now for by natural processes Small criticisms for a book that closes with a chapter on the ISBN: 978-0-415-51703-4 (pbk) alone, it does seem more will have a wide appeal in the Ecology of human population profitable to concentrate on academic marine community. growth, disease and food supply, With a plea for a dealing with the reality than which in part is a rebadging of multidisciplinary approach to Ian Lancaster in recriminations, and for this material from the sustainability understanding and resolving the we need to understand these and habitat degradation chapter enormous number of problems consequences. The responses headings from the 3rd Edition, currently facing the planet’s to increased temperatures on along with the addition of new biodiversity and ecosystems, a global scale are summarised material on human health. the author essentially sets out as physiological adjustment, For example, topics such as to give a ‘state-of-the-union’ adaptive evolution, migration (in how changing global climate address for nature as we enter the hope of finding essentially patterns will affect infectious a new geological era – the the same niche somewhere diseases and the problems of Anthropocene. This controversial more amenable) or, if all else overuse of antibiotics in animal time in our history sees the fails, extinction. These options agriculture are now considered. planet dominated by human are reviewed over several Perhaps a rather pessimistic interference to a greater extent chapters with an ultimate, ending to the book, but then the than at any other period in its and perhaps not surprising, environmental issues society history – through increases conclusion that since all species faces are manifold. The text in greenhouse gas emissions, interactions are complex then book is now more colourful pollution, eutrophication, individual and community than ever and is in a larger ocean acidification, habitat responses to climate change Essentials of Ecology, 4th page format, which means it destruction, species introduction are likely to be equally complex Edition sits open much more easily and over-exploitation. – and, therefore, difficult to Michael Begon, Robert W. and you don’t have to crack We begin with a brief census predict! Obviously, there will be Howarth and Colin R. Townsend the spine as with the previous of pelagic and benthic winners and losers – in nature (2014) Wiley. £157.99 (pbk), edition. The text has been biodiversity, covering viruses, it is always thus – but the £24.99 (eText) refreshed, with the addition eventual impact on humankind of ~90 post-2008 sources and bacteria, plankton, and typical ISBN 978-0-470-90913-3 (pbk) macrofauna, before focussing is simply unknowable at this hundreds of new case studies on the role of climatic and stage. However, even predicting ISBN 978-1-118-80231-1 on contemporary issues, such hydrographic factors (especially the most optimistic scenarios, (eText) as coverage of fracking in temperature), which the there are worrying signs that all ECOncern box 12.2. As in the The third edition of this book author believes to be the may not end well. previous edition, there are is a core text for my first year most important driving forces three categories of boxed text: This is a well written and ecology module so I was very controlling marine biodiversity. ECOncerns, quantitative aspects extremely wide-ranging review interested to see what has There is an introduction to the and historical landmarks, which of many different aspects changed in the fourth edition. composition and structure build on the ideas and concepts of marine ecology, and is Michael Begon is now the lead of the atmosphere, with a presented in the main text. It particularly commendable as author, and the late formidable review of the corresponding would be really useful if a table the work of a single author. plant ecologist, John Harper, of contents could be provided

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for these alongside the general A companion to a previous Although the name shallow solar and lunar forcing of the contents to better highlight book focussed on caves (Culver subterranean habitats lacks tides. As with the atlas, the these useful resources. It’s good & Pipan 2009), this book glamour I can particularly contents are structured around to see the pop-out coloured concerns aphotic subterranean recommend this book to soil, the different seashore habitats, boxes explaining key terms habitats up to 10m below the freshwater and cave biologists with sections dedicated to rocky have been retained, but the new surface. Such habitats include and anyone thinking of shores, sediment shores, salt- two column text layout means perched water tables and branching out into a poorly marsh, sand dunes and shingle. they are incorporated within associated springs; interstitial explored field. Each habitat, with the exception the column making the page habitats below water courses, of shingle, starts with a look at look a bit cluttered in places. I calcrete aquifers in desert REFERENCE the communities that live in much preferred the format in regions; epikarst; screes; Culver D.C. & Pipan T. (2009) the different ecological zones, the previous edition where they soils and lava tubes. It has The biology of caves and other followed by an examination stood proud of the main text on become a cliché amongst subterranean habitats. Oxford of the ecology. For example, the outer page margins. Value marine scientists to stress University Press, Oxford. how salt-marsh plants deal wise, if you want a paperback the vastness of our ignorance with the harsh realities of John Hopkins copy you’d be better off buying of their domain. Culver and salinity and waterlogging. I am the third edition, but the eText Pipan make a convincing case really pleased to see a chapter version along with all the that our ignorance of shallow dedicated to the often over- accompanying online resources subterranean habitats is even looked plankton community. website for instructors and greater, and in 258 pages they The planktonic phase forms students on the companion bring together most of what such an important part in (www.wiley.com/college/begon), is known, although they give the life cycles of seashore provide an excellent cheap a rather light treatment to organisms and can be a alternative if you just want soils. This is despite the fact large component of rock pool access for a year. some of these habitats may be communities and yet finding very extensive. For example, informative and accessible Sarah L. Taylor about 15% of the land surface literature on these microscopic Bulletin Editor’s note: Those who is covered by limestone, and organisms is difficult. The prefer to own a printed copy of epikarst is likely to occur over book inevitably culminates this excellent text might like to most of it. Globally interstitial in an examination of threats know that it is quite easy to find habitats along water courses and conservation. Cremona internet and bricks and mortar must be many thousands champions the need to conserve (possibly millions?) of these fragile environments, booksellers willing to sell the Seashores: An Ecological paperback in the £40-50 range. kilometres in extent. closing with the statement “they Guide must be protected at all costs or In many cases we can only Julian Cremona (2014) humanity will disappear”. I quite glimpse the patterns of Crowood. £16.99 (pbk) agree. At the back of the book biodiversity and the way these is a glossary and explanation ecosystems function from ISBN: 978-1-847-97804-2 of the classification system a few regional or more local used in the book, including a studies. Shallow subterranean As someone who runs an annual seashore field course, and who really useful diagram showing a habitats are however clearly greatly simplified evolutionary diverse, including contrasting owns a much thumbed copy of Cremona’s (1988) atlas, I was tree of seashore organisms. patterns of endemism; both The book is aimed at the aquatic and terrestrial ecologies very excited to see this new offering and I can say that the layman, student and naturalist, and a wide range of pore and but I defy anyone to not be cavity sizes. In all but lava book exceeded my expectations. As I turn the pages, I feel like a captivated. Cremona has done tubes the physical constraint a sterling job, and this will of pore size clearly influences child on my summer holidays inspecting rock pools with certainly be on the reading list organism size and appendage for my next coastal field trip. length, and in many cases this my trusty net and bucket, has resulted in specialised, and expecting a large crab to REFERENCE Shallow Subterranean erupt from its hideaway at any often sightless or small-eyed Cremona, J. (1988) A field atlas Habitats: Ecology, moment! The book is beautifully animals, adapted to shallow of the seashore. Cambridge Evolution and illustrated with stunning colour subterranean conditions. University Press. Conservation However, communities of the images throughout and it’s the David C. Culver & Tanja Pipan habitats often include some perfect book to flick through Sarah Taylor (2014), Oxford University Press, surface living organisms, on a dreary winters day when Oxford. £60.00 (hbk, ebk) although the degree to which you are stuck inside (as I am shallow subterranean habitats now). The opening chapter deals ISBN: 978-0-19-964617-3 (hbk) have been a staging post to the with the forces that shape the ISBN: 978-0-19-101998-2 (ebk) colonisation of caves is unclear. seashore environment, with an excellent explanation of the

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sustainable communities, and debate on population issues, why they might have failed. This the delusion of the limitless is not a book about returning to market and the belief that “the good life” approach nor is growth can continue for ever it about survivalist approaches in the same way. Indeed, one that have been popular in chapter even confronts the some parts of the USA. This problems with religion and is more about how existing population, a subject beyond communities have adapted the pale for most dinner tables to keep their own systems and governments. Whilst all working in the face of increasing this is set in local terms, the materialism, over-governance, Australian example is typical of and political intrusion. The elsewhere on our planet. Written drivers for new ventures appear in an informal style with few to be the idea that peak oil will references, it amply illustrates induce catastrophic collapse the interdisciplinarity essential of our present civilisation, that to any understanding of our the disconnection between Sustainable Futures global future. Not all chapters Ecocultures – Blueprints people and their non-urban – Linking Population, transfer equally well from the for Sustainable environment is both unhealthy Resources and the spoken original to the written and destabilising, that food word. This book is not about Communities Environment security is enhanced by growing ecology per se, but about the Edited by Steffen Böhm, Zareen your own and that consumerism Edited by Jenny Goldie & complexity of our problems of Pervez Bharucha and Jules is destroying the planet. In Katharine Betts (2015) CSIRO planning for a future in a world Pretty (2015) Earthscan from the final chapter the editors’ Publishing, Collingwood, running out of options. Australia Routledge. £34.99 (pbk), £95 general conclusions are that Australia. £34.50 (AU $39.95) is an advanced country capable (hbk), £33.24 (ebk – kindle) reconnection to nature and the (pbk), £30.54 (ebk – kindle) of examining the evidence and ISBN 978-0-415-81285-6 (pbk) land, the importance of social ISBN: 978-1-486-30189-8 (pbk) the risks. The fact that their ISBN: 978-0-415-81282-5 (hbk) ties and shared community governance system ignores values, the protection of local This is a book with a focus on this at the behest of corporate We all know that sustainability knowledge and a level of Australia, but the topics are power shows how far away from is the right approach to life, tolerance and adaptability of global significance. The sensible strategies we really are but achieving it seems to are the keys to success Australian Academy of Sciences in the rest of the world. defeat most people and most in any country. They also holds a Fenner Symposium each David Walton systems. There have been conclude that vested interests, year on some key environmental many attempts to establish together with the cultural and topic relevant to managing sustainable communities, but psychological barriers inherent the future of Australia. The either because idealism does in globalisation, mean that recent one published here was not sit well with practicalities, scaling up will be difficult. triggered by an increase in the or because a religious approach Their bibliography shows that estimate of global population made it an exclusive cult, the there are many experiments to 9.6 billion by 2050 and failures seem more prevalent in pursuit of this objective and an indication that degraded than successes. The editors of certainly many interesting farm land and increasing this volume organised a meeting and useful lessons to learn. I global mean temperatures at the University of Essex to remain, however, unconvinced would make it impossible to look for exemplars that might that this ecoculture approach is feed this number of people. help provide some indications possible beyond the level of a Starting with a keynote from of a practical way forward, small community, but at least Paul Ehrlich on overpopulation, casting their net widely. Their here we have a detailed analysis this book’s 20 chapters look at examples of existing systems of success and failure for those the environmental impacts of cover fishing communities in who want to try it. population size, how Australia Indonesia and northern Finland, will be affected in terms of David Walton Inuit hunting in Greenland, infrastructure and society, forest aborigines in Australia, the ageing crisis and its and alpine communities in the implications for health care, Himalayas. They even consider the problems with soil and newly created ecovillages in water as climate changes, the South Africa and Brazil, as well problems in energy and mining as sustainability experiments and the damage to wildlife. in Detroit and Bristol. There is In addition several authors also a detailed examination of deal with the political denials many of the various initiatives and the hypocrisy of political that have tried to establish parties, the absence of public

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productive farming techniques. justice and another on the green This section also discusses the economy in practice before a food security debates both in final chapter looks at prospects their sociological aspects and in for the future. their ties to corporate pressures. The emphasis in environmental As a wide ranging introduction health is on hormone-disrupting to the green economy this chemicals and their impacts new book seems good and the on the health of both wildlife recommendation that it should and humans. Clearly the most be read in conjunction with relevant section is the final current texts on environmental one considering ecosystem economics appears essential management. An interesting if the students are to chapter by Simberloff looks at consider the larger questions the complex scientific problems implicit in progressing such of invasive species, considers a major cultural change some of the effective and – what philosophy can replace capitalism, how can ineffective control measures, An Introduction to Controversies in Science suggests that most alien globalisation be replaced by the Green Economy – local sustainability, how can the and Technology Vol 4: introductions have unforeseen Science, Systems and consequences, and considers change be managed without From Sustainability to Sustainability enormous disruption, how can Surveillance the arguments by some that control is “nativist” and Adrian Newton and Elena people be motivated to accept a Edited by Daniel Lee Kleinman, xenophobic and that killing Cantarello (2014) Earthscan less consumerist focus to their Karen A. Cloud-Hansen and mammalian invaders breaches from Routledge. £32.99 (pbk), lives? There are plenty of links Jo Handelsman (2014) Oxford animal rights. Subramaniam on £28.21 (epbk – kindle) to useful web sites especially University Press. £38.99 (hbk) the other hand looks at aliens in the boxes, but this is a huge ISBN: 978-0-415-71161-6 (pbk) subject and many interesting ISBN: 978-0-19-938377-1 (hbk) from a cultural view point and argues that the geography This book has been developed to leads are dismissed without any This is a sporadic series first of origin should not be the support a Masters course on the detailed consideration. published in 2005 by University determining factor and that Green Economy at Bournemouth of Wisconsin Press as a way of Looking more closely I terms like alien are pejorative. University. The authors are trying to link scientists with was surprised to see some The remaining two chapters very clear that this is a socio- the public and policymakers, interesting omissions – for look at the effects of freshwater ecological approach and it and provide journalists with example any discussion of pollution by atrazine, oil spills contains little on environmental a rigorous overview of topical the importance of the Marine in the sea and the arguments economics per se. As it is science fields. Each volume Stewardship Council, the Global on overfishing, followed by a meant to underpin a distance covers four or five major topics Environment Facility, PROFISH, study on the decline of insect learning course it is perhaps with several viewpoints and the value of biodiversity offsets, pollinators. I was unconvinced more discursive than some multiple authors. Whilst earlier etc. Whilst I recognise that in that the typical scientific textbooks in the way it treats volumes tackled topics such as such a broad subject everyone paper format used here will some subjects and all chapters bioterrorism, stem cell research, will probably find some of their appeal to any of the target are peppered with boxes entitled nanotechnology, biofuels and pet interests missing I do feel audiences other than the Reflection Points, Suggested citizen attitudes to evolution that an appendix providing scientific community, but I Activities or Case Studies the present volume looks at some short introductions to did find the careful analysis to keep the student awake. infrastructure development, key groups like MSC, IIED, of the evidence for some of Its eight chapters provide a food policy, chemicals and Futurearth, CASSE, Worldwatch the most controversial policy definition of green economics environmental health, and Institute, etc., would have areas interesting. The series is (as distinct from ecological ecosystem management. greatly improved the access for clearly meant for libraries and economics or classical Interestingly each topic students into the many different would be easily overlooked by economics), an introduction has something of interest opinions and activities that many ecologists when specific to terms like resilience, critical to ecologists. Infrastructure contribute to understanding sections could usefully provide a loads, footprint analysis looks at renewable energy the green economy. Overall this valuable broader context to how and the interaction between and the consequences of is an excellent attempt to pull our science impinges on those human behaviour and the global change whilst the food the widely diverse elements outside our community. Worth green economy, key aspects of policy section examines the together into some coherent keeping an eye open for future climate change (especially with polarisation between intensive framework and should certainly volumes. respect to greenhouse gases), agriculture at the expense of be read by those students and the concepts of value for natural communities against a David Walton studying environmental biodiversity and ecosystem more relational approach that economics to gain a more services as well as an extensive values the linkages between rounded and pragmatic examination of renewable humans and their environment perspective. energy. There is a chapter whilst still employing highly on social and environmental David Walton

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and migration. In brief sections insects buck the trend, perhaps The biogeography of this book sets out many of these because they are so species- Australasia has been a source topics and the species accounts rich, universal in distribution of fascination since the days are also full of ecological insight. and so central to ecological of Darwin and Wallace in the The authors are genuinely function. Most ecologists mid-1800s. Located on the authoritative in their knowledge need to have a good working Indo-Australasian plate, it is and so the text is reliable and knowledge of the basic biology characterised by islands of (unlike the other competitor of insects and this text can various sizes and varied relief, field guide), paintings are provide that need. There are and tropical climates that range preferred to photographs. As few other textbooks as rivals from the driest to the wettest soon as it is seen that the and the fact that this has in the world. The biogeography illustrator is Richard Lewington, reached a 5th edition is good of Australasia has been the it is guaranteed that the evidence that it fulfills its subject of much investigation paintings are brilliant and do purpose well. It is clear, full and publication, mostly in terms an excellent job in allowing and reliable. Within the book of past and present distributions correct identification of the there are basic chapters on of plants and animals. However, species. Whilst you might diversity and conservation, a new light is now cast upon claim that no painting can anatomy, sensory systems this fascinating region and its Field Guide to the show the ‘jizz’ of the insects as and behaviour, reproduction, biota via a molecular analysis well as a good photograph, it life histories, and systematics approach. DNA characteristics Dragonflies & Damselflies is possible to concentrate on and evolution. There are then a are used to help determine of Great Britain and the decisive features and to series of sections that develop patterns of evolution and Ireland ensure that exactly the right some essentially entomological organism distribution and Steve Brooks and Steve angle and position are chosen. topics, including sociality, how both relate to geological Cham, illustrated by Richard In consequence, this field guide medical and veterinary insects and climate history. This is a Lewington (2014 Edition). fulfills its purpose excellently and pest management. This panbiogeographic approach. British Wildlife Publishing. and can be recommended is certainly not a directly The first two chapters examine £18.95 (pbk) without reservation. ecological volume, but it does evolution in space and time include material of relevance to and provide many examples ISBN: 978-0-95649-028-5 (pbk) Mark Young an ecologist and it does its job ranging from plants of the This is one of two recently as a basic textbook on insect Asteracea family to the beetle revised field guides to Britain’s biology. genus Bembidion (Carabidae) and the passerine bird Malurus. Odonata and both are excellent, Mark Young following 1st editions that were Questions are also raised, also very good! We really do such as the significance of field guides well in Britain and dispersal in evolution. Chapter this one is a wonderful example three opens the analysis of of what works well. Interest Australasian groups that in Odonata has burgeoned in range from those with global the last 20 years and they are affinities to those with relatively now amongst the very best local or regional affinities, studied and known groups of such as Indian Ocean groups, insects. There are only around Tethys groups, and Pacific 55 species in Britain and, groups. The subsequent seven although some of these, such chapters delve in detail into the as the blue Coenagrionids, are biogeography of Australasia’s rather similar and need careful regions, which extend from the identification, most are fairly The Insects. An outline of Equator to the Southern Ocean. easy to tell apart, which has Entomology, 5th Edition They are Australia, the Tasman- Coral Sea region, the Tasman allowed the enthusiasts to Penny J. Gullan and Peter region, New Zealand (including extend their natural history into S. Cranston (2014) Wiley sub-Antarctic islands), New a genuine study of ecology of Blackwell. £45 (hbk), Biogeography of Caledonia, New Guinea and their subjects. As a result the £28 (etxt), £40.9 (ebk). Australasia. A Molecular field guides are packed full of nearby islands, and the ISBN: 978-1-118-84615-5 (hbk) Analysis ecological insight, including Philippines. Major foci include consideration of the essential ISBN: 978-1-118-84626-1 (etxt) Michael Heads (2014) traditional biogeographical Cambridge: Cambridge approaches, variations within water quality required in a very ISBN: 978-1-118-84616-2 (ebk) wide range of water bodies, University Press. £70 (hbk), each region, including those studies of predation behaviour, It has become rather £66.50 (ebk – kindle) dominated by islands and those with varied relief, the occurrence observations of mate-guarding unfashionable to concentrate ISBN 978-1-107-04102-8 (hbk) and sexual competition and a textbook on one group of of endemics, plant/animal estimation of dispersal ability organisms, but to some extent groups with wider regional or global affinities, and geological

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considerations, especially in has shown that the fate (and relation to tectonic events. therefore the identity) of a cell The final chapter presents an is determined by a network of overview of evolution in space regulatory genes that control and time, refers to Darwinian overall gene expression in and related models of evolution the cell. This is followed with and re-emphasises the a detailed consideration of panbiogeographic approach. vertebrate skin and its various This is itself controversial derivatives, including hairs and since it discounts the possible feathers, and then moves to fins effects of chance dispersal and limbs, and finally to digits. and subsequent evolution, In a penultimate chapter, the themes which loom large in plant kingdom finally comes biogeography and especially in into focus with an examination island biogeography. However, of homology in flowers. are such considerations entirely Through interrogation of the excluded by panbiogeography? variations in flower structure, A further contentious and from its basic and presumably Visual Ecology related issue is the means of age Homology, Genes, and ancestral form, including the Thomas W. Cronin, Sönke determination from fossils and Evolutionary Innovation development of bisexual flowers, Johnsen, N. Justin Marshall and its use, or rather possible misuse Wagner concludes that the Günter P. Wagner (2014) Eric J. Warrant (2014) Princeton in the opinion of Heads, to flower’s unique feature is the Princeton University Press, University Press, Princeton, calibrate molecular phylogenies; integration of various parts Princeton and Oxford. £41.95 NJ. £48.95 (hbk), £30.23 this has implications for into a functional whole. Again, (hbk), £25.91 (ebk – kindle) (ebk – kindle) determining rates of change genetic regulation underlies this in relation to vital questions ISBN: 978-0-691-15646-0 (hbk) integration. Overall, the book is ISBN: 978-0-231-16908-0 (hbk) about the timing of evolutionary ISBN: 978-1-400-85146-1 (ebk) deeply thought provoking. The ISBN: 978-1-400-85302-1 (ebk) trends within and between author is clearly aware of the plant/animal groups. Although Evolutionary biologists have philosophical background and As the authors note in their this questioning of orthodoxy long been fascinated by the implications of the subject, and introduction to this book, may be contentious it remains way in which an organ can take inserts a chapter on the ‘Long humans are very visual animals, valuable to keep disputed issues such different forms in different Shadow of Metaphysics’ into devoting a disproportionate in the limelight. In addition, species. The flipper of a seal the very centre of his book. The fraction of their central nervous this book gives a wide variety of and the wing of a bat have subject is extensive, and the processing capacity to visual examples in each chapter and the same skeleton origin yet choice of topics to examine in analysis. The result, for many it is well illustrated, especially have very different forms and detail must obviously be limited. of us, is a long-standing with maps, and in its 490 pages functions. But the evolution of The inclusion of one botanical fascination with the evolution there are no less than a useful form and of function can take chapter is welcome, but perhaps of vision, and the variation 72 pages of references. The text a variety of intertwined tracks more could have been covered in visual capabilities across assumes prior knowledge and to end in their current state. on vegetative features, such as taxa. Vision is a complex is thus particularly relevant to a Wagner here argues that an stems and leaves. This survey of subject, however, requiring an postgraduate audience. ancestral genetic constitution homology in the light of modern understanding of the physics can be given varied expressions genetic research, however, is Antoinette Mannion of optics, the chemistry of as a result of differential timely and helpful. photoreceptors, the neurology of activation by gene regulatory signal processing, the anatomy Peter Moore networks. The book begins of eye movements and the by setting out the concept of ecology of environments that homology, illustrating it with have selected for different visual many zoological examples, and solutions. These are the types of then traces the development of subjects covered by Cronin and genetic theory, starting from colleagues’ new book on Visual Van Valen’s proposal that there Ecology, which is a significant is continuity of information and wide-ranging undertaking. (both genetic and non-genetic) Spanning over 400 pages (in throughout the process. From a font which tests my ageing here Wagner examines the visual system), it covers a lot origin of homologs, contrasting of ground. It starts with the innovation with adaptation of physics of light, introduces existing organs. He devotes visual pigments, photoreceptors an entire chapter to cell types and the building blocks of eyes, and their origins, pointing and then moves on to the eye out that stem cell research designs of the animal kingdom

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and different types of vision areas, generating income from forests of the Nantahala (spatial, colour and polarisation the new (hopefully) sustainably Mountain range – a southern vision, vision in low light or managed forests, and so on. This version of the more famous dense media, and the detection is the point where Robin’s book mixed-wood forests of Hubbard of motion). Finally, two chapters comes in. Following a life-time Brook Experimental Forest in cover the use of vision for study of Costa Rican secondary the Northern Appalachians of navigation, and for signals and forests she is firmly of the New Hampshire (and chapter camouflage. Overall, it is lavishly opinion that these secondary 13 compares findings between illustrated, engagingly written forests are much underrated the two areas). The project and highly readable. in terms of the speed of their is run from a hydrological recovery to ‘proper’ forest and laboratory and so there are My initial sense was that the amount of biodiversity they understandably a number much of this book is relevant hold. She takes us through the of chapters on water yield to anyone studying vision, ecological processes and stages and chemistry after logging not just to visual ecologists. of forests developing on old including two on particulate and I stand by that – not least, agricultural land, selectively dissolved organic carbon. But because the authors’ own logged areas and land damaged the multidisciplinary team go distinction (that “A researcher Second Growth: The by fire and hurricanes. Then beyond that to consider stream who studies the retinas of she explores how these macroinvertebrates, wood squirrel monkeys in order to Promise of Tropical Forest Regeneration in an Age of regenerating forests change in decomposition and canopy learn more about human visual structure, species composition arthropods. The first take-home Deforestation physiology is not a visual and ecosystem properties, and message is that fairly intensive ecologist; one who does nearly Robin L. Chazdon (2014) The finally what the future holds, all forestry, if well planned, can identical research to learn how University of Chicago Press, backed up by over a hundred result in remarkably little the monkeys discriminate Chicago. £87.50 (hbk), £31.50 pages of references. I find her impact on the remaining ripe from unripe fruit is”) (pbk) message very compelling that forest or the water leaving the emphasises that the biology ISBN: 978-0-226-11791-1 (hbk) these secondary forests have a site. The second, and equally and ecology of vision are more high intrinsic ecological value. It important, message is that associated with application ISBN: 978-0-226-11807-9 (pbk) is not always sugary good news “some long-term trends cannot than technique. However, ISBN: 978-0-226-11810-9 (ebk) – large mammals can take a be forecast from short-term ecology is far from restricted long while to return unless there findings, which could lead to to the two final chapters on Terrestrial vegetation and its is nearby undisturbed forest, incorrect conclusions of cause the uses of vision. Rather, the soil hold more than three times but it’s heart-warming to read and effect relationships and whole book is infused with the amount of carbon currently this up-beat book that shows natural resource management ecological interest, ranging in the atmosphere, and tropical that it’s not all doom and gloom decisions”. Someone tell that to from the examples given, to the forests, because of their dense in the tropics. Everyone should the politicians. strong emphasis on phylogeny biomass, hold a good proportion read this. and adaptation throughout of this. So controlling tropical Peter Thomas the text. I suggest that this deforestation is a hugely Peter Thomas book will be of great interest to important issue in trying anyone studying the biology to reign in climate change. Long-term Response or ecology of vision, from In addition, these pristine of a Forest Watershed undergraduates trying to get to primary forests also hold a lot Ecosystem: Clearcutting in grips with basic principles, to of biodiversity adding to their the Southern Appalachians established researchers seeking global value. The trouble is, Edited by Wayne T. Swank and a comprehensive overview of the deforestation is still rampant Jackson R. Webster (2014) whole subject. around the world and we are Oxford University Press, New left with a whole bunch of Phil Stephens York. £32.99 (hbk), £31.34 (ebk) secondary forests growing up on abandoned agricultural and ISBN: 978-0-19-537015-7 (hbk) logged land, which are usually considered to be of no great This book deals with 30 years value. Yet for local people and of research at Coweeta in charities, preventing large-scale North Carolina in a series of 26 deforestation is beyond their discrete forested watersheds, reach, and their only real option forming part of the International is to restore degraded forest, and Biological Programme (IBP) and make the best of the secondary now the Long-Term Ecological forest. And, of course, it has Research (LTER) programme. benefits beyond carbon storage The aim of this book is to bring in terms of social cohesion, together information on the improving the lives of those long-term consequences of living in or near the reforested clear-cutting in the hardwood

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quoting environmental activist ALSO RECEIVED A DENDROLOGIST’s and founder of 350.org, Bill Study and communication HandBOOK McKibben in The Comforting Edited by Merelene Davis Whirlwind, as well as theological skills for the biosciences, (2014). The Dendrologist, commentaries on Job. The 2nd Edition Chesham. £5.00 (pbk) closest parallel to his book Stuart Johnson and Jon Scott known to me is that by Stuart (2014), Oxford University Press. ISBN 9525842-3-9 Pimm (2001), which examined £23.99 (pbk) environmentalist rhetoric about A collection of articles on basic ISBN: 978-0-19-966329-3 (sbk) environmental damage to test tree biology, identification, propagation and pruning whether it could withstand Aimed at new university previously published in The quantitative scrutiny. Pimm’s entrants, this motivational book Dendrologist. Available from book was well documented, but is the perfect “how to” guide for the author at Monksfield, Shugart’s is even more so with 66 students looking to maximise Pednor Bottom, Chesham, pages of notes and references. their degree and get ahead Bucks HP5 2SS. in the employability game. Shugart’s mission is to Chapter 2 on “Using feedback” demonstrate the dynamic Foundations of the Earth: highlights the need for a two- connectedness of the Earth’s way approach and reflective Global Ecological Change systems, over a range of practice, and is a must read for and the Book of Job spatial (regional, global) and those receiving and delivering H.H. Shugart (2014) Columbia temporal scales (centuries feedback. The question is will University Press, New York. to millennia), and how to Chapter 6 on “Choosing the right £24.00 (hbk), £19.19 (ebk) examine how these interact writing style” put an end to the with humans. There are eight ISBN: 978-0-23116-908-0 (hbk) misuse of the semi-colon? main chapters, each concerned Hank Shugart is a distinguished with a question God puts to Spatial analysis: a guide systems ecologist at the Job. For example, the origin and for ecologists, 2nd Edition University of Virginia. In early history of the Earth asks Mark R.T. Dale and Marie-Josee Foundations of the Earth he has “Where were you when I laid Fortin (2014), Cambridge written a very readable account the foundations of the earth?” University Press. £45.00 (pbk) of the current problems facing Topics include domestication the Earth and us, and what and the Neolithic revolution, ISBN: 978-0-521-14350-9 (pbk) has caused them. The unusual the impact of alien and invasive twist is that he has structured species, archaeoastronomy The 2005 edition of this book his text around three chapters and geo-engineering to was my bible when I was near the end of the Bible book of modify climate. Shugart has carrying out spatiotemporal Job; chapters containing God’s achieved a truly extra-ordinary analyses of nature, there is “Whirlwind Speech” purporting to survey and analysis. I use the a growing recognition by be the divine answer to questions qualification “extra” in its pure ecologists of the need to take about life and its problems sense of “beyond the usual account of time and space posed in the early part of the or expected”. He should be dimensions when performing book, albeit posing a new set of congratulated for writing a book statistics. But this can be questions. Shugart’s treatment which is both intellectually somewhat overwhelming and is not a theological analysis fascinating and easy to read – is easy to get wrong. This nor an evangelistic apologia, but also important. It can be new edition is substantially but a powerful demonstration recommended as a worthwhile expanded and aims to provide that our ecological problems gift for school students or aged ecologists with the background, are not unique or even novel academics; perhaps it should array of methods and the to this generation; they are also be required reading for necessary steps to carry out old problems magnified by politicians obsessed with the this kind of analysis properly. contemporary practices, immediate and short-term. To Written in an accessible manner, worsened by population growth quote the Bible again, “Whoever with helpful diagrams, this is the and resource use, and are now has ears, let them hear.” perfect reference text. modifying the internal feedbacks REFERENCE of the planet. I know nothing about Shugart’s personal Pimm, S. (2001) The World beliefs or theological expertise. According to Pimm: a scientist He says he came across the audits the Earth. McGraw-Hill “whirlwind speech” when looking Professional. for an appropriate reading for Sam Berry his mother’s funeral. He has certainly read around its context,

64 britishecologicalsociety.org

DIARY

THE SOCIETY’S MEETINGS JUL 5 AUG 30- SEP 4 Royal Entomological Society Insect Festival Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystems The Society’s Meetings (meetings of the 2015. York, UK. Further details: www. 2015. Liverpool, UK. Details from: www. Special Interest Groups are listed on p19) royensoc.co.uk/content/insect-festival-2015 aquaticbiodiversityandecosystems.org/ 2015 about-the-conference/ JUL 5-10 JUL 13-14 9th IALE World Congress. Portland AUG 31-SEP 02 The Ecology and Evolution of Emerging Hilton, Portland, Oregon USA. Website: Biomarkers 2015 – Lab to Industry as Plant Pests and Pathogens: Challenges www.ialeworldcongress.org/ Biosignatures to Therapeutic Discovery. to Global Food Security and Ecosystem Toronto, Canada. Website from: http:// Resilience. Penryn Campus, University of JUL 12-16 biomarkers.conferenceseries.com/ Exeter. Website: www.britishecologicalsociety. 52nd Annual Meeting of the Association for org/events/current_future_meetings/2015- Tropical Biology and Conservation. Honolulu, SEP 1-4 annual-symposia/ Hawaii. Website: http://www.tropicalbio.org/ Royal Geographic Society Annual International Conference. University of DEC 13-16 JUL 13-16 Exeter, UK. Details from: www.rgs.org/ 2015 British Ecological Society Annual 3rd Annual International Conference on WhatsOn/Whats+on.htm Meeting. EICC, Edinburgh. Details http://www. Ecology, Ecosystems and Climate Change. britishecologicalsociety.org/events/current_ Athens, Greece. Details from: http://www. SEP 2-4 future_meetings/2015-annual-meeting/ atiner.gr/ecology.htm Ento ’15 – Insect Ecosystem Services. Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Details from: www. The Society’s Committee Meetings 2015 JUL 19-24 royensoc.co.uk/content/res-annual-national- 7th European Hemiptera Congress. Styria, science-meeting-international-symposium- JUN 11 Austria. Details from: http://www.oekoteam. ento-15-2-4-september-2015 Council at/first-announcement-menu.html. SEP 14-18 SEP 15 AUG 2-6 14th International Symposium on Aquatic Finance & Management Board ICCB – ECCB 2015 Mission Biodiversity, Plants. Edinburgh, UK. Details from: https:// Choosing new paths for conservation. sites.google.com/site/aquaticplants2015/. OCT 14 Montpellier, France. Website: www.iccb- Meetings Committee eccb2015.org/ SEP 20-24 13th International Conference – Ecology NOV 17 AUG 9-AUG14 and Management of Alien Plant Invasions. Finance Board 100th Annual Meeting 2015 Ecological Hawaii, USA. Details from: www.emapi2015. Society of America. Baltimore Convention DEC 13 hawaii-conference.com/ Center, Baltimore, MD, USA. Website: http:// Council www.esa.org/esa/?page_id=2722 DEC 29-3 2015 Annual Conference of the Ecological Other 2015 AUG 10-14 Society of Australia. Adelaide Oval, South 15th European Society for Evolutionary Australia. Website: www.kaigi.eventsair.com/ JUN 18 Biology meeting. Lausanne, Switzerland. QuickEventWebsitePortal/esa2015/esa2015 Plant Conservation – now is the time Website from: http://www3.unil.ch/wpmu/ to change our minds. Linnean Society, eseb2015/. Piccadilly, London. Website: www.linnean. Other 2016 org/Meetings-and-Events/Events AUG 17-19 FEB 9-12 2015 Crayfish Conference. Giggleswick North Species on the Move – Detection, Impacts, JUN 26-29 Yorkshire. Website: http://www.fba.org.uk/ Prediction & Adaptation. Hobart, Tasmania. Evolution 2015. Casa Grande Hotel Resort. other-conferences-and-courses Guaruja, Brazil. Website: http://sbg.org.br/ Website: http://www.speciesonthemove.com/ Evolution2015/ AUG 23-27 APR 26-MAY 1 SER 2015 6th World Conference on Ecological 7th International Conference on Fossil JUN 30- JUL 3 Restoration. Manchester, UK. Website from: Insects, Arthropods and Amber. Edinburgh, Society of Experimental Biology www.ser2015.org/ Annual Meeting. Prague. Website: UK. Details from: www.steppe.org/event/7th- www.sebiology.org/meetings/ AUG24- AUG29 intl-conference-on-fossil-insects-arthropods- ISME15- International Society for Microbial amber/ JUN 30-JUL 3 Biology. Seoul, South Korea. Website: JUL 4-7 European Society for Ecological Economics /www.isme-microbes.org/. 2015: Transformations. Leeds, UK. The Society of Experimental Biology Website: www.esee2015.org/ Annual Meeting. Brighton, UK. Website: www.sebiology.org/meetings/index.php

65 BES BULLETIN VOL 46:2 / JUNE 2015

AUG 15-19 15th International Peat Congress. Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Website: http://ipc2016.com

SEP 25-30 Entomological Society of America. Orlando, Florida. Website: http://ice2016orlando.org/.

SEP 25-30 ICE 2016. International Congress of Entomology. Orlando, Florida, USA. Website: http://ice2016orlando.org/.

Training Workshops JUN 26-JUL 26 Tropical Biology Association course 15/1 – Tropical Forest Ecosystems in Tanzania. Details from: http://www.tropical-biology.org/ training/courses/future_courses.htm

JUL 15-11 Innsbruck Summer School of Alpine Research. Obergurgl, Austria. Details from: http://www.uibk.ac.at/geographie/ summerschool/.

AUG 5 – SEP 4 Tropical Biology Association course 15/2 – Tropical Forest Ecosystems in Uganda. Details from: http://www.tropical-biology.org/ training/courses/future_courses.htm

NOV 14 – DEC 14 Tropical Biology Association course 15/3 – Tropical Forest Ecosystems in Madagascar. Details from: http://www.tropical-biology.org/ training/courses/future_courses.htm

The Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management runs a wide variety of workshops for professional development. For further information and availability see www.cieem.net or e-mail [email protected].

The Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling runs a variety of workshops on a regular basis. For further information and availability see www.creem. st-and.ac.uk/conferences.php

University of Oxford Field Techniques for Surveying Mammals & Reptiles. Online course that can be taken for academic credit (10 CATS points at QCF Level 7) or not for credits. Details from http://www.conted.ox.ac. uk/ftsmr02.

Printed on Revive 100 white offset, made from 100% recycled waste and fully FSC® certified. Printed with vegetable-based ink.

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The picture is of an oil painting by Leslie J Watson, which was exhibited in the 1956 summer Royal Academy exhibition at Burlington House. It was described by The Times as “four elderly gentlemen out botanizing in the sun, The Naturalists”. It depicts Arthur Tansley and Alex Watt standing, and E B Ford and Cyril Diver kneeling. The locality was an East Anglian heath near Woodbridge in the summer of 1949. These four men made, individually, highly significant contributions to the development of ecology and nature conservation.

Leslie J Watson, the artist, was Secretary of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee (1945-47) of the post- war National Parks Committee, from which the Nature Conservancy emerged by Royal Charter in May 1949, obtaining its statutory powers later that year under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. As a chartered body, the Conservancy was in all but name a research council. Watson took part in numerous surveys to select National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). The painting was made from a photograph taken on an excursion whilst searching for typical heath land.

Professor Sir Arthur Tansley FRS was founder President of the British Ecological Society (1913) and uniquely President a second time on its twenty-fifth anniversary in 1938. He edited the Journal of Ecology 1916-37. Tansley was Sherardian Professor of Botany at Oxford 1927-37 (and later Emeritus Professor of Botany). His monumental work ‘The British Islands and their Vegetation’ was published in 1939. Research by Dr Alex S Watt FRS (Lecturer in Botany, Cambridge University) promoted the study of plant communities as working mechanisms, epitomised in his classic paper ‘Pattern and process in the plant community’ (1947). He served as BES President in 1946. Work by Dr E B Ford FRS (Reader in Genetics & Comparative Anatomy, Oxford University) formed the basis of modern ecological genetics and his studies on melanism in the peppered moth (Biston betularia) were fundamental to the genetics underlying polymorphism and its evolution. Captain Cyril Diver CBE, CB (ecologist and conservationist) was also President of the Society (1940) and became the first Director General of the Nature Conservancy. His work on the Studland Peninsula, Dorset was one of the first whole ecosystem studies in the UK.

It is believed that two paintings of the same subject were executed by L J Watson, one was purchased by the Nature Conservancy from the Royal Academy exhibition and the second was acquired for the Botany School, Cambridge University by Professor R G West FRS, where it hangs today.

William Block