Online edition: ew 2009-0900 Print edition: ISSN 2009-8464
ISSUE 16 Autumn/Winter 2017
Lichens of Ireland
From Local to Global Irish citizen scientists contributing to the global biodiversity database
The Crayfish Plague Are we on the brink of Irish Crayfish extinction?
Biodiversity Tales All the news from recording schemes for butterflies, bugs and birds Contents NEWS...... 3
Biodiversity Ireland Issue 16 Autumn/Winter 2017 Would you like to put your local wildlife on the map?...... 6 Biodiversity Ireland is published by the National We ask some of Ireland’s biodiversity recorders why they record Biodiversity Data Centre. Enquiries should be sent to the editor, Juanita Browne, [email protected] Annual Recorders Field Meeting 2017...... 9 The National Biodiversity Data Centre, Beechfield House, WIT West Campus, Recorders hit windswept Belmullet in search of the Great Yellow Bumblebee Carriganore, Waterford. Tel: +353 (0)51 306240 GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility...... 10 Email: [email protected] Web: www.biodiversityireland.ie Ireland playing its part in recording the Earth’s biodiversity
Management Board Giving Irish wildlife a well-needed check-up ...... 12 The National Biodiversity Data Centre is governed by Dr Tomás Murray provides an update on Ireland’s National Biodiversity Indicators a Management Board, established by the Heritage Council. The Management Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the work of the BIODIVERSITY BEGINNERS – Lichens ...... 14 National Biodiversity Data Centre and for ensuring proper corporate governance. Paul Whelan introduces this often overlooked group.
The composition of the Management Board: BIODIVERSITY TALES...... 17
Michael Starrett Chief Executive, Updates on Birds, Whales, Bryophytes and Bugs The Heritage Council
Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe Director, National Parks and Wildlife Service Staff of the National Biodiversity Data Centre Dr Matthew Jebb Director, National Botanic Gardens
Dr Peter McLoughlin Head of School of Science Dr. Úna Fitzpatrick, Senior Barry O’Neill, Data and and Computing Ecologist, was responsible ICT Manager, is responsible Department, Waterford for the development of, and for the IT infrastructure and Institute of Technology oversees delivery of, the All- database management Nigel Monaghan Keeper, National Museum of Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015- activities of the Data Centre. Ireland – Natural History Division 2020, and is responsible for He developed the Citizen Jack Nolan Head of Nitrates, Biodiversity and the plant and vegetation work programmes of the Science Data Portal and other online data capture Engineering Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Data Centre. This includes management of the systems that are provided as shared services to National Vegetation Database and contributing to partner organisations. Rachel Kenny Director of Planning, An Bord Pleanála development of the Irish Vegetation Classification System. Declan Quigley Senior Port Office, Sea Fisheries Protection Authority Staff News – Dr Liam Lysaght, Centre Mark Wright Head of Evidence, Natural new appointments Environment Division, Northern Director, is responsible for Ireland Environment Agency setting the strategic direction
Bernadette Guest Heritage Officer, Waterford City of the Data Centre and overall Juanita Browne, All-Ireland and County Council management of the operations Pollinator Plan Officer, is and work programme. He takes the lead on much of Dr. Micheál Lehane Director, responsible for engaging Print edition ISS 200 - 7 Environmental Protection Agency the Data Centre’s citizen science engagement and with partner organisations Online edition ISS 200 - is responsible for building relations with partner The National Biodiversity Data Centre is an initiative of to assist implementation the Heritage Council and is operated under a service organisations. He also serves as Head of Delegation of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and to promote level agreement by Compass Informatics. The Centre for Ireland to the Global Biodiversity Information is funded by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the conservation of Ireland’s pollinators. She also Facility. The National Biodiversity Data Centre the Gaeltacht. contributes to communications activities of the Data ANN AL Centre. view Dr Tomás Murray, Senior . Re Ecologist, deals with much Ben Malone, Administrative of the analysis, ecological and Engagement Officer, 2016 modelling and national is responsible for day-to- reporting work of the Data day office management Centre. His responsibilities include management of at the Centre. He also the Butterfly and Bumblebee Monitoring Schemes, has developed and is coordinating the Centre’s and delivery of the National Biodiversity Indicators, engagement and outreach programme, including and providing advice on biodiversity survey design. organising the capacity-building recorder workshops.
Colette O’Flynn, Invasive Enya Cody, Intern, is the Species Officer, is responsible latest recruit to the Data for the Invasive Species work Centre. Enya is on a short- programmes of the Data Centre. term Internship, working She manages the National on the National Vegetation Invasive Species Database, Database and assisting with the invasive species provides coordination of invasive species data and work programme. information, and contributes advice and policy Cover: Teloschistes chrysophthalmus support at the national and European level. Courtesy of Paul Whelan, www.lichens.ie Director’s Comment . The National Biodiversity Plan 2017 –2021 . n October 5th, the the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and supporting long-term Minister for Culture, monitoring. And we are particularly excited by our plans Heritage and the to begin work on mapping Key Biodiversity Areas and Gaeltacht published Biologically Significant Marine Areas, with our partners. OIreland’s third National This is the kind of added value analysis that is now possible Biodiversity Plan. This is a very thanks to the huge amount of data that is available to the significant milestone for Ireland’s Data Centre. Think of the value of having detailed maps biodiversity as it sets out the of Ireland and its marine waters that identify the most Government’s plans for the conservation of biological important areas for biodiversity, using scientific criteria based diversity up to 2021. The Plan identifies seven key objectives on empirical data? This will surely provide an important over the lifetime of the plan: to mainstream biodiversity, to additional policy tool to target conservation measures.. strengthen the knowledge base, to increase awareness and appreciation, to conserve and restore biodiversity …the Plan is not accompanied by any budget in the wider countryside, to conserve or real commitment to increase the amount and restore biodiversity in the marine environment, to improve and of spending to help biodiversity. expand management of protected areas and species, and to strengthen international governance A clear policy statement by the Government on the for biodiversity. Under each of these objectives there are conservation of biological diversity is very welcomed, and it a series of actions identified, 119 in all, and an associated should serve as the rallying call around which the biodiversity performance indicator, against which progress with delivery sector galvanises. Yet what was notable about the publication can be measured. of the National Biodiversity Plan was how it was met with a A glance down the long list of actions sees that all the boxes general lack of enthusiasm amongst the wider biodiversity are ticked. New legislation, a ‘no net loss’ of biodiversity sector. One reason for this, perhaps, is that the publication of commitment, increased capacity within local authorities a national plan alone is not sufficient to engender enthusiasm, to deal with biodiversity, developing a Natural Capital but must be accompanied by a general sense of drive and Asset Register, implementing the Climate Change Sectoral energy to make individuals and organisations feel that this Adaptation Plan, greening Origin Green, implementing is a new beginning. Sadly, there is little evidence that its a mechanism for payment of ecosystem services, and publication will radically alter the current trajectory of the development of a National Biodiversity Finance Plan, and conservation of biological diversity efforts in Ireland. And to this is just a selection of the actions under the first objective! use a nature metaphor, the elephant in the room is that the It is hard to disagree that this long list of actions is needed; Plan is not accompanied by any budget or real commitment if they were implemented then the conservation of biological to increase the amount of spending to help biodiversity. This diversity should be in a much better state than it is at the end of is strange given that, by the Department’s own estimation, 2017. And from the perspective of the Data Centre, there are 24 biodiversity contributes a minimum of €2.6 billion each actions to which we must contribute. We are pleased year to the Irish economy through the ecosystem goods and that the national plan recognises the value of the services it provides. From the perspective of the Data Centre
Print edition ISS 200 - 7 Online edition ISS 200 - work we do in coordinating biological recording, it will be difficult to assist the implementation of the National in supporting implementation of legislation on Biodiversity Plan to the extent we feel we should, without invasive species, in implementation of. being adequately resourced to do so. . 12 The National Biodiversity Data Centre ANN AL Specled wood (Liam Lysaght) view 20 Case Study: Re Ireland Red List No. 11: Cartilaginous fi sh (sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras) Expected benefi ts (short-term):
What is it? ○ delivery of an objective and comprehensive The International Union for the Conservation Nature evaluation of the conservation status of Red List process is the standardised approach cartilaginous fi sh within Ireland’s Exclusive Reporting on progress… adopted worldwide to evaluating the extinction Economic Zone and The Adjacent Waters risk of species. In 2006 a Regional Chondrichthyan Boundaries of Northern Ireland. 2016 (sharks, rays, skates and chimaera) Red List for ○ provison of a comprehensive all-island database of the North East Atlantic was completed prior to cartilaginous fi sh records to support conservation the compilation of the Global Red List for sharks, research and policy, and a baseline for future skates and rays in 2007. Both Red Lists highlighted iterations of the Red List. that, of the 78 species known to occur in Irish waters, 23 are of global importance (listed as What has been achieved in 2016? Annual Review 2016 Taxonomic composition critical, endangered and vulnerable) with a further The Red List No. 11: Cartilaginous fi sh (sharks, skates, 11 being considered near threatened worldwide. rays and chimaeras) was completed and published at the end of 2016. Managed by the Data Centre, More than one third (35%) of all records contained Top 20 species No. of the supporting database represents over 520,000 in the National Biodiversity Database are of higher with most records records fi sh across 72 species recorded from both Irish and plants, 29% birds, 18% terrestrial and freshwater international surveys. In addition, two species invertebrates, 9% lower plants (cryptogams), 6% Gannet - Morus bassanus 55207 previously unknown in Irish waters were discovered mammals, 2% marine and estuarine invertebrates, Grey seal - Halichoerus grypus 50999 as part of the Red List process. Of the 72 species The National Biodiversity Data Centre published its Annual Review with fish, amphibians and reptiles together Fulmar - Fulmarus glacialis found in Irish waters, 13 were not assessed as they are accounting for less than 1% of all records. 49081 rare ‘vagrant’ species whose populations are largely Badger - Meles meles 47692 found outside of Irish waters. However, of the 59 Guillemot - Uria aalge species that were evaluated, 29% were considered igher plants 39424 threatened and another 32% of near threatened Manx shearwater - Puffi nus puffi nus in October 2017, providing an overview of the work of the Centre Birds 2 30846 status; in combination, the highest proportion of a In ertebrate - terrestrial freshwater 1 Kittiwake - Rissa tridactyla group on an Irish Red List thus far. In particular, 28851 ower plants Blackbird - out of the 11 species identifi ed as either critically Turdus merula Mammals 24931 endangered or endangered, Irish waters contain one Robin - Erithacus rubecula Others of the few last known refuges for eight of these 24555 during 2016, and highlighting some of the Data Centre’s achievements. Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes 24028 species in Europe. Chaffi nch - Fringilla coelebs 23316 Magpie - Pica pica Sharks and their relatives, including 21703 skates, rays and chimaeras, are Woodpigeon - Columba palumbus collectively termed chondrichthyan 21570 The highlights are presented as different case studies under the seven fishes. Many of these species are Speckled wood - Pararge aegeria Porbeagle is Critically Endangered in Irish waters (Doug Perrine) increasingly threatened with extinction as a 21417 Hooded crow - Corvus cornix result of human activities and the conservative 21259 life history traits of this group of fi shes. Generally, Jackdaw - Corvus monedula 20436 However, 59% of these threatened species are data chondrichthyans are slow growing and late to mature Rook - Corvus frugilegus defi cient in the North East Atlantic, highlighting with low fecundity. These characteristics result in strategic objectives identified by the Data Centre for the period 2013- 20287 very low rates of potential population increase with Blue tit - Cyanistes caeruleus an immediate need for a data-driven Irish Regional 20078 Red List. Initiated in 2014, the Data Centre manged little capacity to recover from overfi shing (directly Breakdown by taxonomic group of the records in Song thrush - Turdus philomelos the collation of cartilaginous fi sh records in support or their prey being overfished), pollution and the National Biodiversity Database 19747 habitat destruction. Of the 116 species found in the Starling - Sturnus vulgaris of an Irish Regional Red List in collaboration 19670 with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Northeast Atlantic, 25% are under threat and 18% 2017. The report demonstrates the strategic value of the work of the Data Marine Institute, Inland Fisheries Ireland, the Irish of ‘Near Threatened’ status. In collaboration with Elasmobranch Group and the Marine Division of the the Department Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Marine Institute and University College Dublin, ,000,000 Department of Environment Northern Ireland. the Data Centre has collated a database of >300,000 The National Biodiversity Data Centre - Annual Review 2016 , 00,000 records across 200 years and 77 Irish species to Centre, highlights the importance of building an evidence base on Ireland’s support the development of an International Union ,000,000 for the Conservation of Nature Regional Red List 2, 00,000 assessment of chondrichthyan fi sh in Irish waters to be published in 2016. 2,000,000
1, 00,000 biodiversity and how it is changing, and clearly demonstrates the added
1,000,000