INTERVIEW HOW TO BE… UK BAT DR SANDY KNAPP ON HER AN EXPERT SPECIES FASCINATION WITH PLANTS WITNESS 18 EXPLAINED

THE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINE ⁄www.societyofbiology.org ISSN 0006-3347 • Vol 62 No 3 • Jun/Jul 2015 LIFE ON THE REEF Unravelling the mysteries of coral NEWNEWNEW FROMFROM FROM GARLANDGARLAND GARLAND SCIENCE SCIENCE SCIENCE CellCellCell MembranesMembranes Membranes NEW FROM GARLANDLukasLukasLukas K.K. K. Buehler,Buehler, Buehler, SouthwesternSouthwestern Southwestern College, College, College, USA USASCIENCE USA CellCell CellMembranes Membranes Membranes offers offers offers a solida solid a solidfoundation foundation foundation for for for NEW FROM GARLANDunderstandingunderstandingunderstanding the the structurethe structure structure andSCIENCE and functionand function function of biologicalof ofbiological biological NEW FROM GARLANDmembranes.membranes.membranes. SCIENCE The book explores the composition and dynamics of cell TheThe book book explores explores the the composition composition and and dynamics dynamics of cellof cell membranes—discussing the molecular and biological NEW FROM GARLANDmembranes—discussingmembranes—discussing theSCIENCE the molecular molecular and and biological biological diversity of its lipid and protein components and how the diversitydiversity of itsof itslipid lipid and and protein protein components components and and how how the the combinatorialcombinatorial richness richness of both of bothcomponents components explains explains the the Cell Membranes chemical,combinatorial mechanical, richness and of self-renewing both components properties explains of cellthe chemical, mechanical, and self-renewing properties of cell membranes.chemical, mechanical, and self-renewing properties of cell Cell Membranes membranes.membranes. Cell Membranes is a valuable resource for advanced Cell Membranes CellCell Membranes Membranes is a is valuable a valuable resource resource for for advanced advanced undergraduateundergraduate students, students, graduate graduate students, students, and and professionals.undergraduate students, graduate students, and June 2015 • Paperback professionals. Lukas K. Buehler, SouthwesternJune 2015 • Paperback College, USA professionals. Cell MembranesJune400pp 2015 • 263 • Paperback illus 400pp • 263 illus 400pp978-0-8153-4196-3 • 263 illus £55.00978-0-8153-4196-3 Lukas K. Buehler, Southwestern978-0-8153-4196-3£55.00 College, USA £55.00 Lukas K. Buehler, SouthwesternContents: College, USA Contents: Contents:Part I The Outer Limits of Life: The Structure Part II The Living Membrane: The Function Part I The Outer Limits of Life: The Structure Part II The Living Membrane: The Function Lukas K. Buehler, SouthwesternPartand IDynamics The Outer of Limits Cell Membranes of Life: The StructureCollege, ofPart Cell II Membranes The Living Membrane: TheUSA Function and Dynamics of Cell Membranes of Cell Membranes andChapter Dynamics 1: The of Role Cell of Membranes Membranes in Cells Chapterof Cell Membranes6: Separation: Membranes as Chapter 1: The Role of Membranes in Cells Chapter 6: Separation: Membranes as Chapter 1: The and RoleOrganisms of Membranes in Cells Chapter 6: Surface Separation: and Interface Membranes as Cell Membranes and Organisms offers Surface anda Interface solid foundation for Chapter 2: andThe MolecularOrganisms Organization of Chapter 7: Exchange: Surface andMembrane Interface Crossings Chapter 2: The Molecular Organization of Chapter 7: Exchange: Membrane Crossings Chapter 2: The Cell MolecularMembranes Organization of ChapterChapter 8: 7: Integration: Exchange: MembraneMembranes Crossingsas Cell Membranes Chapter 8: Integration: Membranes as Cell Chapter Membranes 3: CellThe StructureMembranes of Membrane Chapteroffers 8: Gatekeepers Integration: of InformationaMembranes solid as foundation for Chapter Proteins3: The Structure of Membrane Chapter 9: Metabolism: Gatekeepers Growing of Information understandingChapter 3: The Structure of Membrane the structure Gatekeepers of Information and function of biological CellChapter Membranes 4: The Proteins Biological Diversity of offersChapter Membranes, 9: Metabolism: Sustaininga Growingsolid Cells foundation for Proteins Chapter 9: Metabolism: Growing Chapter Membrane4: The Biological Lipids Diversity of Membranes, Sustaining Cells understandingChapter 4: The Biological Diversity of the structure Membranes, Sustaining Cells and function of biological CellChapter Membranes 5: The Membrane Shape of Membranes Lipids and offers a solid foundation for understandingmembranes. 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Cell Membranesmembranes.chemical, mechanical, and self-renewing properties of cell Cell MembranesCellmembranes. Membranes is a valuable resource for advanced Cell Membranes is a valuable resource for advanced Lukas K. Buehler, SouthwesternCellundergraduate Membranes College, students, is a valuable graduate USA resource students, for advanced and undergraduate students, graduate students, and Lukas K. Buehler, Southwesternundergraduateprofessionals.Cell Membranes College, students, is a valuable graduate USA resource students, for advanced and June 2015 • Paperback professionals. 400ppJune 2015 • 263 • Paperbackillus professionals.undergraduate students, graduate students, and 978-0-8153-4196-3400ppJune 2015 • 263 • Paperbackillus professionals.Cell Membranes offers a solid foundation for £55.00978-0-8153-4196-3June400pp 2015 • 263 • Paperbackillus understandingCell Membranes the offers structure a solid and foundation function offor biological £55.00400pp978-0-8153-4196-3 • 263 illus 978-0-8153-4196-3£55.00 membranes.understanding the structure and function of biological Contents:£55.00 membranes. 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Chulaproteins Vista,Membranes from California,His diverse research as interest is in and biological Organisms membranes and how membrane transport Surface proteinsand Interface from diverse interestorganisms—fromteaching is general in and biological Organisms biology, bacteria membranes cell to humans—function.biology, and human how membrane physiology, transport and Surface bioinformatics. proteinsand Interface from His diverse research Chapterinterestorganisms—from is2: in The biological Molecular bacteria membranes Organizationto humans—function. and howof membraneChapter 7:transport Exchange: proteins Membrane from diverseCrossings Chapterorganisms—from 2: TheCell MolecularMembranes bacteria Organizationto humans—function. of Chapter 8:7: Integration:Exchange: Membrane Membranes Crossings as organisms—from Cell Membranes bacteria to humans—function.Chapter 8: Integration: Membranes as Chapter 3: The Structure of Membrane Gatekeeperswww.garlandscience.com of Information Chapter 3: TheProteins Structure of Membrane Chapter 9: Metabolism:Gatekeeperswww.garlandscience.com ofGrowing Information Proteins Chapter 9: Metabolism:www.garlandscience.com Growing Cell MembranesChapter with Bleed.indd 4: 1 The Biological Diversity of Membranes,www.garlandscience.com Sustaining Cells 15/05/2015 15:36:24 Cell MembranesChapter with Bleed.indd 4: 1 The Biological Diversity of Membranes, Sustaining Cells 15/05/2015 15:36:24 Cell Membranes with Bleed.indd 1 Membrane Lipids 15/05/2015 15:36:24 Cell MembranesChapter with Bleed.indd 5: 1 TheMembrane Shape of Lipids Membranes and 15/05/2015 15:36:24 Chapter 5: TheirThe Shape Transformations of Membranes and Their Transformations About the Author: About the Author: Lukas K. Buehler received his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Basel in Switzerland.Lukas K. Buehler He is received a Professor his PhDof Biology in biochemistry at Southwestern from the College, University Chula of Vista, Basel California, in teachingSwitzerland. general He is biology, a Professor cell biology,of Biology human at Southwestern physiology, andCollege, bioinformatics. Chula Vista, California,His research interestteaching is general in biological biology, membranes cell biology, and human how membrane physiology, transport and bioinformatics. proteins from His diverse research organisms—frominterest is in biological bacteria membranes to humans—function. and how membrane transport proteins from diverse organisms—from bacteria to humans—function.

www.garlandscience.com www.garlandscience.com

Cell Membranes with Bleed.indd 1 15/05/2015 15:36:24 Cell Membranes with Bleed.indd 1 15/05/2015 15:36:24 Contents Volume 62 No 3 June/July 2015

SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY Charles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street, London WC1N 2JU Sam Hardman Tel: 020 7685 2550. Fax: 020 3514 3204 [email protected] on how bird song www.societyofbiology.org is affected by EDITORIAL STAFF Director of Membership, Marketing urban noise and Communications PAGE 20 Jon Kudlick MSB Editor Sue Nelson @ScienceNelson Managing Editor Tom Ireland MSB @Tom_J_Ireland [email protected] Communications and Events Officer Karen Patel MSB [email protected] Membership enquiries Tel: 01233 504804 [email protected] Subscription enquiries Tel: 020 7685 2556 [email protected] EDITORIAL BOARD Susan Alexander BSc PGCE CBiol CSci MSB MRSPH FRGS J Ian Blenkharn CBiol FSB FRSPH Phil Collier MSc PhD CBiol FSB FLS FHE Cameron S Crook BSc MPhil CBiol MSB MIEEM FLS Rajith Dissanayake MSc PhD FZS AMSB Catherine Duigan BSc PhD FSB FLS John Heritage BA DPhil CBiol FSB Sue Howarth BSc PhD CBiol FSB Allan Jamieson BSc PhD CBiol FSB Catherine Jopling BSc PhD MSB Leslie Rose BSc CBiol FSB FICR The Biologist is produced on behalf of the Society of Biology by Think Publishing Ltd Capital House 25 Chapel Street London NW1 5DH www.thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7200 Art director Matthew Ball Design Alistair McGown Production editor Sian Campbell Sub editor Kirsty Fortune Publisher John Innes [email protected] IN THIS ISSUE REGULARS Non-member rates: £120.00 05 OPINION: Fact or fiction? 16 BAT CONSERVATION 02 NELSON’S COLUMN ISSN 0006-3347 The role of novels in Dr Kate Barlow examines 04 UP FRONT Advertising in The Biologist represents an unparalleled opportunity to reach a large shaping scientists’ image findings from UK research Society news and community of professional biologists. 09 OPINION: Blind to plants 20 BIRD SONG opinions; Inside View; For advertising information contact Changing the perception of Why birds change their and members’ images Bill Sheehan, [email protected] the kingdom Plantae tune in urban areas 30 SPOTLIGHT ON… 020 3603 7932 Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily 10 POLICY 24 INTERVIEW Systems biology those of the Editorial Board or the Society of Biology. Returning to work after a Botanist Dr Sandy Knapp 32 MEMBERS © 2015 Society of Biology career break & policy news on her love of plants 36 REVIEWS (Registered charity no. 277981) 12 MARINE BIOLOGY 28 HOW TO BE… 40 BRANCHES The Society permits single copying of individual articles for private study or research, irrespective of Are corals animal, mineral, AN EXPERT WITNESS 46 BIOFEEDBACK where the copying is done. Multiple copying of individual articles for teaching purposes is also or plant? Dr Brian Roy Nick Deal on preparing to 47 CROSSWORD permitted without specific permission. For copying or reproduction for any other purpose, written Rosen explains give evidence in court 48 MUSEUM PIECE permission must be sought from the Society. Exceptions to the above are those institutions and non-publishing organisations that have an agreement Facebook “f” Logo RGB / .ai Facebook “f” Logo RGB / .ai or licence with the UK Copyright Licensing Agency or TWITTER FACEBOOK BLOG WEBSITE the US Copyright Clearance Center. Access to the thebiologist. magazine is available online; please see the @Society_Biology www.facebook.com/ societyofbiology Society’s website for further details. societyofbiology blog.org societyofbiology.org

Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 1 Welcome Nelson’s column BioPic

HUMMINGBIRD By Thomas Padfield, course leader for Applied Science, Stanmore College Pictured in the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, From coral Costa Rica to court here are many seasick on a boat en route to see reasons why the Great Barrier Reef and university led realising, upon arrival, that it was to my career in all worth it. These memories journalism rather returned with the article on coral than science. by Brian Roy Rosen from London’s These include Natural History Museum, which is Tgossiping during time meant hosting an exhibition on coral until for experimental physics, and mid-September (see page 12). Seen Seen up managing my finals revision up close, especially when diving, around the rehearsal schedule of coral is a mass of living colour, close, Cardiff’s Sherman Arena Theatre, some with tentacles undulating especially as I was about to play Rita in a with the current. Brian goes into two week run of Billy Liar. Not some amazing detail about these when diving, surprisingly, a career on a media medusas of the sea. coral is a stage proved a better fit. It also reminded me of an Another reason is that most occasion where travel, comedy and mass of journalists, even when specialists, science collided. Several years ago, living colour are still generalists. If your beat is I took the train to the Coral Reef science, this specialism covers Research Unit at the University of everything from biology to the Essex to do a radio interview with a biosciences to astronomy, forensics biologist. Once it was over, he asked and chemistry. No human brain is me to follow him towards the exit large enough for a detailed as people often got lost on their way knowledge of every science, but out. So, head down while checking journalists are good at researching emails on my phone, I followed him SUE NELSON and getting up to speed quickly along several corridors and through Editor with the subject of a story, then a door before realising there was a writing about it in a way that will wall ahead. I stopped and raised my engage a wide audience. For head to find myself inside the gents’ butterfly brains this is ideal. toilets with two terrified men at a Many journalists, including urinal and a wide-eyed biologist so myself, often have difficulty astonished at my presence that he recalling recent short term was unable to speak. projects as afterwards they There’s a lot to be said for are immersed in something sticking to one thing at a time. completely different – almost But if you are interested in like temporarily erasing part of multitasking and expanding your the brain’s hard drive in order career, turn to the section about to create more head space for becoming an expert witness (page something else. When I was 28). It includes the personal younger, this was especially experience of microbiologist important as I juggled science, and editorial board member of travel and comedy writing. The Biologist Ian Blenkharn. Somehow though, unlike the Several board members will be science stories or gags written stepping down over the next year for sketch shows, I can always after having served their terms. remember the countries I’ve Thanks go to all of them for their visited: snorkelling above stunning enthusiasm, knowledge and coral reefs off the coast of Bali, support. Do think about applying to admiring a school of dolphins in join the editorial board. I promise the Straits of Gibraltar, or feeling not to follow you into the loo.

2 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Opinion Rebecca Nesbit Up front Scientific programme manager at Nobel Media

Rebecca’s first novel, A Column of Smoke, was Society news published last year. BioPic Scientists: let’s embrace NEXT STOP: A POLKA-DOT TREE FROG (HYPSIBOAS PUNCTATUS) By Seline Dilmec AMSB fiction as well as facts Found during a research trip LATITUDE FESTIVAL in the Pacaya-Samiria region How story-telling can tell the truth about science of the Amazon ovels can provide a glimpse into the culture and social attitudes of different times and places. You can experience other people’s worlds during your morning Ncommute, and this may be the closest you’ll come to understanding the life of a soldier, detective or medieval queen. This raises the worrying point of what opinion readers might build of scientists if novels were all they had to go by. Scientists in novels, it seems, are a dangerous bunch, liable Fictional scientists are often mad or evil to unleash a killer virus, build a deadly weapon or assemble monsters from body parts. who better to write fiction about science Realistic portrayals of scientists are hard to than researchers themselves? Although Sovereign come by. It’s time we tackled the problem. causation is hard to prove, studies1,2 show We’re making great progress in getting that fiction readers score more highly in tests approves scientific information into the popular of empathy, so it’s worth offering people an domain, but how people react to science is insight into scientists’ lives. still affected by their perceptions of scientists. The internet has opened up new Royal title Few readers of The Biologist will have read a possibilities for finding an audience. For paper about homeopathy, yet most of us are example, Jennifer Rohn, a research scientist for Society confident it’s a placebo, because we hear of and author, has set up www.lablit.com, which its ineffectiveness from scientists whose deals with “real laboratory culture and the The Society has been given knowledge and motivations we trust. Would portrayal and perceptions of that culture – permission to become the Royal you come to a different conclusion if you science, scientists and labs – in fiction, the Society of Biology. didn’t understand scientists? media and across popular culture”. Granted by the Sovereign, By providing insights into their world, acting on the advice of Ministers, scientists can help writers portray science ’ve found writing about science extremely the royal title recognises accurately. The organisation Cape Farewell, rewarding. Through my novel I wanted to Festival goers will get the biology as a chance to help record for example, brings together artists and accurately depict scientists involved in species at Latitude’s discipline and the scientists to address climate change. One genetic modification. The image of greedy Henham Park venue. contribution of of its expeditions inspired Ian McEwan’s capitalists keen to bully the honest critics is Below: Society biologists in the satirical novel Solar. The book’s protagonist, Ipervasive, so it seemed time to set the record volunteers at Winchester UK and beyond. climate scientist Michael Beard, is a horrible straight. My protagonist, Sally, certainly Science Festival last year Chief executive specimen who mistreats everyone he comes doesn’t behave like a model scientist, even u Science outreach joint the Society will be attending Henham Park, where Dr Mark Downs into contact with. Yet he still provides an though her motivations are right. In fact, one venture at music festival the popular Suffolk music Latitude is held. EVENTS (pictured) said staff at the insight into life as a scientist, with accounts of of the themes I explore is how good intentions and arts festival, which A team of Society staff and LATITUDE Society were “absolutely thrilled” Arctic field trips and academic conferences. can drive people to do the wrong thing. She he Society attracts more than 25,000 ecologists from BES plan to The festival is at Henham by the news. We don’t have to rely on professional does, however, give a more realistic view of has added people a year. run a range of activities for Park, Southwold, Suffolk “The new status of the Society writers, either. Scientists are all writers, and what scientists do and why they do it. the Latitude Following the success of festival goers including from 16–19th July will help us to spread the word I hope many more scientists will join me in Festival to the Society’s ‘Love Zoo’ insect safaris, bat surveys, about the true value of biology giving honest depictions of scientific life. The its schedule science bus at Wales’ pond dipping and moth and how it can contribute to discussions around children who, when of planned Green Man Festival last trapping. A ‘Bio-Bus’ field improving life for all. This change In fiction, realistic asked to draw a scientist produced pictures outreach year, the Society is joining lab will help people learn recognises the collective efforts portrayals of scientists of bearded men, have become as clichéd as Tevents this summer. the British Ecological more about what they find of many individual members and the images themselves. Fiction provides As well as hosting Society (BES) in trying to and all of the records Member Organisations.” are hard to come by opportunities to tackle the problem. activities and exhibitions at record as many species as collected will be added The name of the Society will the British, Cheltenham and possible in the woodlands, to the UK’s National officially change later this year References 1) Comer Kidd, D. & Castano, E. Reading Literary Fiction Improves Theory of Mind.Science 342(6156), 377–380 (2013). Glasgow science festivals, grasslands and lakes in Biodiversity Network. after constitutional amendments 2) Mar, A. R. et al. Bookworms Versus Nerds: Exposure to fiction versus non-fiction, divergent associations with social

JACK PASCOJACK and rebranding has taken place. ability, and the simulation of fictional social worlds. Journal of Research in Personality 40, 694–712 (2006).

4 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 5 Inside View Up front Jon Kudlick Society news Director of Membership, Marketing and Communications Becoming a biologist: top tips Time for a refresh Celebrations for the Society and The Biologist

Your new look magazine

Dr David Williams FSB

The Society has launched a new video with careers advice from 11 experts across the life sciences as part of its Biology: Changing the World (BCW) project. Anthony Martinelli on the TV The two-minute video uses quiz show and, inset (second clips from longer interviews held from right), at the 2008 with the 11 scientists. International Biology Olympiad The scientists’ tips range from “work very hard” (Dr David Williams FSB, University of Cambridge) to “don’t be scared Olympiad champ wins University Challenge of maths and modelling” (Professor E J Milner-Gulland, former competitor Martinelli was one of the that the last question of the are pleased to announce that Imperial College London). in the Society’s highest scoring entrants in the whole competition was on the four students who will The BCW project aims to biggest biology 2008 British Biology Olympiad botany,” said Martinelli, “and represent the UK at the IBO in celebrate great biologists of the competition has and went on to win a silver the only reason I have any Denmark in July are: Timothy past and present to inspire the captained a team medal for the UK at the knowledge of the suffix Birkle, St Paul’s School; Guy biologists of the future. toA victory in this year’s International Biology Olympiad ‘-aceae’ is an afternoon spent Cheng, Winchester College; University Challenge. Anthony (IBO) in India in the same year. at Kew Gardens training for Matthew Hankins, Reading s I write this, we have just found layout. The aim is to present a more modern A dedicated website for the Martinelli and his team from Speaking after his University the Biology Olympiad.” School; and Rhys Thomson, out that we have been given publication, with space to show off our project has more than 500 Gonville and Caius College, Challenge win, he credited at A record 6,189 students Reigate Grammar School. permission to become the Royal stunning images and to maximise the impact biologist profiles, video Cambridge, beat Magdalen least one correct answer to his took part in this year’s British Martinelli is backing the Society of Biology. This exciting of the rich content in every issue. interviews and stories to College from Oxford in the preparation for the Society’s Biology Olympiad. The Society Society’s goal of hosting the news was closely followed by We now have a more flexible format explore. Visit biologyheritage. final of the TV quiz show. competitions. “I found it funny and UK Biology Competitions 2017 IBO in the UK. AThe Biologist receiving a Highly Commended according to how much news we have to societyofbiology.org accolade at the 2015 MemCom awards. So report. ‘Up front’ now contains a mix of the we have lots to celebrate. news, opinion, policy updates and views from Feedback about The Biologist from the Society. This new column, Inside View, is members has been overwhelmingly positive for contributions from the Society’s staff, £2,380,300 in 2012-13) and our programme) from the UK and maintaining and expanding in recent years, too. In our last survey Council or editorial board, so you will start to From the total incoming resources have Commission for Employment our core activities and our towards the end of 2013, the average reading see a broader range of faces, and ideas. increased to £2,689,400 and Skills, which had to be benefits to members will be time was 55 minutes – more than double the The main features, interviews and regulars (£2,646,100 in 2012-13). We are accounted as income in that challenging over the next year. industry average. Also, the most common like ‘Museum Piece’ remain the same. More Treasurer extremely grateful for the year. The expenditure must be Council, therefore, agreed to a reply to naming the single thing that would importantly, what hasn’t changed is that we substantial contributions from shown in future years and this, small increase in subscriptions improve the magazine was… ‘Nothing’. still need your help. Please keep sending ver the financial our eight ‘enhanced funder’ together with the unrealised loss from October 2015. Some might say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix your great BioPics and do contact us if you year 2013-14, the Member Organisations and on a defined benefit pension I would like to thank Mark it” but, as you will have noticed, we have not would like to write a feature article or an Society has been particularly to the Biochemical scheme closed in 2006, resulted Downs and his team at Charles subscribed to that viewpoint. We have opinion piece. engaged in an Society, which has also provided in an expected overall deficit of Darwin House, our professional worked with our publishing partner, Think, We will be keeping an eye on whether this impressive range a ‘gift in kind’ in the form of a £166,500 in 2013-14. Our accountant Elizabeth Liberda- to give the magazine a new look, logo and refreshed look and format garners further Oof high profile activities covering member of staff seconded to unrestricted general fund, which Moreni, Daniel Ross, the recognition and awards over the coming three main areas: science policy, work on policy issues. TURNOVER INCREASE supports most of our activities, outgoing chair of the Audit years. We’re delighted with the new look, but education and careers, and As explained in my report last (2013-14) showed a modest surplus of Committee, and our auditors The aim is to present a that doesn’t mean anything unless you agree, public engagement activities year, in the accounting year £22,000. Our funds carried BDO LLP, for all they have done so please tell us what you think. including Biology Week. 2012-13, we received a large £2,820,500 forward on 30th September to ensure that the Society’s more modern publication Business author Robert Kriegel wrote a In parallel with our increased ‘restricted’ grant (funds that UP FROM 2014 were £1,762,600. financial position continues to … and to maximise the book called If it ain’t Broke, Break it. I don’t activity, there has been an must be used for a specific, (2012-13) Throughout the year, be sound and transparent. think we’ve gone that far, but we do like to increase in turnover to defined purpose – in this case, £2,380,300 Council closely monitors Pat Goodwin FSB impact of the rich content keep one step ahead. £2,820,500 (up from development of the accreditation incoming and outgoing funds, Honorary Treasurer

6 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 7 Up front Opinion Society news Dawn Sanders Associate professor in biology didactics at Gothenburg University, Sweden 3Rs animal PLANT SCIENCE science event The National Centre for the Replacement, Reduction and CONFERENCE Refinement of Animals (NC3Rs) in Research will be hosting a Plant blindness: one-day symposium in partnership with the Society’s IN BLOOM Animal Sciences Group. u UK PlantSci meeting tackles topical global issues The event will showcase time to find a cure the latest scientific and ore than 135 plant protection products from the technological advances in We must help people see that plants are dynamic, social and vital to life scientists, European market. He emphasised the 3Rs – the replacement, policymakers and that it was important for farmers reduction and refinement of the ociety can no longer afford educators came to understand biodiversity on use of animals in research. to view plants as the scenic together for the farms and work intelligently The symposium has been backdrop to zoological theatre. Mfourth annual UK PlantSci with science and technology to approved for continuing As biologists, we know plants are conference in April. The meeting, improve agricultural productivity professional development by essential to the processes organised by the UK Plant Sciences and sustainability. the Society and will be held Sunderpinning the life support systems of our Federation, addressed issues such The second day began with a on 10th June. planet, but this ecological role is often as how we will feed the world’s keynote talk by Professor Caroline Each year the NC3Rs rendered invisible in our fast paced lives. growing population, how to stop Dean from the John Innes Centre Prize recognises research that The absence of plants in contemporary life the introduction and spread of new about her pioneering work on the has positive implications for is a problematic social condition, and one plant pests and diseases, and how seasonal control of flowering. She animal research. This year’s that requires urgent attention. We need a to preserve biodiversity and other described how her interest in winner was Oliver Britton, an radical shift in focus to address ‘plant natural resources. environmental cues had been Oxford University PhD student blindness’ and start shaping plant based The first day opened with a lively inspired by her experience buying whose computer modelling of narratives that engage human attention Lily pads inspired 19th century engineering keynote lecture by Guy Smith, vice- tulip bulbs in California, where she cardiac electrophysiology towards the important work that plants do. president of the National Farmers had worked as a postdoc. should allow drug developers to Beyond the essential support plants give to outmoded plant based narratives with Union and, according to Guinness discard drugs that are toxic to living systems, they occupy numerous niches multisensory, dynamic stories drawn from World Records, farmer of the For further conference highlights, the heart before animal studies in human society: we eat plants, wear them, both modern plant science and driest farm in the British Isles. follow the twitter hashtag Professor Caroline are required. drink them, and use them to make furniture contemporary technology and design. Dean gives her talk He discussed the issues farmers #PlantSci2015 or visit our Storify The 3Rs were developed over and medicines. The celebration of life and The critical message is that mammals, the on the seasonal now face, including unpredictable at https://storify.com/ control of flowering 50 years ago as a framework for the mourning of death is often accompanied taxonomic class to which we belong, are not weather and the loss of crop mimitanimoto/plantsci2015 humane animal research, and by flowers, and numerous product designs adapted to survive without plants. In 2003, a are now embedded in national are inspired by plants – for example, the botanical educator from University of Dundee and international legislation underside of a giant lily pad inspired 19th Botanic Garden boldly stated that the regulating the use of animals in century civil engineering solutions that contribution of plants to life on Earth could scientific procedures. allowed for large expanses of glass. be represented by a simple equation4: Plants People have long viewed plants as passive = Life. She argued that it was imperative that organisms that simply feed and reproduce. this powerful message be communicated to However, studies in plant behaviour1, 2, 3 an ever expanding human populace, as the Essay suggest that plants are dynamic, social and future, for plants, was looking pretty bleak. It highly competitive organisms. Indeed, thanks is estimated that there are around 400,000 competition to carnivorous plant research, we now know, plant species in the world, and at least 25% Dr Miriam Gifford, The Society is giving for example, that Drosera capillaris is capable are threatened with extinction. Humans are associate professor, undergraduate student of competing with a spider for the same fly the main cause of extinction and the principal University of Warwick members aiming to species. Some plants even communicate with threat to species at risk5. develop careers in animal neighbouring individuals to warn of the This societal challenge is a significant science and technology presence of a predator (see page 24). opportunity to rewrite the private lives of the opportunity to win a We believe the time is ripe for replacing plants back into the human narrative. If we Home Office training fail to do so, the long view, for both plants The Society has elected the have all achieved the skills and expertise course. Applicants should and humans, is looking desolate. CSciTeach first applicants onto its new CSciTeach status. required to teach submit a 1,000 word Mammals are not Chartered Science Teacher The Society science. Applicants essay on the use of This article was coauthored by Dawn Sanders, and (CSciTeach) register. assesses members must demonstrate animals in research by the adapted to survive Eva Nyberg from Gothenburg University, Sweden, along with Bente Eriksen and Bryndis Snæbjörnsdóttir, both status for Professor Graham Scott or Fellows working the impact they have 10th July deadline. without plants of Lund University, Sweden. from the University of Hull in primary, made on students’ (inset), Andrew Duggan secondary and learning, how they More details on the prize Society References from Middlesbrough College, tertiary level education have developed as and how to enter are 1) Brooker, R. W. et al. Facilitation in plant communities: the past, the present, and the future. Journal of Ecology, 96, Robert Johnston from St for the CSciTeach register educators and how they available at www. 18–34. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2745.2007.01295.x (2008). 2) Chamovitz, D. What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses. educators Mary’s College Liverpool, via a licence from the Science have supported their colleagues societyofbiology.org/ (New York: Scientific American/Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2012). 3) Gagliano, M. In a green frame of mind: perspectives on the behavioural ecology and cognitive nature of plants. AoB PLANTS 7: plu075 doi:10.1093/aobpla/ and the Society’s Sarah Cox Council. The register recognises across 12 competencies. animalessay plu075 (2015). 4) Galbraith, J. Connecting with plants: lessons for life. Curriculum Journal 14(2), 279–86 (2003).

WITH PERMISSION LUND BOTANIC GARDEN SWEDEN 5) www.bgci.org/global/threats

8 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 9 Policy

A number of schemes also exist to help people back into an POLICY UPDATE academic research career. The Daphne Jackson Trust runs a PPCs urged to support science fellowship scheme that enables he Society scientists to return to research wrote to as after a break of two or more T many new years. The fellowships balance Prospective an individually tailored Parliamentary retraining programme with Candidates (PPCs) a research project in a suitably as possible in supportive environment. advance of the Fellowships can be based in a general election, university or research institute drawing their anywhere in the UK. attention to the The Wellcome Trust has a importance of similar scheme, the Career science in policy Re-entry Fellowship, and the making, and Royal Society’s Dorothy asking them to Hodgkin Fellowship helps those support UK elected. We also science evidence who require flexible working science and asked the PPCs to will be relevant to arrangements to fit in with commit to the consider the many policy making, and their personal circumstances necessary ways in which offered to be a link such as parenting, caring investment if science and to expert advice. responsibilities or health issues. All of these schemes are open to men and women. LeSPAR events However, more needs to be to address done to support returners and superbug FIND OUT MORE resistance to convey the message to SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY employers and higher education RETURNER’S RESOURCES www.societyofbiology.org/ institutions that returners are returners-resources an untapped talent pool. The Society has established a DAPHNE JACKSON TRUST FELLOWSHIPS Returners to Bioscience group www.daphnejackson.org to examine the experiences of those who face barriers ROYAL SOCIETY DOROTHY HODGKIN FELLOWSHIPS returning to a career in the royalsociety.org/grants/schemes/ biological sciences. dorothy-hodgkin This move is in light of our WELLCOME TRUST CAREER continued concerns about the RE-ENTRY FELLOWSHIPS loss of trained and committed Many happy returns www.wellcome.ac.uk/Funding/ Antimicrobial resistance workshops Biomedical-science/ scientists from the bioscience Going back to work in the sciences after a career break takes planning, but there Funding-schemes/Fellowships/ workforce. As part of an he Learned evolution and the Biochemical Basic-biomedical-fellowships ongoing programme of Society transmission Society, the British are sources of help for a successful return, explains Dr Catherine Ball projects, we have developed a T Partnership of antimicrobial Pharmacological Returner’s Resources web page, on Antimicrobial resistance. Society, the British returner is period of time out can be can leave part-time workers a career in the army. When he feels strongly that returners containing useful information Resistance The workshops Society for not a type of particularly problematic for or returners feeling shut out. realised that he was more suited must not be shut out of the and resources for those wanting (LeSPAR) is will take place at Antimicrobial boomerang scientists. First, science is, Microbiologist George Carnell to life as a scientist than as a science community and offers to return to work. holding three Charles Darwin Chemotherapy, the or an affliction you by its very nature, a rapidly took a four year break from soldier, he found it difficult to advice to anyone considering interdisciplinary House in London Royal Society of can’t get rid of. It is evolving and progressing science after completing his get back into science. making a return. For further information networking on Thursday Chemistry, the Asomeone – woman or man – subject. Techniques, theories undergraduate studies to pursue “It is crucial to maintain “I would recommend long about the Society’s workshops. 25th June, the Society for Applied who has taken an extended and equipment can change contacts with previous term planning well before Returners to Bioscience These events will University of Microbiology and career break and wishes to dramatically in a matter supervisors and colleagues,” taking a break and, if possible, group, or to provide a bring together Dundee on the Society for return to their profession. A of years. This means that says Carnell. “Returning to seeking advice and opinions case study, contact researchers from Friday 3rd July General career break can occur for returners can face real Techniques, science was very difficult for me on your plans. Make sure [email protected] all career stages and BioCity Microbiology. many reasons, such as caring difficulties in remaining theories and as I lacked a scientific referee.” you are up to date with the who have Nottingham on responsibilities, illness, up to date. Despite this, he successfully key literature and, if possible, an interest in Tuesday 7th July. See www. unemployment or a desire The very culture of the equipment managed to get accepted on start to get involved online Dr Catherine Ball is a policy analyst fundamental or The Society is societyofbiology. to change career paths. academic science community a master’s course and is now prior to making applications, at the House of Lords Science and translational part of LeSPAR in org/amr for more can change Technology Committee and was There are a number of can also be a problem – the working towards a doctorate using tools such as Twitter previously a science policy adviser for research on the collaboration with information reasons why taking an extended competitive nature of science dramatically at the University of Kent. He or ResearchGate.” the Society.

10 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 11 Marine biology Marine biology Coral Coral

Coral reefs are high diversity ecosystems, home to a staggering number of species Animal, mineral, plant? Corals may resemble beautiful marine plants, but, explains Dr Brian Roy Rosen, they are stinging walls of death for small organisms

ow to categorise corals affecting corals and how to improve has teased enquiring minds management of the coral reef ecosystem. for thousands of years. When corals and other mineral- They have stony, mineral depositing organisms such as coralline skeletons of calcium algae grow profusely enough, their skeletal carbonate, in effect limestone accumulates as reefs. These can limestone, and are be as substantial as the Great Barrier Reef, Htechnically animals. But underwater they the world’s largest reef complex, which resemble shrubs or even flowers, and the stretches over an area of 344,400km2 cells of many species contain algal off the coast of Australia. The reef is also symbionts, which make them dependent on considered to be the largest structure on light, like plants. This is why they grow in Earth built by living organisms. elaborate plant-like shapes to maximise The rocky three-dimensional structure light capture. of reefs creates the habitats that support Coral reefs are home to almost a quarter the diversity of other organisms, ranging of all living marine species, and more than from bacteria to large, eye-catching 500 million people depend on them for vertebrates. Reef limestone also provides food, coastal protection and tourism. Yet homes and protection for humans, as global warming, pollution, overfishing and many tropical islands consist entirely possibly ocean acidification are killing coral of rock and sand of reefal origin. reefs. One in four of the world’s coral reefs Reefs can also provide coastal protection. are dead and many more are threatened. In the past, people built houses from coral Apart from specialists, few people in heads, and burned them for lime and Britain understand coral or its importance, cement. Most limestone derives from so it is timely that this summer there is an organisms such as corals, which means unprecedented exhibition at the Natural coral is of economic importance because History Museum in London called Coral of its contribution to concrete production. Reefs: Secret Cities of the Sea. In classical times, corals were widely Two hundred specimens of coral and thought to be a form of seaweed that other reef life vie for attention with turned to stone when taken out of the everyone’s favourite dinosaurs and water. This idea persisted until the early mammals. Star attractions are a living reef 18th century, when they were at last aquarium, a virtual reef dive, and Charles properly recognised as animals. However, Darwin’s very own coral reef specimens the affinities and relationships of corals to from his Beagle voyage. Importantly, the other vegetative aquatic invertebrates exhibition also showcases the museum’s such as hydroids, sponges, bryozoans and current research on the geological history of even coralline algae continued to be a corals and reefs in Southeast Asia. Research mystery for another century or so. into coral biology has proliferated in recent Darwin, attempting to understand the years to find out how climate change is confusing complex of ‘zoophytes’ (‘plant-

12 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 13 Marine biology Marine biology Coral Coral

Coral polyps can form Most corals on Higher temperatures large colonies by modern reefs are cause corals to asexual reproduction, scleractinians expel algae and or cloning (stony corals) lead to bleaching

animals’) and ‘corallines’ he encountered (stony corals). Octocorals and hydrozoan disease. Bleaching has become a greater during his time on the Beagle, resolved to corals are also important in some parts of a problem as the oceans have warmed. dedicate his taxonomic researches to this reef. Scleractinians have a long and The world of corals and reefs is widely question. In the end, though, he deferred abundant fossil history going back about perceived to be under increasing threat. his intended grand project to James Dwight 245 million years (mid-Triassic), while Sometimes they have recovered from Dana and turned instead to barnacles. molecular evidence indicates that they adverse natural changes in the geological consist of two separate groups that past, and sometimes not. Older kinds have THE WALL OF DEATH diverged from a common coralloid ancestor become extinct and replaced by newer he word ‘coral’ still has no strict about 30 million years earlier (mid- types, but this process can take millions taxonomic meaning. Corals in Permian). There were also two other of years. Right now, we worry that the pace the widest sense are simply distantly related major groups of corals Many scleractinians clones branch from each other, give rise to their own exclusive supply of carbon of current change – in terms of climate T vegetative aquatic organisms (rugosans and tabulates), that go back at the great variety of colonial growth forms, dioxide from the coral’s respiration, as well change, pollution, overfishing and habitat that have stony or horny skeletons. ‘Coral’ least 485 million years (Ordovician), but reproduce in mass especially on reefs. Corals can also vary as benefiting from the coral’s waste destruction – seems too fast for the corals is now used to describe various groups of which disappeared in the end-Permian these patterns within a single colony’s nitrogen and phosphorus products. to respond. skeletonised cnidarians that have arisen mass extinction 252 million years ago. spawning events history, or within a species, according to Such symbiosis has commonly been The worst case scenario is for coral reefs from multiple lineages. Other familiar their environmental conditions, often in thought of as symmetrical – that is, of to lose most of their corals. Their high cnidarians include jellyfish, hydroids and LIFE CYCLE response to changes in surrounding equally mutual benefit – but a more recent biodiversity, three-dimensional structure sea anemones. ll cnidarians are aquatic, and dates a year in line with the lunar cycle. conditions. Colonial growth is also a view suggests that the relationship is will then degrade, giving way to more The entire Cnidaria phylum consists of mostly marine. Hydrozoans A small, swimming larva results from the powerful means of survival from partial more asymmetric, with the coral host monotonous, lower biodiversity habitats, the most primitive kinds of organisms that especially have complex life cycles external fertilisation and, on settling, starts damage and colony breakage, often giving parasitically exploiting the zooxanthellae with a much simpler food chain dominated have proper tissues. These form two layers A whose various stages include a to deposit its first skeleton. rise to whole new colonies when the for their energy production. by seaweeds and other organisms that – the inner endoderm and the outer swimming larva, a swimming, ‘tentacles- Although individual scleractinian polyps separated parts of a colony, the ramets, The relationship between the corals and thrive in high-nutrient waters. Clearly, ectoderm – with a cell-less layer of jelly-like downwards’ (usually), jellyfish-like form can greatly increase in size, this is most grow into several thriving new colonies their zooxanthellae is sometimes a delicate their value to humans, particularly as matter in between. All cnidarians have a (medusa), and a ‘tentacles-upwards’ form typical of solitary forms, some of which can while still sharing the parental genotype. balance, which is often upset when the coastal protection and as a food source, sack-like body with a single orifice for that is attached to the sea floor (polyp). reach tens of centimetres in diameter. In fact, no-one really knows how long coral experiences extreme conditions. will deteriorate as well. feeding, waste and reproduction, and However, scleractinians, like all members Other scleractinians grow larger by making such colony lineages, or genets, can last. Coral bleaching occurs when Eco-gloom about these issues is surrounded by tentacles. Their body plans of the larger group – the Anthozoa – to colonies via asexual reproduction, better Together with other organisms that have surrounding water temperatures are too understandable, but we do not yet fully have radial or biradial symmetry. Their which they belong, have no medusa stage. thought of as cloning and sometimes also this kind of growth, such as bryozoans, high. The metabolism of the photosynthetic understand all the processes involved, nor nerves are organised as a network, In fact, for people more familiar with called modular growth. sponges and many plants, they defy the zooxanthellae speeds up so much that they can we gauge the probability of longer term as they lack a central nervous system. temperate rock pools than coral reefs, Some species shed their clones usual notions of mortality and raise eventually become damaged. survival and recovery. Advancing our Most striking is their unique specialised scleractinians can be thought of broadly completely and the parent remains solitary. questions about how natural selection The damaged zooxanthellae can knowledge of the corals themselves is a stinging cells, nematocysts, which spring as sea anemones with skeletons. However, For many other species, though, full operates on such clonal systems. create toxic excess of oxygen and other crucial part of this. At the Natural History a bristle-like thread into their victim’s body, unlike sea anemones, scleractinians, cloning is arrested, so that clones remain substances and the corals eventually Museum, we are revealing and celebrating releasing toxin. Nematocysts have various especially reefal species, build colonies permanently attached to the parent. In INTER-REEF RELATIONSHIPS must expel all their zooxanthellae the importance, diversity, beauty and functions, but are important for defence up to several metres across – obviously some species, the cloned polyps, although ike all cnidarians, scleractinians through their mouths. complexity of this apparently simple coral and for capturing prey. In some cnidarians a key factor in their reef-building still attached, are more or less complete. are carnivorous, but half of all living Without their zooxanthellae, their tissues animal, its reefal habitats and co-habitants. (not corals), the toxins are powerful enough potential – that live for hundreds, In others, the clones develop no further species are also symbiotic with lose their delicate colours and become The aim is also to help everyone become to kill or seriously wound a human. Corals even thousands of years. than new mouth parts that open into one L certain algae (zooxanthellae). These translucent, revealing their white skeletons more aware and better informed about are so densely armed with these stinging Scleractinians reproduce both sexually continuous communal body mass. In time, algae live within the cells of host corals underneath. Unfortunately, this bleaching them for the task ahead. cells that to a small organism, a colony and asexually. Many scleractinians the cloned ‘daughters’ become parents of (zooxanthellate corals or z-corals). leaves the corals weakened and starving, will seem more like a wall of voracious reproduce by spawning, often in mass new clones that also remain attached, and Photosynthesis by the algae fixes carbon often beyond recovery. death than the harmless flower-like object spawning events during which adult polyps so on. This eventually leads to colonies of as sugar-like substances that the host coral While corals may grow back and their Brian Roy Rosen CBiol we humans see. release thousands of eggs and sperm thousands, even millions, of polyps. absorbs and uses as an energy source. The zooxanthellae may re-establish themselves FSB is scientific associate at the Natural History Most of the corals growing on and together. Remarkably, this happens during The many variations in clone algae live in the relative protection of their once the higher temperatures abate, the Museum’s department of building modern reefs are scleractinians the night on just one or two predictable development, and in the patterns by which hosts’ tissues and so also have access to weakened corals are more susceptible to life sciences.

14 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 15 Bat conservation Bat conservation Data gathering Data gathering

Brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus)

t sunset on a warm, dry summer’s day, hundreds of dedicated people are interested in more than just the view. Some sit in their gardens, carefully watching small gaps in the Aroofs of their houses. Others wander around towns and the countryside, through streets, fields and lanes, clutching beeping electronic devices. These amazing volunteers are all taking part in the Bat Conservation Trust’s National Bat Monitoring Programme. Since the programme was established in 1996, the Bat Conservation Trust (www.bats.org.uk) has been working with partners and volunteers gathering data on how our bat populations are faring. There are 18 species of bat in the UK, making up about a third of our mammal species. Many of our bat populations suffered considerable declines in the second half of the 20th century, driven by factors such as habitat loss through agricultural intensification and direct loss of bats from the effects of pesticides such as those used for timber treatment in buildings. There is, however, a lack of quantitative evidence from this period that makes it difficult to determine the full extent of those declines. Then, during the 1980s and 1990s, there was an increase in interest in bat conservation in Britain, at least in part Caped promoted by new legislation providing legal protection for bats from the Wildlife and Countryside Act 19811. This resulted in improvements to the available information on distribution of bat species and locations of bat roosts, but there was still no clear crusaders picture of whether bat populations were continuing to decline, were relatively stable or were increasing in numbers. One of the key problems is that bats are hard to monitor: they are small, nocturnal, often tricky to find and it can be difficult to identify species as they flit past in the dark. Survey methods commonly used include counts of bats in summer and winter Each summer an army of volunteers monitors UK bat numbers and, Monitoring bats roosts, capture surveys and, more recently at Threave Estate following the development of bat detectors,

according to Dr Kate Barlow, their recent findings are good news reserve in Scotland MIKEBOLAMPHOTOSBY (WITH THANKSNATIONAL TRUSTSCOTLANDTO FOR ANDECHOESECOLOGY) acoustic surveys.

16 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 17 Carnivorous plants Nepenthes The Biologist guide to British bats Key Common and widespread Uncommon but widespread Rare Unknown are not included in our monitoring programme as yet, as they are difficult to monitor or are rarely encountered. The National Bat Monitoring Programme therefore mainly shows us what is happening to the more common and widespread bat species and may not Brown long-eared Common Daubenton’s bat Soprano pipistrelle Brandt’s bat Nathurius’ completely reflect all of the pressures and bat (Plecotus pipistrelle (Myotis (Pipistrellus (Myotis brandtii) pipistrelle impacts on our bats. auritus) (Pipistrellus daubentonii) pygmaeus) Whiskered and (Pipistrellus What is exciting to me, though, is the Long-eared bats pipistrellus) Daubenton’s bats The ‘new’ Brandt’s bats were nathusii) success of our citizen science approach to are known as Pipistrelles are look like small pipistrelle species only separated as Until 1997 this bat monitoring. There has been criticism ‘whispering bats’ the most common hovercraft as they was separated from distinct species in bat was known only of citizen science projects and widespread because their British bats. They fly over water, and the common 1970. Brandt’s bats as a migrant, but Checking the concerns about the quality of the data. echolocation is so mainly roost in can even be seen pipistrelle in the mainly roost in there are now a few mist net at However, as the number of peer-reviewed quiet. They have buildings and trees, taking insects from 1990s. It is buildings and trees, breeding colonies Threave publications emanating from citizen science very sensitive low and feed over water, the water’s surface distinguished by its and feed in in England and programmes increases, the value of the data frequency hearing marshes, woodland, with their feet or tail. higher frequency call woodland, often Northern Ireland. is becoming more widely appreciated, as and often locate farmland, along They roost in trees, and pale facial skin. near water. In Europe they All monitored species was recognised last year by the Government prey from the hedgerows, in tunnels, bridges It roosts in larger roost in trees, but 4 are showing a stable in a parliamentary POST Note . sounds made by an suburban gardens and, occasionally, colonies than the in Britain they roost Our study has demonstrated how, insect’s movements. and urban areas. buildings. common pipistrelle. in buildings. or increasing trend through providing a structure and training for anyone who wants to get involved in bat monitoring, data collected by volunteers There is a general consensus among bat using standardised, multiple survey methods conservationists, both locally and globally, can be used to provide statistically robust that monitoring bat populations is population indices for a large proportion invaluable. This is not only to ensure their of our bat species at a national scale. effective conservation and to determine how Our bat monitoring trends not only help bats are responding to the unprecedented us understand how bats are faring and Natterer’s bat Noctule (Nyctalus Whiskered bat Barbastelle Bechstein’s bat Greater horseshoe rates of environmental change, but also to shape our conservation work, but the data (Myotis nattereri) noctula) (Myotis (Barbastella (Myotis bat (Rhinolophus provide a broader indication of the health of also contributes to EU Habitats Directive This bat’s broad The second mystacinus) barbastellus) bechsteinii) ferrumequinum) our ecosystems. However, there are still no reporting and provides one of the 26 UK wings enable it to fly largest British Whiskered and A very distinctive A woodland The horseshoe standardised protocols for monitoring bats biodiversity indicators used to assess the slowly and prey on a species and usually Brandt’s bats are bat with a pug-like specialist, which bats can be across countries or continents. In the 1990s, UK’s progress towards its biodiversity variety of insects. the first to appear in very similar species face and large, wide roosts in tree holes, distinguished from from work investigating habitat use by bats targets. We wouldn’t be in a position to They roost in old the evening, the with shaggy fur, but ears that are joined rarely in buildings, other British bats by in the UK, researchers demonstrated that provide those key facts without the buildings, large- noctule has long the whiskered bat is together at the and feeds in their horseshoe- volunteers could be coordinated successfully commitment and enthusiasm of all our timbered barns and narrow wings and slightly smaller than forehead. Only woodland, from shaped noseleaf, to carry out bat surveys at a national level1,2. Bat tracking at Kelton Mains volunteers. People power really does tree holes, and feed flies in a straight the Brandt’s. They found in southern high in the canopy which is related to This work, and the increasing need to be make a difference. in open woodland, line, very high and roost mainly in and central England to near the ground. their particular type able to report on the status of bat was found for all species over the period parkland, hedgerows fast. They roost in buildings and trees, and Wales. Found only in south of echolocation populations, led to the establishment of the of the study from at least one survey type. To find out more about the National Bat and along waterside trees, usually in and feed along east Wales and system. Found in National Bat Monitoring Programme, This suggests bat populations are showing Monitoring Programme (NBMP), visit vegetation. woodpecker holes woodland edges parts of southern south west England supported by government funding. signs of recovery, almost certainly helped www.bats.org.uk/nbmp. The NBMP is run or rot holes. and hedgerows. England. and south Wales. Our programme relies on volunteers to by the increasing public awareness of bats by Bat Conservation Trust, in partnership take part in different surveys throughout and interest in bat conservation in recent with the Joint Nature Conservation the year, including summer counts of bats decades, combined with the legal Committee, and supported and steered emerging from maternity roosts, winter protection for these species at a national by Natural England, Natural Resources counts of bats in underground sites such and European level. Wales, Northern Ireland Environment as caves and mines that they use for We must not become too complacent, Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage. hibernation, and summer bat detector though. While these are positive results, The NBMP is indebted to all volunteers surveys looking at activity levels of bats the current increases we are seeing in bat who contribute data to the programme. Greater mouse- Grey long-eared Leisler’s bat Lesser horseshoe Serotine bat Alcathoe bat in different habitats. populations are likely to be only a small eared bat bat (Plecotus (Nyctalus leisleri) bat (Rhinolophus (Eptesicus (Myotis alcathoe) Recently, we published our results, start in their recovery from previous losses. (Myotis myotis) austriacus) Similar to the hipposideros) serotinus) This new species, analysing data on 11 bat species collected by There is still much work to do, first to Dr Kate Barlow is head of monitoring at The mouse-eared This bat is similar noctule but smaller You can tell the One of our largest very similar in the National Bat Monitoring Programme over 3,500 volunteers at more than 3,200 unravel the main factors driving the and joined Bat Conservation Trust in bat was declared in appearance to the and with longer fur. two horseshoe bats, the serotine appearance to sites across the UK for a 16-year period changes and second to expand our 2008. After becoming hooked on bats extinct in Britain in brown long-eared They roost in tree species apart by the has broad wings and whiskered and from 1997 to 20123. They show a generally monitoring right across the range of bat during undergraduate expeditions to 1990. However, a bat, but is a little holes and buildings, position of their a leisurely flapping Brandt’s bats, was South America, she completed a PhD on favourable picture for the bat species that species we have in the UK: some of our the ecological differences between single individual larger and greyer and feed over wings at rest: the flight. They feed first described in we monitor: a stable or increasing trend rarer species that are habitat specialists common and soprano pipistrelles. has been found with a dark face. woodland, parkland lesser horseshoe over pasture, 2001 in Greece. In hibernating in the They roost in older and suburban areas. bat wraps its wings parkland, woodland, 2009, they were

References south of England buildings, barns, Rare, but locally around its whole tall hedgerows and recorded in Sussex 1) Mitchell-Jones, A. J. et al. The growth and development of bat conservation in Britain. Mammal Review 23, 139–148 (1993). since 2002. There churches and trees. common (up to body, while the gardens. Found and Yorkshire, but 2) Walsh, A. L. & Harris, S. Foraging habitat preferences of vespertilionid bats in Britain.Journal of Applied Ecology 33, 508–518 (1996). are no known They are very rare, southern Scotland), greater horseshoe mainly in southern distribution across 3) Barlow, K. E. et al. Citizen science reveals trends in bat populations: the National Bat Monitoring Programme in Great Britain.Biological Conservation 182, 14–26 (2015). 4) POST Note Number 476. Environmental Citizen Science. The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/ summer roosts in found only in particularly in Ireland. bat’s face can England and the UK is unknown. briefing-papers/POST-PN-476/environmental-citizen-science (2014). BOLAM MIKE Britain at present. southern England. usually be seen. south Wales.

18 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 19 Animal behaviour Animal behaviour Bird song Bird song How city

life affects

the way

ities are home to more fascinating behavioural adaptations that their territory is occupied and should than half the people have allowed some species to become not be entered. on our planet. The successful city dwellers. City sounds can interfere with these global population is One of the most notable features of signals, making communication among birds growing at a faster rate cities is that they are incredibly noisy – birds difficult and unreliable. The than ever before and, be it heavy traffic, building sites or background noise of a city is typically a by 2025, more than aircraft flying overhead. For songbirds, continuous low-pitch rumble C60% of the world’s population will live however, all this noise is more than concentrated at around 2kHz in in a concrete jungle. just a distraction. It can seriously frequency. Unfortunately for many birds, Our ever expanding cities are putting affect chances of finding mates and this overlaps neatly with the frequency pressure on the species that remain in reproducing and, for males, it is likely range of their songs, which means they do and around this urban environment. to affect how well they can defend not stand out from the background noise Songbirds are one group particularly their territories. Males sing during and may not be noticed by other birds. well studied and, over the past 15 years the breeding season to attract females One solution appears to be to sing at a sing or so, biologists have discovered and to signal to other males that higher pitch, so that the birds’ songs BY SAM HARDMAN 20 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 21 Animal behaviour Animal behaviour Bird song Bird song

literally rise above the background noise and Nemeth and Brumm suggest two to create sound. This sound can then be divided on whether pitch or volume References noise: vocal constraints Evidence suggests 1) Slabbekoorn, H. & Peet, may explain why birds sing can be heard clearly. Evidence that birds possibilities for why the pitch of a bird’s modified using numerous tiny muscles that changes are most important in improving M. Ecology: Birds sing at a higher-frequency songs in sing at a higher pitch in noisy cities than that the pitch and song would increase when it sings more alter the shape and tension of the sound song transmission in noisy environments. higher pitch in urban cities. Proceedings of the they do in quieter rural sites has been found loudly. First, the increase in song pitch producing membranes. It is possible that both have important roles noise. Nature 424(6946), Royal Society B: Biological volume of bird songs 267–267 (2003). Sciences 280(1754), in numerous species, including great tits observed in noisy environments could be However, past studies of the avian vocal to play in helping birds to adapt to noisy 2) Nemeth, E. & Brumm, 20122798-20122798 (Paris major)1, blackbirds (Turdus merula)2, are closely intertwined a side effect of what is known as the system have shown that without these tiny urban areas, and hopefully future research H. Blackbirds sing higher- (2013). European robins (Erithacus rubecula)3 and Lombard effect (named after French muscles altering the structure of the sound, will provide an answer to this question. pitched songs in cities: 9) Nemeth, E. & Brumm, adaptation to habitat H. Birds and anthropogenic 4 song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) . scientist Étienne Lombard), in which both the pitch and volume of bird song The study of how urban noise affects acoustics or side-effect noise: are urban songs In great tits, the difference between the areas where the rainforest is merging animals unconsciously increase the unavoidably increase together. In other bird song is an active area of research and of urbanisation? adaptive? The American Animal Behaviour 78(3), Naturalist 176(4), pitch of songs in urban and rural sites has with open grasslands (known as ecotone volume and pitch of their calls when the words, when birds sing more loudly they there are many unresolved questions that 637–641 (2009). 465–475 (2010). 13 been measured at 478Hz, and tests have forests) than they do deep within the level of the background noise rises. can’t help but also sing at a higher pitch . are likely to be answered in the next few 3) McLaughlin, K. E. & 10) Schuster, S. et al. shown that this is enough to substantially rainforest itself7. Analysis of these two The Lombard effect is known to occur years. Most importantly, we need to find Kunc, H. P. Experimentally On the evolution of increased noise levels noise-dependent improve the distance over which song can habitats revealed that the background noise in humans (such as the urge to shout to f course, this may be totally out what the long term impacts of urban change spatial and singing vocal plasticity in birds. travel in urban environments before it in the rainforest is largely concentrated be heard at loud parties) and has also been irrelevant if birds are able to noise are on bird populations. Although behaviour. Biology Letters Biology Letters 8(6), degrades and becomes inaudible5. at a higher pitch than in ecotone forests, shown in both lab and field studies of use muscles to independently many species of bird seem to be able to 9(1), 20120771 (2013). 913–916 (2012). 4) Wood, W. E. & Yezerinac, 11) Osmanski, M. S. & where there is more low-pitch noise. songbirds. Lab experiments on elegant control the pitch and volume adapt to noise, we do not know how the S. M. Song sparrow Dooling, R. J. The effect of irds can also face noisy conditions The evidence that birds change the pitch crested tinamous (Eudromia elegans)10, of their songs, but there dramatic changes we are causing to their (Melospiza melodia) altered auditory feedback in the countryside – for example, of their songs as an adaptation to noisy and budgerigars (Melopsittacus Ois evidence to suggest that the pitch environments will affect them in the long song varies with urban on control of vocal 11 noise. The Auk 123(3), production in budgerigars. where running water or conditions may seem conclusive, but not undulatus) have shown that these and volume of bird songs really are term. Furthermore, many species are not 650–659 (2006). Journal of the Acoustical wind creates high levels of everyone agrees. An alternative explanation species both sing more loudly and at a closely intertwined. able to adapt to urban areas for numerous 5) Mockford, E. et al. Soc. of America 126(2), low pitch noise. By studying for the observed shifts in song pitch is that higher pitch when background noise One of the clearest examples of this possible reasons – for example, they may Degradation of rural and 911–919 (2009). urban great tit song: 12) Brumm, H. The impact Bthese naturally noisy sites, scientists have higher pitched songs are actually just an increases, and the same result has been comes from a study by Nemeth and his not have the behavioural flexibility to cope testing transmission of environmental noise on been able to confirm that it really is the unavoidable and possibly unimportant side shown in the field in a study of nightingales colleagues at the Max Planck Institute. with new environments, or they might not efficiency. PLoS song amplitude in a noise in cities and not some other factor effect of singing more loudly, and it is (Luscinia megarhynchos) in Berlin12. They recorded blackbirds singing in sound be physiologically capable of altering their ONE 6(12) (2011). territorial bird. Journal of 6) Brumm, H. & Slabbekoorn, Animal Ecology 73(3), that is causing city birds to raise the pitch higher volume, not pitch, that allows birds A second reason why birds may increase proof chambers and showed that volume songs or behaviour. H. Acoustic communication 434-440 (2004). of their songs. in noisy environments to overcome the pitch of their songs when they sing and pitch really were strongly correlated8. We are changing the planet in ways that in noise. Advances in the 13) Titze, I. R. Principles of Henrik Brumm and Hans Slabbekoorn background noise8. more loudly is that both the volume and When blackbirds sing more loudly, they have never been seen before and we know Study of Behavior 35, Voice Production, 279– 151–209 (2005). 306 (Englewood Cliffs: recorded the songs of white-throated In support of this argument, Erwin pitch of bird songs depend on the same also sing at a higher pitch and this may be many species are suffering. The first step 7) Slabbekoorn, H. & Prentice Hall, 1994). dippers (Cinclus cinclus) living around Nemeth and Henrik Brumm, researchers song producing organ, which could limit totally involuntary. Similar results have in protecting animals from these changes Smith, T. B. Habitat- 14) Cynx, J. et al. Amplitude dependent song regulation of vocalizations noisy, fast flowing streams in Scotland, from the Max Planck Institute for how well birds can independently control been found in other species including zebra is to understand how they are affected. divergence in the little in noise by a songbird, 14 and found that the pitch of their calls was Ornithology, found that the typical increases pitch and volume. In birds, this organ is finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and ring greenbul: an analysis of Taeniopygia guttata. well above that of the background noise in song pitch found in great tits and the syrinx, the bird equivalent of the doves (Streptopelia risoria)15 suggesting environmental selection Animal Behaviour 56(1), 6 pressures on acoustic 107–113 (1998). and higher than usual for this species . blackbirds may be too low to substantially mammalian larynx, and is located at the this pattern may be widespread and present Sam Hardman AMSB is a PhD student in signals. Evolution; Int. 15) Elemans, C. et al. The effect of natural background noise improve signal transmission. But if the base of the windpipe connected to the in numerous bird species. the Aquatic, Behavioural and Evolutionary journal of organic Biomechanics and control on song pitch has also been shown in birds sing slightly more loudly, they could lungs. Birds produce song by forcing air It has become very clear over the past Biology research group at Aberystwyth evolution 56(9), 1849– of vocalization in a non- University. He is currently researching 1858 (2002). songbird. Journal of The African little greenbuls (Andropadus increase the distance over which their song at high pressure from the lungs through few years that urban noise is causing bird how birds adapt their songs to noisy 8) Nemeth, E. et al. Bird Royal Soc. Interface 5(24), virens), which sing at a higher pitch in could be detected more effectively9. the syrinx, causing membranes to vibrate song to change, but opinion remains urban environments. song and anthropogenic 691–703 (2008).

22 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 23 Interview Interview Dr Sandy Knapp FSB Dr Sandy Knapp FSB

‘‘People care about plants

but they don’t know‘‘

they do Autumn mandrake (Mandragora autumnalis), potato (Solanum Botanist Dr Sandy Knapp tells Tom Ireland how etuberosum) and grape groundcherry (Physalis her fascination with plants took her across the globe and viscosa) flowers. Illustration from The into the Natural History Museum, London Ladies’ Flower-garden of Ornamental Perennials by Mrs Jane Loudon (1843)

andra Knapp has travelled plant species found in southern Mexico Initially I was interested in desert to countless countries in and the isthmus of Central America. habitats and did a lot of exploration her search for new species and hiking in the American south west. in the genus Solanum, a What led to you becoming a specialist Then I went to Cornell and studied with hugely diverse group of in Solanum? Michael Whalen, who said I should work flowering plants that I went to a liberal arts college in California, on Solanum, the plant he worked on. includes tomato, potato, where you don’t decide what subject I didn’t really want to work on something Saubergine and pepper plants. She grew you want to focus on until later. I wanted he had already worked on, but he up in New Mexico, where a love of to do marine biology but the class was suggested I go on a course in Costa Rica the outdoors eventually led to an interest full, so I took a field botany class instead. for six weeks. I fell in love with the tropics in natural history. Knapp now manages We went out into the desert with and it was clear that these plants were the Natural History Museum’s vast microscopes, and it was amazing. So I fascinating and really complicated, and plant collections as well as the Flora just decided “this is really fun, I am going there were lots of them still to be

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, LONDON/SCIENCEMesoamericana PHOTO LIBRARY , an inventory of the 18,000 to do this”. discovered and described.

24 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 25 Interview Interview Dr Sandy Knapp FSB Dr Sandy Knapp FSB

Costa Rica is home to many species of Solanum

A painting of the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) inspired Knapp’s Flora book

It has kept me busy ever since. It’s one of about 10 genera of flowering plants that have more than 1,000 species, which is unusual. Why are there so many? I see my work as an exploration of the diversity of this megadiverse genus. One reason they are put in the same genus is that their flowers all look the same. However, the rest of their bodies are really very different – I am interested in that.

When looking for new species, how do Knapp has found you decide where to look? many undescribed There are two types of collecting. When species in the you’re looking for something in particular, Natural History you go to places people have found it before Museum’s collections or places like them. Another kind is going where people haven’t been collecting before, and then you just collect everything that has How does working in a draughty British it shows people care about us. I think it’s fascinating – for example: if your neighbour Across biology, things are becoming flowers or fruits. Not necessarily biodiversity Plants do behave, museum compare to that? going to be exciting to have something new, is being eaten by a caterpillar, it produces more ‘molecular’. Molecular isn’t more hotspots, either: just because something has even though they What’s fantastic here are the collections. and the Diplodocus hasn’t been there signals that tell you to increase your modern, it’s just a different data set. It’s a lot of species doesn’t mean it is more They are like an incredible physical forever anyway – there was a sperm whale alkaloid content – that’s extraordinary. not intrinsically better. Unlike physics, interesting. Sometimes places are thought of appear to just sit there database of things that occurred and some elephants before that. When we They do behave, it’s just we don’t see it – it’s which often throws obsolete techniques as biodiversity hotspots because we’ve somewhere at some time. I find more were discussing the new display, I joked not like antelopes posturing. away, we still use our old techniques. We recorded everything that’s there, so going to species in the collections than in the field – that we could suspend a huge potato from keep adding different views on different places that are less well known is important. go to the Darién because nobody had specimens that were collected a long time the ceiling. Do you worry taxonomy is in decline? scales, which is great. There are very few regions people haven’t collected there very intensively. ago and have never been described. I worry about the biology of looking at been, but there are gaps. There are places In this issue, Dawn Sanders argues that whole organisms in the field. But I think it’s Some scientists think the requirement that are not species rich, but knowing more Do you have a favourite species Do you think the museum displays we suffer from ‘plant blindness’, a sort of making a comeback, actually, with our to prove the impact of their work is about them is still important. or specimen? enough plants? inability to see the importance of plants emphasis on food security and caring for a narrowing the ambition of science. Wherever you collect, it is important to I wrote a book called Flora, and the reason There are some plants represented in our (see page 9). Do you think they are planet. It’s like a pendulum. There are fads What do you think? have permission to do so. Biodiversity is I wrote it was I was inspired by a painting Treasures gallery and there are a lot of overlooked by society compared to in science, just like fashion goes back and It could if impact were defined in a narrow part of the national heritage of a country, as by George Ehret from the museum that the plants around in our new exhibitions. animals? forth between tight jeans and loose jeans. commercial sort of way, but it isn’t. Actually, well as being of global importance, so librarians showed me, which is now on However, if you look up instead of sideways People care, but they don’t know they do. The pendulum is swinging back and we that’s one of the good things about the getting the correct permits from local display at the museum. It’s on vellum and at the Diplodocus, the ceiling is covered in I think people recognise that plants provide really do need to understand the organism impact agenda. Scientists tend to think authorities is crucial. What’s great is that shows Magnolia grandiflora – the southern beautiful plant paintings. In fact, it is so the oxygen that we breathe, which is pretty if we are going to think about things in a it means a commercial impact, but it can you form working relationships with the magnolia – with its evergreen leaves and magnificent that a colleague and I wrote a important. I sometimes give talks to more comprehensive way. also be a societal impact – for example, scientists in those countries. However, it’s big, creamy flowers, and if the museum book on the botany of the ceiling. schoolchildren and once asked: “Who has coming to a museum can change people’s no longer just hopping on a ship, collecting were burning down, that’s what I would The world is essentially divided into eaten a plant today?” None of them put up How do you explain why your work lives. That is real impact, but demonstrating stuff and popping back. save. I absolutely love it. two types of person: people who look up at their hand. I said: “Who’s eaten toast, or is important? it is tricky – not as easy as showing the ceiling and those who don’t. Having cereal, then?” Many of them had, but we If you think about how things evolve and commercial success, but arguably much Where has been your favourite place to Solanum dulcamara something hanging from the ceiling means just have so much less contact with nature change, there are changes in the DNA more important. It’s good for scientists collect species? plants will really become more of a focus, due to our urbanised lifestyles. sequence and at the molecular level but to think how their work might change It’s really hard to say. I’ve liked everywhere: which is great. Plants are interesting because they those changes are driven by the interaction somebody’s life. I love the deserts, the tropics, the Andes. I do behave, even though they appear to and selection of the whole organisms had a job once where I was the Missouri Did you ever imagine that changing the just sit there. It’s just on a very different themselves. Understanding those things – Botanical Gardens’ ‘Man in Panama’ – they Diplodocus display in the Hintze Hall time scale, and we as a species struggle the whole organisms, how they’re put Dr Sandy Knapp FSB is head of gave me a trailer to live in and a truck to would cause such a furore? to perceive what’s going on unless we together and how they interact with the the plants division of the Natural History Museum, London. She drive, and I had to collect a certain number I think we did because it’s something that can see it on sped-up footage or in some environment – is really important as an specialises in the megadiverse of plants a month. It was fantastic. I tried to people care about. It’s great for us because other way. Signalling between plants is additional set of information about life. genus Solanum.

26 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 27 Skills Legal work

Court How to be… rules In order to act as an expert witness, a person An expert must have relevant and up to date professional training, qualifications and witness skills, together with insurance covering Advising the criminal justice system can be their expert witness practice. rewarding work for biologists, writes Nick Deal The latter may be obtained through elevision dramas where “I am keen to be involved in this part of professional hard-hitting barristers the work,” says Chattaway. “It is important indemnity insurers, savage anyone in the that the microbiological context is explained expert witness witness box may deter clearly in the cases of outbreaks so the jury organisations or many professionals from can make an informed decision.” other commercial acting as an expert witness, Chattaway’s role can involve giving an providers. but the reality is far from opinion on food or handling animals, and While training Tthe fiction portrayed on screen. Being an stating the likelihood that the organism is not mandatory, expert witness can be a stimulating and from a particular source is related to the anyone accepting rewarding adjunct to practice, and most organism from a patient. So far she has not instructions to act cases settle without going to court. been required to go to court. as an expert An expert witness can be anyone with Experts in many fields of science and witness should be knowledge or experience in a particular medicine may avoid putting themselves familiar with the field or discipline beyond that of a layman. forward for fear of the reputational provisions of Part They use their specialist knowledge to damage that may result from being 35 of the Civil provide an opinion on an issue or facts challenged and contradicted, or not Procedure Rules in a case to help resolve litigation. While coming across well in court. However, and the associated their opinion is generally sought by one Chattaway believes what she does is vital. Practice Direction, party, the expert’s overriding duty is to “Expert microbiologists are required for together with basic assist the court, and their report must be this role. It is important to prevent the court procedure. independent, objective and unbiased. spread of any further outbreaks.” Solicitors instruct an expert to write Training is not mandatory, but a report or statement on a particular issue Chattaway feels it is important. “Although and to be prepared to give oral evidence microbiologists are experts in their field, Court sketch by in a court or tribunal. Expert evidence is they are not necessarily trained to be an Patricia Coleman fundamentally opinion evidence, supported expert witness and there are important (Rex_Shutterstock) by the expert’s analysis of the facts and procedures to follow,” she says. technical understanding of their subject. Increasingly, instructing parties require The path to My first court appearances Further work soon followed. Some universities offer Biology is a hugely diverse discipline and evidence that the expert has the relevant were exciting and challenging An invitation to appear at a internal training. More biologists can be required to act as experts qualifications and experience within their instruction in equal measure, even public inquiry was an early extensive training is also in an enormous range of cases, from those field, as well as having received formal surreal at times, but not gain, requiring just a few days’ available, one of the most involving disease to environmental issues. training. If an instructing party can see Consultant Ian Blenkharn on particularly difficult. The live evidence, but almost 12 popular, although rather Dr Marie Anne Chattaway, deputy head of that a report is well written, and that the becoming an expert witness questioning was similar to months of preparation, costly, leading to an E. coli, Shigella, Vibrio and Yersinia expert has received training in how to act STUDY CASE that which can follow meetings, briefings and accredited award. The course Reference Service at Public Health as an expert witness, they are far more Almost 30 years ago, an presentation of contentious supplementary reports. The focuses in some part on the England’s Gastrointestinal Bacteria likely to instruct them again in the future. unexpected phone call research data to a tough fee paid off my mortgage minutiae of the legal Reference Unit, has worked with One thing that is obligatory is insurance, brought an invitation to be academic audience, although at a stroke. framework. Training in gastrointestinal organisms for more than which can be obtained through professional a witness in a Crown Court obviously far longer. Although often complex, courtroom skills can’t seven years. She became an expert witness bodies, expert witness organisations and prosecution under the Control Perhaps I got away lightly. most cases are far less replicate the real thing. for the first time last year when she was general insurance providers. of Pollution Act 1974. A During subsequent court extensive. Only around one An instructing solicitor will leading on an outbreak investigation that When it comes to getting work, there are solicitor had located a brief appearances, I have seen in 15 civil cases go to a final provide guidance, but the Ian Blenkharn is a subsequently became a prosecution. a number of agencies that publish research report I had others fail badly under cross- court appearance. Accounting expert must resist pressure microbiology, directories of experts in their various published that was relevant to examination, jeopardising skills and careful diary to moderate or augment a hygiene, waste fields. However, many find they get work the case and persuaded me to and, on one particularly management are essential. report solely to support the management and Biologists can act based on their reputation and publications. accept ‘instruction’. From there unpleasant if salutary It is also vital to recognise solicitor’s partisan position. safety consultant as experts in a wide I embarked on what has occasion, ending what had the extent and limits of your Honesty and integrity are the Nick Deal is a barrister and expert become a substantial part of previously been a hugely knowledge and expertise, and watchwords and have stood range of cases witness trainer for Bond Solon my career. successful career. never to stray beyond them. me in good stead throughout.

28 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 29 First person Spotlight on Stephanie Hays Systems biology “The aim is to produce E. coli that do not need to be fed sugar”

What does your research involve? E. coli bacteria are often optimised to produce biofuels or useful medicines or chemicals. But the E. coli still need to be fed sugars to grow, and growing that sugar can take up space needed to grow food. I am trying to engineer photo- synthetic microbial communities of cyanobacteria and E. coli. The cyanobacteria capture solar energy and provide sugars to the culture. The aim is to produce E. coli that do not need to be fed sugar, which would mean you’re not competing with land that could be used to grow food. The bacteria could be grown anywhere from out at sea to a desert, as long as you had 3D rendering of sunlight and a closed environment. E. coli bacteria

What else is being done in the systems biology department be one of those scientists who at Harvard? just believe what they think is going I work in Pamela Silver’s lab, where on without having the solid there’s a very broad range of work numbers and data to really back going on, from development of it up and understand. Immensely complex artificial human chromosomes to processes such as the immune response can carbon-fixing cyanobacteria to Can you define systems biology? be better understood work on gut proteomes. The thing In our department, we have tried using systems biology that binds all the work is that they to define it a bunch of times. It’s combine systems biology and STEPHANIE HAYS interdisciplinary, using everyone’s synthetic biology. Profession expertise. Instead of looking at he aim of develop a quantitative as well as data from a wide range of How do I get into it? combined with a related subject PhD student, department individual components in isolation, systems biology a conceptual understanding of sources to build as full a picture Systems biology is a relatively such as bioinformatics or What does a typical day involve? of systems biology, you try to look at an entire system, Harvard is to understand biological phenomena, which as possible, with computer new field, but there are around computational biology. Is it mainly lab work or whether that be all the interactions vastly complex allows the prediction and modelling at its core to 15 universities with dedicated Systems biologists are also computer modelling? Qualifications between proteins in a cell or biological accurate simulation of understand how everything in systems biology departments or employed in hospitals, the I’m definitely a wet-lab person. BSc in biochemistry; in entire ecosystems. It’s also systems in a way extremely complex processes such an immensely complicated research groups in the UK, and pharmaceutical industry, The system I work with is not well master’s in biophysics about better measurement of that enables us such as the immune response. system is related. hundreds across Europe and biotechnology companies and understood – we have nice models experimental systems – not just Interests to model and predict how they The ability to model and predict Although a systems approach the world. cancer institutions, where of E. coli and cyanobacteria, but taking a cell count, for example, T Photosynthetic microbial will behave. It often uses what happens to systems under can be applied to many areas of Many opportunities are analysis of huge amounts of when you put them together, they communities, symbiosis, but measuring metabolics, mathematical and computer certain conditions is already the life sciences, it is often currently rooted in academia experimental data is required. do things you wouldn’t expect. science education proteomics, the secretions of modelling to define the rules having a profound effect on focused on combining genomic, and fundamental research at I’m hoping to move to a more the cells into the media – to get a and principles that govern and how theories are tested. proteomic and other molecular PhD and postdoc level. In the Where can I find out more? computational model when we more comprehensive picture. regulate systems, ranging from data to understand entire cells UK, there are a number of The International Society for have more data. microbial cells to organs and What exactly does systems or groups of cells. systems biology master’s Systems Biology and the Where do you see the field going even entire ecosystems. biology involve? degrees available, many of International Society for How did you get into systems in the future? In some ways, systems biology which focus on bioinformatics Computational Biology both biology? Quantitative modelling can be Why is it important? is more easily defined by what Data from a and computing. Undergraduate provide information on systems From an early age I’ve liked the applied everywhere. You can apply Systems biology is helping our it isn’t: it doesn’t take an degrees in systems biology are biology careers, research idea of symbiosis – how one thing it to medicine or you can just apply understanding of complexity element of a living system and wide range of less common, but are available, and conferences. depends on another. It’s so it to research if you want to itself, not just the principles try to control other variables in especially in the US. Such complex and hard to explain how understand the biology of that underlie complex systems. order to study it. Systems sources build courses often have a molecular l www.issb.org that works. I also wanted to do something. I’d say the discovery Systems biologists aim to biology uses information and a fuller picture biology focus and may be l www.iscb.org something that is really of new antibiotics will be one area quantitative – I didn’t want to where it will be particularly useful.

30 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 31 Members

Jane Goodall, Passionate about Engaging with others to ‘So much whose way of life inspired Steve platelets and polo ‘solve nature’s mysteries’ universe…’ Appleyard California. I worked in the My research on chemical infectious disease pharmacology ecological networks between department, developing models plants and associated of lung disease. It was an microorganisms has yielded incredible experience that results by unravelling the allowed me to develop my multipartite crosstalk between personal and scientific skills. the interacting organisms. The placement year affirmed Collaborative research my desire to pursue a PhD in is essential. I feel it is vital pharmaceutical sciences at for me to connect with King’s College London, which I people who know something am excited to begin. My project I don’t, as only then can a investigates the mechanisms of problem be approached platelet recruitment during the holistically and solved STEPHANIE ARNOLD AMSB inflammatory response. DR SOUVIK KUSARI comprehensively. DR GAIL CARDEW FSB Degree Bioveterinary science After the safety issues are CBIOL CSCI MSB The Society is the perfect Studied At Sussex University PhD project Platelet addressed, it will be fascinating Works INFU place for such mind-igniting Inspired by Biology teachers recruitment to see how induced pluripotent Passion Research interactions to happen. It stem cells revolutionise Hobbies Cooking has helped me reach out to and I am the director of science and I am a Royal Veterinary College medical science. engage with others to solve education at the Royal graduate with a degree in In my free time, I write a I am a senior scientist at the some of nature’s mysteries. Institution and chair of the bioveterinary science. Having health and fitness blog, run, do Institute of Environmental Research is my passion, board of the EuroScience Open Aiming to inspire SOCIAL NOTICES always loved animals and yoga and play polo. Research (INFU), Dortmund but teaching is my investment. Forum, which will take place in biology, I went through University, Germany. I earned a The return on my investment Manchester in July 2016. Meeting with Sir Mark Walport secondary school seeing myself doctorate in natural sciences is the success of my students. In my work, I enjoy the fact future scientists 7 June, 15:45–18:00 graduating as a vet. Everything from Dortmund in 2010. This is my simple philosophy. that encouraging people to think inspire future biologists, A Q&A with the Government’s changed during my time at After working as a scientist I developed it in learning more deeply about science can medics, psychologists, chief scientific adviser for university, when I became awed at INFU for over two years, I so much during my teaching be interpreted in a multitude of dentists, geneticists and senior representatives from by the vast and ever-changing became a visiting researcher and supervision activities. ways – from helping parents to ecologists. Biology is such a the Society’s Member world of scientific research. at the department of plant When I am not in the field or carry out science activities with broad subject that has Organisations. Charles Darwin As part of my undergraduate sciences at Oxford University. in the lab, I like to cook. I love their children to encouraging relevance in a wide variety of House, 12 Roger Street, degree, I completed an I believe that for every food, and cooking allows me to scientists to think more broadly career paths and importance London WC1N 2JU. industrial placement year at Stephanie developed models of problem nature creates, it explore the ‘art of science’ away about their work by engaging in understanding many Novartis in Emeryville, lung disease during a placement already has a solution. from my lab. with the public. aspects of our lives. Visions of Home, I was first inspired by my I have since developed Habitat and Shelter biology teachers, Mr Buckby and a strong interest in 16 June to 4 July, 10:00–17:00 Mr Savill, who took us on genetics and stem cells as a Exhibition of shortlisted images wonderful field trips and result of teaching these from the Society’s 2014 Propelled into microbiology introduced me to John Maynard topics to my students. photography competition. I joined the Civil Service in and was asked to apply for Smith – I loved how he applied DR STEVE APPLEYARD FSB I read Richard Dawkins’ People’s Palace, Glasgow 1993, working for the the post of band D the elegance of mathematics to Profession Biology teacher The Selfish Gene when I was G40 1AT. submarine environmental microbiologist, where, 10 the messiness of biology. Based Scotland at school and it was a chemistry unit at the Institute years later, I still work. Discovering he would lecture me Inspired by The Selfish Gene revelation to me, explaining Fellows’ lunch – Leicester of Naval Medicine (INM). In I owe a lot to three people was one of my reasons for going the reason for life to my 23 July, 12:30–14.30 1999, I joined its helicopter who have inspired me to to Sussex University. Chris Ford, I studied zoology at teenage mind, and has been An informal lunch to discuss crash team, travelling the greater things in my career, my developmental biology Edinburgh University in the hugely influential. Iain current biological issues and Neil cut his teeth at the Institute world taking care of the all of whom worked at the of Naval Medicine in Hampshire lecturer and DPhil supervisor, 1990s, specialising in the Douglas-Hamilton’s book the Society’s overall direction. environmental impact of Institute. Mat Marshall opened my eyes to so many study of animal behaviour about his study of elephant Belmont Hotel, 20 De Montfort crashes, including biological introduced me to the helicopter (count) of Pseudomonas unanswered questions. and animal welfare with an behaviour seemed like an Square, Leicester LE1 7GR. waste, fuel spills and carbon crash team, and Louise aeruginosa for accreditation I’ve already attended one of MSc and PhD at the amazing way of life, as did fibre debris. I helped clear 34 Appleby and Cathryn Valentyne with the UK Accreditation the Society’s leadership courses same institution. Jane Goodall’s work with Fellows’ lunch – London helicopter crashes in total. taught me everything I know Service. We are currently and it was incredibly useful – I am currently a biology chimpanzees. 15 September, 12:30–14:00 In 2005, I was asked to about microbiology. looking into developing a both in terms of content and teacher at a small private I joined the Society to be Charles Darwin House. NEIL THORPE RSCITECH volunteer to help out in the I joined the Society in May method for Legionella analysis meeting interesting people. school near Montrose. part of a group of people Works Microbiology microbiology section by the 2014 and achieved my and developing a mobile kit for If I could change one thing Biology sparked my interest interested in biology. The Fellows’ and Members’ event – department, INM section leader, as they were RSciTech in January this year. ships to keep an eye on E. coli about my life at work, I’d be in when I was at school and now frequent communications North Wales Current projects Developing short staffed at the time. Last year, I also validated a and other bacteria while away two places at the same time. As I want to do the same for from the Society will help 17 November, 18:30–20:30 a mobile kit to detect bacteria Apparently I was quite good method for the enumeration from port. Terry Pratchett once said, “so others. I enjoy being able to keep me up to date. Chateau Rhianfa, Beaumaris,

STUART CLARKE STUART much universe, so little time.” Anglesey LL59 5NS.

32 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 33 Members New, Transfer & Chartered Members

APRIL 2015 ELECTION Karen Shooter, Nic Shore, Sana Siddiqui, Outram, Yvonne Owen, Daniel Palmer, Helen Darcy Sidebotham, Pavneet Singh, Cathy Pennington, Simon Pidgeon, Thomas Support Affiliate Smith, Christian Smith, Rianne Smith, Piggot, Nicola Pratt, Sandra Psiuk, Heather Emmanuella Adom-Frimpong, Mariam Sarah-Jane Smith, Scarlett Smithies, Claire Pullin, Antonio Ramos-Montoya, Steven your local Ahmed, Zeshan Ahmed, Nael Alloub, Snowdon, Sam South, Lucy Stoddart, Reid, Samantha Richards, Grace Richmond, Cameron Anderson, Ismini-Maria Sophia Susca, Tasnim Tarafder, Emily Melanie Roberts, Adam Rodgers, Sarah branch Angelakopoulou, Christopher Angwin, Harry Thompson, Emily Tilby, Ryan Van-Gelder, Rosanowski, Bryony Ross, Stephanie Appleby, Hannah Arnold, Mateen Arrain, Jordan Verlander, Andrew Viggers, Samuel Rudgard-Redsell, Paul Sainsbury, Linda Our branches Jenny Ashforth, Brogan Ashley, Samuel Walsh, Sarah Walsh, Alan Webb, Max Sears, Ian Selmes, Ashtekhwaz Sharef, Luke rely on your Aspinall, Aileen Baird, Shaunie Barnfield, Whiteley, Elizabeth Whittall, Ross Wild, Shepherd, Jennifer Shitu, Chris Smith, Philip Barry, Jade Beeby, Jordan Beggs, Lucy Alexander Wileman, Ellie Williams, Hannah Kimberley Smith, Michelle Spear, Laurence support. 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34 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Interested in studyingInterested the in biosciences? studying the biosciences? Come and MeetCome the and Universities Meet the Universities

The Royal College of Surgeons, London The Royal College of Surgeons, London 18 June 2015 18 June 2015

The event offers school and college students the chance The event offers school and college students the chance to explore courses and opportunities at university to explore courses and opportunities at university bioscience departments around the country. bioscience departments around the country. • Only £5 per student • Only £5 per student • Complimentary BioNet membership • Complimentary BioNet membership • Option to attend • inOption the morning to attend or afternoon in the morning or afternoon To register and for a list of exhibiting universities visit: To register and for a list of exhibiting universities visit: www.societyofbiology.org/MTUwww.societyofbiology.org/MTU Reviews

THE CHOANOFLAGELLATES: they contribute up to 20% of and different – among the who has to make some difficult also the mundaneness of the EVOLUTION, BIOLOGY heterotrophic nanoflagellates various organisms, maintaining decisions in both her work and repetitive procedures scientists AND ECOLOGY in marine, brackish and fresh the association between personal life. She is part of a must go through when Barry F C Leadbeater water, and outperform others choanoflagellates and animals. team of scientists investigating collecting their data. Cambridge University Press, in eating bacteria; their I’ll confess here that genetically modified crops and The author, entomologist and £80.00 biochemistry, particularly those Leadbeater was an old associate when, due to unforeseen former Society press officer This book is a enzymic reactions that are like/ of mine. However, this really is a circumstances, their field trial is Rebecca Nesbit, writes in this beautiful, current unlike animals; and particularly super book, with beautiful cut short, it could mean all they issue (see page 5) how she compendium on their phyletic relationships. pictures (even though that often have been working towards has hopes more scientists will try choanoflagellates, There are many DNA means captions over the page), been lost. The question is, what writing fiction as a way of the sister group sequence stories, and the and a very nice layout. What a is the right thing to do, and will bringing fresh perspectives on to the Metazoa. author is very sensible about pity it’ll only be read by about Sally do it? science to the general public. The majority of these tiny the issues, noting how many 100 people. There’ll be a lot of I enjoyed A Column of Smoke. I hope they do too. creatures inherit their skeleton genes there are in common – copies in libraries, though. You feel for Sally as she finds SARAH COX CSCITEACH MSB from their mother cell. Rib-like PROFESSOR JACK COHEN FSB herself in a sort of no-man’s ‘costae’ aggregate into a shell-like land in an awkward state of CLAXTON: FIELD NOTES protective outer covering called a A COLUMN OF SMOKE indecision in both her FROM A SMALL PLANET ‘lorica’, a complex procedure that Rebecca Nesbit relationships and her scientific Mark Cocker takes only a matter of minutes Brambleby Books, £8.99 career. The characters are well Jonathan Cape, £14.99 after cell division. They then A Column of Smoke thought out and have a depth Claxton is a welcome spend the long interphase weaves together a that emerges throughout the addition to the synthesising and storing the fictional story novel as you learn more about burgeoning field of costae for their progeny. about love and them. The science permeates nature writing and its Much of the book is about relationships with a the book and gives a good already high class Once an elevated this lorica business, but there topical scientific backdrop for the story as it output. The book railway, the High are useful chapters on their Sphaeroeca, a choanoflagellate dilemma. We follow Sally, a unfolds; showing the excitement sets out to explore the author’s Line in New York is ecology, where we learn that that forms small colonies young postdoctoral researcher of cutting edge research, but relationship with his local patch now a parkway in East Anglia and does so in a series of 12 monthly diary entries with the emphasis Nurturing nature in New York on local. This is, in essence, Keep taking the tablets a nature journal in the tradition CONCRETE JUNGLE: NEW best places to see of Gilbert White et al. YORK CITY AND OUR LAST environmental restoration DRUGGED: THE SCIENCE and how they work. Miller Cocker notes in his BEST HOPE FOR A because it is the big, rich AND CULTURE BEHIND tells the story of how many introduction that Claxton is, SUSTAINABLE FUTURE cities that have the great PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS common prescription drugs above all, about place. It is also Niles Eldredge and institutions such as museums Richard J Miller were discovered and a quietly joyous celebration of Sidney Horenstein and universities, as well as Oxford University Press, developed, including the environment and nature, and University of California the power bases for many £12.99 processes needed to get them how they can positively affect Press, £24.95 important NGOs, which can Drugged is an amazingly well approved by the FDA or one’s whole outlook on life. A As major cities around the bring about change. researched book that takes the equivalent. He gives the recurring theme is the value of world continue to grow, they What is interesting is the reader through the history and reader detailed and routine in walking and soaking up place an increasing demand change being brought about at social impact of psychotropic interesting information about your local patch. Cocker is keen on their surroundings for grassroot levels. Manhattan drugs throughout human the origins of many household to explore the ordinary and yet resources. Some resources now boasts many community history. Miller describes the use names such as Prozac, Aspirin manages to bring out global such as water have a local and rooftop gardens, and the of these drugs for religious, and Valium, and the scientists themes at every turn. effect, but others, like food, elevated railway line turned spiritual, recreational and behind their development. The writing is beautiful may well have wider, even park, the High Line, is a major medicinal purposes. He also Miller outlines the throughout, complemented in global implications. New York and how its tourist attraction. There are outlines the history of the biochemistry of these drugs the hardback edition by The authors, both born continual expansion has ambitious schemes in hand to major pharmaceutical and adds to his explanations exquisite illustrations. Claxton, and bred New Yorkers, use affected the surrounding clean the Hudson and East companies and the process of with images and diagrams despite its short length, is a their home city to argue areas, destroying habitats and rivers to encourage the drug development, as well as including archive photos book to be savoured and read that such places can hold polluting the environment. As recolonisation by fish and suggesting where the future – for example the ‘tincture of Drugs have curious about the human slowly. I will certainly reread the the key to ensuring the one who knows and enjoys shellfish. Farmers markets may lead as we improve our cannabis’ that used to be sold been part of society’s complicated chapters during the appropriate survival of animal and New York, this is a fascinating have blossomed and become understanding of how and why in chemists. He puts these society relationship with psychotropic month and so be reminded on a plant species – indeed, read, and New Yorkers will an important retail outlet for throughout regular basis, as Cocker puts it, drugs affect our bodies. developments in context and history drugs and who wishes to whole ecosystems – even find much to interest them in farmers from New York and This is indeed an eye- presents the stories behind improve their understanding “to look more closely at my when they are under discovering often overlooked the surrounding states. opening book that leaves the each one in a novel way. of how these substances affect immediate surroundings” and in enormous pressure. historical features. Early days, but very reader well informed about I would recommend this our bodies. doing so “give shape and Much of Concrete Jungle Eldredge and Horenstein promising nonetheless. what psychotropic drugs are book to anyone who is HELEN STAMP meaning to my whole outlook”. is given over to the history of suggest that cities are the DR LEIGHTON DANN PETER ANDERSON MSB

36 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 37 Reviews Reviews Books Books

THE BIOLOGIST’S most ethical significance, and basis of capitalism (Adam impoverished imagination would action occuring in Cambridge IMAGINATION: INNOVATION where we have the most to Smith), medieval physiology appear to pay so little attention and London at the time. He had A barn owl, IN THE BIOSCIENCES learn, given its billions of years (epitomised by the University of to the demands of global justice. set up a department that he one of many William Hoffman and of experimental results”. Modern Bologna) and Darwinian theory PROFESSOR BEN MEPHAM FSB wanted to be called ‘molecular species that Leo Furcht biotechnology, it is claimed, is – are incorporated with biology’, a term he invented. can live Oxford University Press, the exponential driving force of impressive subtlety into their THE MAN IN THE Funded by the Worshipful alongside us £22.95 global technological change, thesis. In essence, their MONKEYNUT COAT: WILLIAM Company of Clothworkers, he Not so many years productivity and, hence, message is that capitalism, ASTBURY AND THE used X-ray crystallography ago, biology was the economic growth. entrepreneurship and FORGOTTEN ROAD TO THE photos to demonstrate, initially, ‘poor relation’ of the This exceptionally well concentrations of expertise, DOUBLE HELIX that the keratin of hair – wool – rest of the sciences. researched and engagingly together with that vital Kersten T Hall was a long, stretchable molecule Lacking the presented account of the growth ingredient, imagination, are Oxford University Press, and became committed to the precision of physics of biotechnology in medicine, humanity’s only hope to “sustain £18.99 idea that all of biology was William and chemistry, it was ‘soft’ agriculture, manufacturing and and revitalise the health and This is essentially ‘worked’ by the change of shape Astbury science, largely observational, pharmaceutical industries is a wellbeing of the living systems a sympathetic of protein molecules. qualitative and speculative in its veritable tour de force. Despite that support us”. biography of Hall shows how this physics Several forest types are theoretical pronouncements. the authors’ specialised medical Yet such triumphalism would William Astbury, oriented approach led Astbury covered, including tropical But now, this book’s authors background, important surely sound hollow to the vast with a lot of wise away from the DNA story, but in rainforest, temperate forests, assert, “biology is the biggest dimensions of their argument – majority of people whose lives comments on the my opinion he spends too much Mediterranean forests and dry science, with the most with origins in the history of biotechnology has not yet incidents and the accidents of the book on analysis of the forests. Climate changes affect scientists, the most funding, the technology (the Industrial reached, or it has affected of his life. The problem was that DNA/Franklin history. all forest types, and there are most scientific results, the Revolution), the philosophical adversely. Arguably, only an he was in Leeds, far from the From the Braggs (father useful comparisons between William Henry and his son, different forests. William Lawrence), through a A balance of observational variety of characters, including and experimental work is Kathleen Lonsdale (née Yardley, presented to predict the factors xkcd humour the first female Fellow of the of influence for the future. Shifts Secret lives of your Royal Society), Linus Pauling in rainfall patterns are predicted lost in translation and Alfred Mirsky, to Oswald for the tropics and are likely to uninvited guests Avery, Astbury was on the edge have unforeseen consequences. WHAT IF? SERIOUS connection was made between of the burgeoning biophysics, Increases in extreme weather HOUSE GUESTS, HOUSE wasps, moths, flies, spiders, SCIENTIFIC ANSWERS TO travelling in the International but after his failure to get MRC events such as droughts and PESTS: A NATURAL beetles, woodlice, ants and ABSURD HYPOTHETICAL Space Station and the funding at Leeds, he lost heart. intense precipitation are already HISTORY OF ANIMALS the like. Mention is made QUESTIONS Proclaimers’ 1988 song I’m This is an excellent, stylish affecting forests. IN THE HOME of how these creatures Randall Munroe Gonna Be (500 Miles). historical account of the early Many other human induced Richard Jones came to live with or, in some John Murray Publishers, Although the volume is days of biophysics. Yet I didn’t environmental factors are Bloomsbury Publishing, cases, on us. £14.99 badged as a UK edition, it like the cover cartoon, nor the discussed, such as air pollution, £16.99 Jones’ enthusiasm in Randall Munroe is the creator appears to be a sparsely edited title. To end, a nice quote from the effect of introduced species Humans have a contrary conveying facts worthy of of popular web comic xkcd. assortment from the original Astbury: “… the important thing and the results of selective attitude towards the animals dinner party anecdotes If you are not familiar with web source, full of North is not to grow up”. logging. There are a number of that cohabit our local shines through and reveals xkcd, it is a humorous stick American references. Baseball, PROFESSOR JACK COHEN FSB permanent forest plots in both environment. Where we take him to be the notable figure cartoon strip about ice hockey, and “the most and temperate and tropical forests delight in seeing a variety of entomologist and natural technology, mathematics least flown over states” seemed FORESTS AND and it is clear that these are the vertebrates and invertebrates historian that he is. While and life as a scientist. The to provide a somewhat GLOBAL CHANGE source of many ongoing in our gardens, parks and House Guests, House UK edition of What If? is a blinkered view of the world at David A Coomes, observations about climate woods, we are less thrilled to Pests is, by admission, collection of questions large while paradoxically David F R P Burslem and change, such as the increasing find the same creatures unashamedly northern submitted by xkcd readers attempting to inform with William D Simonson (Eds) biomass in some places owing sharing the inside of our European in perspective, that Munroe has answered in some big scientific ideas, Cambridge University Press, to carbon fertilisation. Carbon homes (with the few so would suit this readership, cartoon form and previously mainly in physics. £35.00 mass balance studies show that exceptions that are seen as a nod is given to invaders in published online. That I didn’t get it led me to It is now well- tropical forests are still acting as domestic pets). This paradox warmer climes. The questions wonder what wonder if, rather than my known that the a carbon sink, but for how much is explored in great detail in As someone who has would actually happen in humour being bypassed, the forests of the world longer is uncertain. this enjoyable read. observed two geckos climb ludicrous conditions and source material was missing are affected by Overall, one is left with the The context is set by the wall while writing this scenarios – for example, what something in the translation changes in climate. impression of how fragile forests explaining how each nook review, I content myself that would happen if you put the from the author’s web comic. Each of the 15 are and the serious dangers to and cranny of people’s their discreet (and discrete) entire population of Earth on When I visited xkcd.com, chapters of Forests and Global them from a changing climate. houses provides a warm and droppings are offset by the Rhode Island? Or, what would the humour and fun quickly Change are written by authors This is an important book for hospitable new niche efficiency with which a mole (the unit) of moles (the returned. The original blog xkcd.com: find it informative and who presented data to an ecologists and anyone who is for mammals (think they catch all manner animals) look like? is interesting and accessible What would entertaining. Enjoy this Ecological Society symposium. interested in or teaching about mice and bats), birds of biting insects. I’m not sure if I got the joke. and well linked to wider happen if excellent blog, its science, The first of three parts is on the effects of climate change. (think swifts and They are included wind farms forest dynamics and global Some good suggestions for My first smile appeared on resources such as YouTube went War of humour and illustrations. barn owls), as well as here – but are they a page 88 – something about C4 videos, safety documentation the Worlds? Do, however, save yourself £15, change, the second on species further research are made and the more obvious guest or a pest? explosives and boomerangs – and other items. as it simply does not translate traits and responses to there is a useful index of the creepy crawlies that PROFESSOR ANDREW and it was not until page 191 It’s worth taking a minute to comfortably into book form. changing resource availability, many topics addressed. we more readily TAYLOR-ROBINSON that I laughed, when the clever look up the web comic: you’ll NICKY SOUTER FSB and the third on detecting and PROFESSOR SIR GHILLEAN PRANCE identify as pests – CBIOL FSB modelling global change. CBIOL FSB

38 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 39 Branches

Events calendar Event reports June–December 2015 PLANTS FOR BUGS wish to support a wide range KENT, SURREY & SUSSEX 25 MARCH 2015 of pollinating insect species, it PANDEMIC VIRUSES How our choice of plants is clear that the more flowering 11 MARCH 2015 affects insect pollinators plants a garden can offer Lecture by the Pirbright Institute’s throughout the year, from headmaster of Market Professor John Fazakerley FSB On a cool but dry spring day, different regions, the greater Harborough Grammar School, members visited RHS Garden, the number of bees, hoverflies bought the land at the bottom The Pirbright Institute, formerly Wisley, to hear about an Members take a tour of the study plots at RHS Garden, Wisley and other pollinating insects it of his garden to create an the Institute for Animal Health, ambitious project to investigate will attract. arboretum, and it is a hidden has an international reputation the effects of native and non perennials, shrubs, grasses being analysed and the first After a highly interesting visit, gem. Join us for light as a centre for the control, native plants on fauna in the or ferns, and climbers, native results on pollinator behaviour I’m sure many of us will be refreshments, a guided tour containment and, where garden. It is important work, as to one of three geographic should appear shortly in the following the publication of and time to explore. possible, elimination of viral research suggests that, excluding zones: Britain (native), the Journal of Applied Ecology. further results and conclusions. Hammond Arboretum, diseases of animals. lawns, the average UK garden Northern Hemisphere Early results have suggested For those who are interested Robert Smyth School, Its director, Professor John contains 70% non-native plants. excluding UK (near native) or that honeybees tend to favour in insect friendly gardening, Burnmill Road, Market Fazakerley FSB, described the Helen Bostock, Dr Andrew the Southern Hemisphere native or near native plants, the Royal Horticultural Society Harborough, Leicestershire impacts of dangerous and Salisbury and the Plants for (exotic). The plots are whereas long tongued bumble has produced a list of LE16 7JG. potentially pandemic viruses on Bugs team have set up 36 plots monitored for invertebrates. bees and solitary bees showed recommended plants on its livestock, food availability, and with a mixture of 14 species of The data from these no preference for plants’ origin. website, at www.rhs.org.uk. the prosperity of farmers and plants including bulbs, measurements are now However, for gardeners who DAVID WARE FSB NORTH WALES other communities. He talked North Wales members are invited to Erddig Hall house and gardens VISIT TO ERDDIG HALL about the spread of Ebola in West THURSDAY 15 OCTOBER Africa, as well as other diseases AGM: WINE AND CHEESE Join us for a visit to the including foot and mouth, which BEDS, ESSEX & HERTS AND A RIVER BOAT CRUISE 485 hectare (1,200 acre) cost the economy around £8bn From Mars to mitochondria in schools contest EARLY CAREER BIOLOGISTS SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 19:00–21:00 country house, park and in 2001, and the H5N1 influenza EAST MIDLANDS NETWORKING EVENT The AGM will feature a wine formal walled garden and its virus, which can cause large MONDAY 29 JUNE 11:00–15:00 and cheese tasting and a John annual apple festival. More economic losses if spread to REGIONAL SCHOOLS Free networking event for Bunyan Boat river cruise on details will be available nearer intensively farmed chickens. COMPETITION PhD, postdoc students and the River Ouse. Meet at the to the event. H5N1 can occasionally infect 14 MARCH 2015 other researchers at an early Priory Marina, Barker’s Lane, human cells, causing a A high standard of entries made it stage in their career. Includes Bedford MK41 9DJ. It costs AGM AND CHRISTMAS respiratory disease with a a tough call for this year’s judges the chance to visit the R&D £10 for members, students LECTURE mortality rate of at least 50%. site of a local multinational and under-16s; and £28 for TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER 19:30 Professor Fazakerley also More than 100 visitors pharmaceutical company. non-members. Professor Brian Moss will give included African swine fever, a streamed into the University Booking is essential. a talk entitled ‘Why our haemorrhagic disease of pigs of Leicester for our schools GlaxoSmithKline, David conservation policies are with mortality rates approaching competition, hosted by DEVON & CORNWALL Jack Centre for R&D, Park spectacularly wrong’. The 100%, and West Nile fever, GENIE, the Centre for Road, Ware, Hertfordshire HOOKED ON MICROSCOPY AGM and a buffet will follow. which can cause encephalitis in Excellence in Teaching and SG12 ODP. SATURDAY 24 OCTOBER 10:00–16:00 Bod Erw Hotel is at junction horses and humans, and is a Learning in Genetics. A family friendly event to mark 27 on the A55, just off the major public health concern in Students from years eight to SHUTTLEWORTH VISIT – the 350th anniversary of roundabout (SJ031746). the US and Europe. 13 were celebrating the start THE SWISS GARDEN Robert Hooke’s Micrographia. Centres like Pirbright bring of the British Science Week SUNDAY 12 JULY 14:00–16:00 Activities include using together scientists from a range (formerly National Science & NORTH WESTERN A fantastic opportunity to visit microscopes, specimen of fields such as virology, Engineering Week). Top seniors (above) and highly commended juniors (right) the historic Swiss Garden at drawing and competitions. ANNUAL SCHOOLS QUIZ molecular biology, immunology, In the junior section, pupils Shuttleworth, full of botanical Exeter Cathedral and THURSDAY 25 JUNE 9:00–15:30 epidemiology and entomology, had prepared posters on the While Dr Shaun Cowley of on tardigrades entitled curiosities. The garden is Chapter House, Cathedral The annual event will be held and provide them with the high theme ‘extreme biology’, while the University of Leicester’s ‘When the going gets exquisite, with lakes, thatched Yard, Exeter, Devon. at UCLAN, with 100 students quality biocontainment facilities the older students submitted Department of Biochemistry tough, the tough get buildings, grottos and competing for a grand prize, required for their work. essays. Their interpretations gave his talk, ‘Stem cells: from going’. A runner-up roaming peacocks. Spaces and a special event for the DAVID WARE FSB were all very different, and the origins of life to tissue prize also went to EAST MIDLANDS are limited, so please book teachers and tutors who lead provided a challenge for the regeneration’, the judges Orieanna Reeve-Chen your place. Free for members SUMMER’S EVENING them. We welcome new teams of judges. discussed the entries. and Namrata Joshi for and £5 for non-members. AT THE HAMMOND participants to enter a team. The apprehensive students Rhea Suribatala and ‘The world’s toughest Hartshorn with ‘Where The Swiss Garden, The ARBORETUM Everyone goes home with were quizzed by the judges on Shreeya Thakrar scooped the bacterium’. do we draw the line’ and Shuttleworth Collection, TUESDAY 16 JUNE 18:30–21:30 something to remember the their approach and the £50 first prize in the junior In the senior section, Aditi Pandey with ‘The Old Warden Aerodrome, Just over 100 years ago, day, and the top four schools content of their poster or section with their poster Lauren Church won with her extremes of medical Biggleswade, Beds SG18 9EP. Francis Hammond, the then all receive prizes. essay. This, the most testing ‘Mitochondrial manipulation’, essay ‘Extreme biology: treatment: Nanotechnology aspect of the competition, is while runner-up Adam Dodd Moving to Mars’. The two and robotic surgery’.

FOR MORE DETAILS www.societyofbiology.org Bird flu outbreaks can wreak what makes it so special. received £20 for his exposition runners-up were Freya ROSEMARY HALL MSB economic havoc

40 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 41 Branches Branches Reports Reports

Observing a A spring walk among the wildlife common vole

KENT, SURREY & SUSSEX

WOODLAND ON MARKSTAKES COMMON 19 APRIL 2015 An abundance of bryophytes at East Sussex event

Carpeted with bluebells and wood anemones, and filled with ash, beech and hornbeam, this attractive woodland made for a lovely spring walk, enhanced by some early purple Dr David Elphinstone shows off Myerscough College’s new glasshouses orchids and some massive old Lessons in how to oaks, one reported to be more the riverside buffer zone is year ahead. The elections went than 300 years old. very narrow. smoothly, with new committee There was also at least one In Wales, there are excellent members appointed. track and trap wild service tree, the fruits locations for planned Following the AGM, we were possible uses, projects and NORTH WESTERN of which, sold under the name experimental releases of invited to view some amazing research ideas. of chequers, were reportedly beavers, but sites are now images taken by award winning MAMMAL TRAPPING The heat signals from the used to flavour beer. sought where problems are wildlife photographer Glenn 18 APRIL 2015 different mammals and the In the glades, which had more likely to occur than in the Upton-Fletcher AMSB. His Animals caught on camera at way they changed were been cleared of bracken, Bryophyte enthusiast Jacqueline Hutson helps members improve their knowledge of mosses and liverworts more isolated upland valleys subjects range from mites on Lancashire wildlife hot spot fascinating and a challenge bramble and silver birch by originally proposed. This will burrowing scorpions, to the to track. From numerous volunteers, heathers were enthusiast, who ably revised our clothing the trunks and leaves on its branches. Among enable investigation of their lifecycle of tadpoles, to elephants We gathered early on a crisp common voles and shrews to becoming re-established, and knowledge of (or introduced us branches of the trees. the liverworts, we found leafy impacts on aquatic features in Zimbabwe (see below). Glenn spring Saturday morning not the much rarer pygmy shrews there were several small to) the mosses and liverworts to During our walk we found specimens such as Lophocolea such as salmon, and provide will be running two courses to far from Ormskirk on 12 and the endearing wood mice, ponds, probably the result of be found in the woods. both Acrocarpus mosses heterophylla, with its delicate experience in addressing support branch activities this hectares (29.6 acres) of we had plenty to record. earlier clay workings, which These rather primitive such as Mnium hornum, with translucent shoots, and negative impacts. year (16th May and 5th June). rather special woodland. After the main survey of contained a range of moisture plants lack a vascular system its leaves edged with a row thalloid species such as JOHN SOLBÉ MBE FSB After lunch, delegates went on After a brief introduction the traps, we were treated to a loving plants, sphagnum moss and so are typically found in of double teeth, and Metzgeria furcata, with its a tour of the college by Dr David and splitting into two much short introduction to and, reportedly, three species moist areas such as dense Pleurocarpous mosses, such thick midrib and forking thalli. Elphinstone, beginning with the smaller groups, we were photographing small NORTH WESTERN of newt. woodland where they can as Kindbergia praelonga, with It was a most informative and state-of-the-art glasshouses, expertly guided through the mammals. The day finished Our guide, Jacqueline grow as carpets and mounds its heart shaped leaves on enjoyable event. AGM AT MYERSCOUGH where all parameters are traps, approaching each one with a more leisurely and Hutson, is a bryophyte on the ground, as well as creeping stems and narrower DAVID WARE FSB AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE computer controlled and the with excitement. intimate guided tour of the 28 MARCH 2015 plants produced are sold in the A thermal imaging whole site, which boasts an Members cultivate an interest in college garden centre. camera added even more orchard, bluebells and a river. habitats. They don’t eat fish, but horticulture and husbandry Kathy Kissack greeted us at interest and enthusiasm It was a fully subscribed NORTH WALES do like aspen trees, eating bark the Veterinary Nursing School, to the proceedings and led and memorable event that THE RETURN OF when they need to. They burrow An idyllic setting for our AGM, with its working kennels and to some fascinating and we hope to repeat. THE BEAVER as well as build lodges, and fell Myerscough Agricultural College cattery. The 400 students in the engaging conversations on GLENN UPTON-FLETCHER AMSB 4 DECEMBER 2014 trees to make dams. lies within the heart of the school are training for a range of Adrian Lloyd Jones expounds the The beaver is considered a Lancashire countryside. The roles from nursing care benefits of beavers at St Asaph keystone species that provides college was founded in 1894 assistants to graduate veterinary benefits for others. It is said that and is set in 700 hectares (1,730 nurses. Students practise on Beavers were the subject of a the biomass of fish in a beaver acres) of green belt owned by simulated dogs, which are very talk by Adrian Lloyd Jones of the area is as much as 80 times the Duchy of Lancaster. lifelike, rehearsing techniques North Wales Wildlife Trust at St greater than elsewhere, and The college aims to maintain such as taking X-rays, Asaph in early December. The when beavers abandon a lodge, a balance between education, anaesthetising and bandaging. lecture was followed by the otters can move in. Their commerce and research, the JEAN WILSON MBE CBIOL FSB branch AGM and an excellent The advantages of beavers outweigh control measures a hundredfold burrows can collapse and they latter ensuring links with buffet at the Bod Erw Hotel. can drill through dykes. Control universities in Manchester, Adrian has led the project on Cambrensis (c. 1146–1223), as inflammatory effects. However, measures include, among other Liverpool, Lancaster and returning the beaver to Wales they were hunted for their the medicinal properties thought things, electric fencing, trapping Preston. The working farm since 2005. Over that period, he valuable pelt, meat and other to derive from a beaver’s testicles (using apples as bait) and on site has more than 1,000 has examined the habits of the parts of their anatomy that were appear to be a myth. removing animals, but it has ewes and 200 dairy cattle. European beaver (Castor fiber) in thought to have medicinal Looking at the ecology and been estimated that the benefit The AGM heard the chairman’s parts of mainland Europe, where properties. Castoreum, the habitat of beavers on the of beaver outweighs the cost of report, along with an update on An introduction to beavers have lived for decades. secretion found in beavers’ castor European mainland provides control measures a hundredfold. the branch activities from the photographing mammals In Wales, beavers were already sacs, contains salicin from wood clues to how these animals Beavers can damage field crops, previous year, a review of some GLENN UPTON-FLETCHER AMSB UPTON-FLETCHER GLENN very rare in the time of Giraldus bark, which may have had anti- might respond to and affect UK but this tends to occur where MARTINIUS ALLARD past challenges and a look at the An image by Glenn Upton-Fletcher

42 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 43 Branches Branches Reports Reports

for the Society of Biology, that in counteracting infection, stalls in the foyer. Afterwards, NORTHERN and Dr Jane Magill, regional the immune system follows the Dr Ann McGinty of the Queen’s AGM AND LECTURE ON coordinator for Scotland and same strategy as humans in war, University Belfast gave a short Contacts DISEASE AND WAR the north of England, who gave and that we should learn from talk on research and careers BEDS, ESSEX & HERTS 18 APRIL 2015 short presentations. the best leaders, build the best in biology. Dr Theresa Huxley bedsessexherts@ Tales of mighty leaders v microbes, Dr Wood said he would not armies, gather intelligence and JONATHAN SHIELDS AMSB societyofbiology.org and our body’s war against disease seek re-election and thanked develop new strategies. DEVON & CORNWALL the committee for their support The body’s own soldiers and SOUTH WALES Christine Fry The branch met at Durham during his 10 years in office. weapons equate to the innate [email protected] University in the Holgate Professor Sandra Edwards left and adaptive immunity of BATTLING INFECTION EAST ANGLIA Conference Centre at Grey the committee during the year defending cells and antibodies. 16 MARCH 2015 Amanda Burton [email protected] College. The formal meeting was as did Dr Douglas Wilson, and The use of new techniques such Inaugural event takes on antimicrobial held in the morning and, after a Dr Christine Masterson did not as molecular diagnostics and resistance and the anti-vaxxers EAST MIDLANDS Rosemary Hall welcome and introduction by wish to continue. Dr Cathleen vaccine development was [email protected] the chairman, Dr Clifford Wood, Thomas and Dr Brian Degger Napoleon Bonaparte illustrated by research against Despite modern scientific KENT, SURREY & SUSSEX the year’s events were reviewed, were elected to the committee. the poultry red mite, a parasitic advances, infectious diseases Dr David Ware including successful visits to the After a buffet lunch, Professor of the Roman Empire and the pest of economic importance. remain one of the major kentsurreysussex@ Durham Brewery in June and to Olivier Sparagano, associate pro brilliant successes and setbacks After a persuasive and threats to public health. As societyofbiology.org Northumbrian Water Scientific vice-chancellor for research at of Napoleon. entertaining talk, the conclusion we have seen from recent LONDON Services in November. Coventry University, gave a In wars, the main killers were was that the more you know events both locally and Vydeki Shanmuganathan [email protected] We were pleased to welcome lecture entitled ‘The Emperor not always soldiers: statistics about bugs the better to win Students at a Northern Ireland branch talk were shown hard hitting globally, there are still many Dr Penny Fletcher, events and versus the Microbes’. He looked show that more casualties were AIDS awareness advertisements from the 1980s controversial issues around how NORTH WALES the battles. Peter Thompson public engagement manager at the progression and failures a result of disease. He suggested MIKE ROWELL we treat and prevent diseases, [email protected] the syllabus and demystify it, from measles to Ebola. As such, NORTHERN IRELAND NORTH WESTERN with a guest expert lecturer. This the inaugural event of the Glenn Upton-Fletcher SCIENCE AND STORMONT year’s update was held at the recently established South [email protected] CONFERENCE W5 science and discovery Wales branch was an engaging NORTHERN 13 OCTOBER 2014 centre, with support provided audience-led panel discussion Dr Michael Rowell [email protected] Branch members attend stimulating by Arlene Todd from STEMNET. on battling infection. discussion on science education This year, Dr Declan McKenna of The panel was made up of NORTHERN IRELAND Jonathan Shields the University of Ulster gave the a group of academic, medical [email protected] This event was hosted by the guest lecture on the human and policy experts based in SCOTLAND Royal Society of Chemistry and immunodeficiency virus (HIV). the South Wales region, and Dr Jacqueline Nairn facilitated by Basil McCrea, His lecture began with the the event was chaired by [email protected] chair of the All-Party Group on origins of HIV, its detection and Dr Beatrix Fahnert FSB, chair SOUTH WALES Science and Technology at impact on the human immune of the South Wales branch Dr Rowena Jenkins Stormont, the seat of the system. We were shown the committee. [email protected] Northern Ireland Assembly. The hard hitting adverts from the The discussion covered a THAMES VALLEY Dr Ray Gibson Northern Ireland branch of the 1980s, when the spread of the number of areas, including [email protected] Society was well represented virus was at its greatest. He how the over-prescription of WESSEX and there was an opportunity went on to explain the antibiotics for viral infections is Rachel Wilson to meet the Society’s director mechanism of the virus and promoting antibiotic resistance. [email protected] of parliamentary affairs, Dr how it differed from other It also covered the rise of the WEST MIDLANDS Stephen Benn. viruses, resulting in unique ‘anti-vaxxers’, which is of great Deirdre Marsh The theme of the conference difficulties for treatment. He relevance at the moment [email protected] was ‘Science Education in gave an overview of molecular following the outbreak of WESTERN Northern Ireland’. In addition techniques used to detect such Michael Graz measles in California and, closer [email protected] to formal presentations viruses in the lab. to home, in Neath and Swansea. YORKSHIRE spanning primary, secondary Dr McKenna’s analogy of a Members discussed the lost Dr Steven Picksley and tertiary education in the new drug sweeping the streets art of home remedies and how [email protected]

province, there were two lively of a city, with a police force exposure to a ‘good dose of dirt’ HONG KONG panel Q&A sessions. The tackling the problem, helped us for children could stimulate the Emily Wan Ting Tam New branch discussions at Irish Academy presentations led to stimulating to remember the cell types of immune system, reducing the [email protected] and productive discussions the human immune response. reliance on healthcare systems DUBLIN MEETING The event was a great important contributions to the Republic of Ireland might that provided much food for Despite the serious topic, the and pharmaceuticals. 23 FEBRUARY 2015 networking success, enabling biology and its impact on become involved in the thought for all present. talk was stimulating, humorous There were also displays and YOUR BRANCH Reception looks at the future discussion on potential society in general, while branch’s activities and possible DR RICHARD BRIGGS CBIOL FSB and educational. The delivery demonstrations showcasing NEEDS YOU of the Society in Ireland collaboration between regional branch coordinator funding opportunities to will certainly help students in research in the field, with a EAST ANGLIA branch colleagues in the two David Urry MSB provided facilitate this. A LEVEL UPDATE their examinations and will most cheese and wine reception committee is looking to recruit The Society held an evening countries and on the possible information on the Members from south of 18 FEBRUARY 2015 likely encourage some to following the discussion. new members and fill a number reception at Dublin’s Royal formation of a Republic reorganisation of the the border also expressed a Dr Declan McKenna explains the embark on a career in biology. This was an excellent first of roles. If you are interested in Irish Academy to facilitate of Ireland branch. branches and their desire to create a branch in the unique difficulties of treating HIV There was a brief break to event for the branch, attracting joining the committee and discussion between members Society chief executive Dr support infrastructure. Republic of Ireland to help give the pupils and teachers a 177 people and providing a great helping to organise events, contact branch secretary based in the Republic of Mark Downs FSB presented Professor Gerry McKenna facilitate joint activities. Our annual A Level Update, chance to visit some of the opportunity to meet and listen Amanda Burton, eastanglia@ Ireland and Northern Ireland. an overview of the Society’s FSB told how members from DR GLENN DICKSON CBIOL FSB aimed at A level pupils, is STEM ambassadors and to experts in the field. societyofbiology.org

REX/ ALMERO BARNARD MSB BARNARD ALMERO REX/ designed to take a topic from employers present, who had DR CLAIRE PRICE MSB

44 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 45 Biofeedback

Sense about soil Millions of pounds have been THE SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY MAGAZINEe ■ ISSN 0006 3347Biologist ■ SOCIETYOFBIOLOGY.ORG VOL 62 NO 2 ■ APR/MAY 2015 Joe Turner rightly highlights the committed to UK soil PITCHER research in recent years PERFECT crucial role of soil in sustaining Inside the world of carnivorous plants humanity and supporting ecosystems (‘On Shaky Ground’, The Biologist Vol 62(2) p8). However, he proceeds to paint a very dark picture of UK soil science research, training and funding.

POLICY EXPERIENCE NANOSCIENCE ELECTION SPECIAL PARALYSIS CURE BINDING MEASURES This is not the case. Several e UK’s main ✗ e story behind a Making nanomedicines

parties talk science SCIENCE medical breakthrough more eff ective

research councils actively support 00_Bio_62_No2 COVER_Concepts-3.indd 1 26/03/2015 10:00 soils based research and training. A casual search of the Natural Get in contact Environment Research Council’s Send your (NERC) grants database reveals 250 comments to live grant, fellowship and training Biofeedback, awards containing the word ‘soil’ Society of Biology, with a total value of £68m. Charles Darwin House, For example, NERC and the The subject is perennial. My The theory of evolution is under 12 Roger Street, Biotechnology and Biological 2003 thesis, Managerialism and the microscope. The fossil record London Sciences Research Council have Academic Science (MPhil, has long revealed unusually high WC1N 2JU launched programmes directed at Nottingham University Business speciation rates after mass or email soil science worth approximately School), comprehensively explored extinctions, and rapid speciation biologist@ £13m. At the Institute of Biological the attitudes of a cohort of has also been observed in several societyofbiology.org and Environmental Sciences at the academic natural scientists, all of environments, such as the cichlid University of Aberdeen, we have them active researchers. fishes of African Great lakes and in The Biologist reserves around £10m worth of live My research found that 81% of Hawaiian cave planthoppers. the right to edit letters research funding for soil, have the scientists questioned claimed Sympatric speciation – that is, where appropriate. graduated around 120 soils related that “fundamental research was non-geographical separation – is PhD students since 2009, and soil being compromised” by such significantly involved in many of science is taught across several pressures. Further, 87% stated that these recent observations. For this, undergraduate and postgraduate the traditional academic science sexual selection seems essential for training programmes. domain was vital. the swift formation of a barrier Many organisations promote soil Yet, 81% stated that they would against dilution by the sibling and science, including the British not ignore such pressures and 81% parent genomes. Ecological Society, whose Plants, claimed that there was “greater This is achieved when genetic Soils, Ecosystems focus group has personal advantage” in applied/ elements for signals in one gender, more than 300 members. utilitarian research. which attract the opposite gender, Although we can’t rest on our Perhaps, even then, scientists are linked with the adaptive targets laurels, I am confident that the UK were ‘understandably nervous’ of selection. These signals form a has the talent and skills available to about the issue. However, their repertoire of features exhibited tackle the important issues of views revealed a shrewd awareness differentially in the two genders. sustainability of soil, water and of lucrative funding streams from They include song, dance, scent, food that Joe Turner raises. private venture capital wanting to colour and adornment. Natural Professor David Johnson FSB solve specific industrial/technology/ and sexual selection can together medical dilemmas. The hope of reinforce each other to hasten the ensuing lucrative product development of a species boundary Too much pressure development also helps science and thus minimise invasion from Tom Ireland’s dialogue with Greg to maintain its primary aim: to competing subspecies. We have Clark (‘For the Record’, The enhance the lives of citizens and This can explain observations Biologist Vol 62(2) p28) raised the society through discovery. of accelerated rates of speciation, around issue of fundamental versus utility Cedric Richmond CBiol FSB involving early stage, often £10m targeted research. unobservable, competition between Clark said “people were sibling nascent species as well as worth understandably nervous in advance” Speed speciation parents. It suggests an additional of live when asked about alleged pressure In the last issue, Cedric Richmond’s route for evolution which is fitful or put on scientists to aim their letter ‘New or just evolved?’ digital in the course of speciation, research research at specific applications as (‘Biofeedback’, The Biologist 62(2) compared with the slow anagenesis funding opposed to pursuing ‘blue skies’ p45) questioned what we really of current theory. (fundamental) research. mean by a ‘new’ species. John B Owen CBiol FSB for soil

46 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Crossword

Solve summer’s biology 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 the normal combination of a definition brain teaser and you could supported by a cryptic indication. win a £25 book token 9 10 How to enter Across To be in with a chance of winning

1 Headgear is the wrong way round 11 a £25 book token, please send us your on back of head (6) completed puzzles by 29th June 2015. 12 5 Terrible cat smell (4,4) Please include your name, address and 9 I’m pieced together somehow (8) 13 14 15 membership number with your entry –

10 Dwell by river (5) 16 an email address would be handy too. 11 Otters seen to swim around (12) Post your entries to: Crossword, The 17 18 13 Ascent, not cold to start with (4) Biologist, Society of Biology, Charles 14 I’d poison cocktail (8) 19 Darwin House, 12 Roger Street,

17 Centres for aged ones have 20 21 London, WC1N 2JU. swimming facilities (4,4) 22 18 Area surrounded by nothing (4) Last issue’s winners 20 Angry, I govern badly (8,4) 23 24 Well done to the winners of the 23 A source of coal possibly (5) Apr/May issue crossword. They

24 Heartless city council outrages 25 26 are John O’Connor CBiol MSB and inhabitants (8) David Kemp CBiol MSB. Book tokens 25 What can go with prison bars? are on the way. (4,4) Volume 62 8 I try and signal about reason for 26 Leading scientists yet still they No 3 silence (10) exhibit modesty (6) compiled by 12 Near enough what one does with Last issue’s solution Doug presents (4,2,4) Vol 62 No 2 Down Stanford 15 Hard up writer, curious doesn’t 2 A politician starting to speak can have a cent (9) up the volume (4) 16 Small water life decay provided 3 Ideal, best placed for use against a given a long time (8) wall (4-5) 19 Gets rid of wild civets (6) 4 Hide misery that’s around death (6) 21 One makes proof stronger yet (5) 5 Cool car, big limo taking one 22 Mourn for tree (4) around (15) 6 Loudest I perform is when nobody This issue else is around (8) All across answers are from the world 7 Small inlet by river provides of biology and their clues lack any shelter (5) further definition. Down clues provide

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Sir David Attenborough in conversation with Alice In the next Roberts l Our guide to fossil hunting in the UK issue of l The importance of cell cultures to science

Vol 62 No 3 / The Biologist / 47 Museum piece Biological exhibits from around the world

This shark fossil is estimated to be 330 million years old

#14: The Bearsden Shark Hunterian Museum, Glasgow

hink of the rural known as Manse Burn, which is of workers from Glasgow The Bearsden Shark was outskirts of now recognised as one of the University’s Hunterian described in 2001 as Glasgow and you most important shark fossil Museum, led by Wood, Akmonistion zangerli, a species probably don’t sites in the world. excavated and exposed previously unknown to science picture sharks Wood’s ‘Bearsden Shark’ is a quarry in the Manse Burn with a strange, toothed fin swimming estimated to be 330 million shale bed just a few metres shaped like an anvil behind its through tropical years old and is the most wide, and discovered many head. Palaeontologists have Tlagoons. Three hundred million complete shark of its age – only new specimens, including only been able to guess at the years ago, however, conditions the teeth and spines of fish this several unique bony fish fin’s purpose. in shallow waters here were old had been found before this and other complete sharks. The original fossil is now perfect for the preservation discovery. Thanks to the unique Some specimens were on display at the Hunterian of marine life. When ancient conditions of the area and the so well preserved that even Museum. The museum also sharks and other bony fish carboniferous period, the blood vessels and muscle houses scientific instruments died, they quickly sank into cartilage of the shark remains could be seen. used by James Watt, Joseph thick mud below the tropical intact and even the remnants of Lister and Lord Kelvin, objects waters of the period, leaving its last meal can be seen inside from Captain Cook’s Pacific the area with a wealth of its stomach. Palaeontologists voyages and the anatomical exceptionally well preserved believe the shark must have teaching aids of founder and rare fossil specimens. been quickly buried in oxygen- Dr William Hunter, as well In 1981, fossil hunter Stan poor black mud, which as a large collection of Wood came across an prevented scavengers and other Why the anvil shaped fin? archaeological and historical amazingly well preserved and organisms breaking it down. artefacts and artworks. unusual shark while walking his Over time, this mud would dog around Bearsden, half a become the black shale The remnants The Hunterian Museum is dozen miles north west of formations found in the area. of its last meal open Tuesday to Saturday, Glasgow. The area lies on a Following the discovery 10:00–17:00, Sunday 11:00–

geological shale formation of the Bearsden Shark, a team can be seen 16:00. Admission is free DR MIKE COATES; DR NEIL CLARK

48 / The Biologist / Vol 62 No 3 Conf ict & survival Enter our 2015 amateur photography competition Closing date: 31 August 2015

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