The status and distribution of the Strandline Beetle Eurynebria complanata on Whiteford Burrows, Cefn Sidan, Laugharne & Pendine Burrows and Frainslake Sands, Castlemartin in 2016 Barry Stewart NRW Evidence Report No. 189 Date NRW Evidence Report No.189 About Natural Resources Wales Natural Resources Wales is the organisation responsible for the work carried out by the three former organisations, the Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency Wales and Forestry Commission Wales. It is also responsible for some functions previously undertaken by Welsh Government. Our purpose is to ensure that the natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained, used and enhanced, now and in the future. We work for the communities of Wales to protect people and their homes as much as possible from environmental incidents like flooding and pollution. We provide opportunities for people to learn, use and benefit from Wales' natural resources. 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However, the views and recommendations presented in this report are not necessarily those of NRW and should, therefore, not be attributed to NRW. www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk NRW Evidence Report No.189 Report series: NRW Evidence Report Report number: 189 Publication date: February 2017 Contract number: Contractor: Barry Stewart Associates Contract Manager: Howe MA Title: The status and distribution of the Strandline Beetle Eurynebria complanata on Whiteford Burrows, Cefn Sidan, Laugharne & Pendine Burrows and Frainslake Sands, Castlemartin in 2016 Author(s): Stewart B Restrictions: None Distribution List (core) NRW Library, Bangor 2 National Library of Wales 1 British Library 1 Welsh Government Library 1 Scottish Natural Heritage Library 1 Natural England Library (Electronic Only) 1 Distribution List (others) Mike Howe, NRW Invertebrate Ecologist Paul Culyer, NRW Senior Reserve Manager, Stackpole Ruth Harding, NRW Senior Conservation Officer, Carmarthenshire Nick Edwards, NRW Senior Reserve Manager, Whiteford Burrows & Oxwich Duncan Ludlow, NRW Senior Reserve Manager, Merthyr Mawr Warren Rebecca Wright, NRW Technical Officer Biodiversity, Glamorgan Lynne Houlston, MoD Castlemartin Marina Taylor, MoD Simeon Jones, Carmarthenshire County Council David Carrington, Kenfig NNR Recommended citation for this volume: Stewart B 2017. The status and distribution of the Strandline Beetle Eurynebria complanata on Whiteford Burrows, Cefn Sidan, Laugharne & Pendine Burrows and Frainslake Sands, Castlemartin in 2016. NRW Report No. 189, 80pp. Natural Resources Wales, Bangor. www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk NRW Evidence Report No.189 Contents 1. Crynodeb Gweithredol .................................................................................................... 1 2. Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 2 3. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 3 3.1. Background Information ...................................................................................................... 3 3.2. Status .................................................................................................................................. 5 3.3 Objectives…………….……………….............………………………………………........……5 4. Methods .......................................................................................................................... 6 5. Results ........................................................................................................................... 8 5.1. Counts ................................................................................................................................. 8 5.2. Distribution ........................................................................................................................10 5.3. Habitat Preferences…..……………………………………… ………………………10 5.4. Whiteford Burrows NNR....…………….………………………………………………...12 5.5. Cefn Sidan (Pembrey - Tywyn) .…….………………………………………………….13 5.6. Pendine-Laugharne Burrows..………….………………...……………………………..14 5.7. Strandline Vegetation ………………….……………………………………………...14 5.8. Associated Fauna………..……………….……………………………………………...16 5.9. Photographs………………………………………………………………………..…….17 6. Discussion .................................................................................................................... 17 6.1. Impacts on Sand Dunes in South Wales……...…………………………………….................17 6.2. Habitat Condition on Occupied Sites…………………………………………………………….18 6.3. Carmarthen Bay at a Landscape Scale…………………………………………...…………….20 6.4. Habitat Condition on other sites…………………………...……………………………………..20 6.5. Habitat Preference…………………………………………………………………………………23 6.6. Impacts of Survey upon E. complanata…………………...…………………………………….24 6.7. Hazardous Strandline Debris……………………………………………………………………..25 6.8. Strandline Management…………………………………………………………...…..................25 6.9. Natural Recolonisation v Reintroduction………………………………...…………..................26 6.10. Awareness Raising..............................………………………………...…………..................26 7. Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 26 8. Recommendations ........................................................................................................ 27 9. Acknowledgements....................................................................................................... 29 10. References ................................................................................................................... 29 11. Appendices………………....…………………………………………………………............31 Appendix 1. 2016 observations of E. complanata……………………………………………………..31 Appendix 2. 2016 records of fauna associated with E. complanata………………………………...39 Appendix 3. Notes of fauna associated with E. complanata…………………………………………66 Appendix 4. Photographs………………………………………………………………………………..72 12 Data Archive Appendix ................................................................................................. 80 Figures Figure 1. Sites within study area identified as providing potential habitat for E. complanata .. 8 Figure 2.1. Bimonthly counts of E. complanata at all sites, June to September 2016 ............. 9 Figure 2.2. Relative frequency of refuge types used by E. complanata at all 2016 sites ......... 9 Figure 2.3. Counts of refuge types used by E. complanata at all 2016 sites………………… 10 Figure 3. Distribution of E. complanata at all sites, June to September 2016………………...11 Figure 4. Distribution based on all visits to Whiteford Burrows, June-September 2016.........12 Figures 5 & 6. Distribution in June & July 2016 on Whiteford Burrows………………………..12 Figures 7 & 8. Distribution in August & September 2016 on Whiteford Burrows……………..12 Figure 9. Distribution based on all visits to Cefn Sidan, June to September 2016….............13 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk NRW Evidence Report No.189 Figures 10 & 11. Distribution in June & July 2016 at Cefn Sidan………………………………13 Figures 12 & 13. Distribution in August & September 2016 at Cefn Sidan……………………13 Figure 14. Distribution in June 2016 on Pendine-Laugharne Burrows………………………...14 Figure 15. Distribution in October 2016 on Pendine-Laugharne Burrows…………………….14 Figure 16. Frequency of NVC communities represented at E. complanata refuge sites..…..15 Figure 17: Sites identified as currently requiring supplementary refugia to safeguard extant populations of E. complanata. ….........................................................………………..28 Tables Table 1. 2016 survey dates at study sites................................................................................6 Table 2. Bimonthly counts of E. complanata at all sites, June to September 2016 .................. 8 Table 3. Estimated extent (km of beach length) of NVC communities on beaches occupied by E. complanata. ..................................................................................................................... 16 www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk NRW Evidence Report No.189 1. Crynodeb Gweithredol Yn ddiweddar, dosbarthwyd Chwilen y Traeth