Opportunities for Field Research FSC Orielton: West Wales and Pembrokeshire ABOUT THE FIELD CENTRE: Orielton Field Centre is a Georgian mansion, set in 120 acres of wooded grounds, and within easy reach of the South Pembrokeshire coast. It provides research opportunities to students both at the Centre and at other nearby locations by providing: field site advice, basic field equipment, workspace, free Wi-Fi and accommodation if required (subject to availability). Accommodation consists of either twin bedrooms or small dormitories. Some rooms are en suite. There are various lounges and common rooms as well as a small shop. The adjacent stable yard has six workrooms, an extensive library, a soils lab and a circulating seawater wet-bench. The Centre is 4 miles from Pembroke, which has a railway station and good bus and coach links. FIELD RESEARCH AREAS: Orielton is well situated for a range of field research. There are extensive woodlands at the Centre as well as grassland and freshwater habitats. The site is designated as an SSSI for its bat species with both lesser and greater horseshoe colonies. Much of the previous research carried out from the Centre has been on intertidal ecology with excellent exposed and sheltered rocky and sandy shores all within easy driving distance. There is also an excellent sand dune system at the nearby Broomhill Burrows. There are also many local geographical studies that could be carried out on topics such as coastal processes, landforms and management, rural settlement patterns and impacts of tourism. Several scientific papers are available on research carried out from Orielton. Some have been printed in our online journal Field Studies . SOME SUGGESTED RESEARCH TOPICS Title Locations Bat ecology and distribution – wide variety of possibilities and existing projects OR, ST The influence of woodland structure on bird communities and biodiversity OR Freshwater biological communities (ponds, streams and upland streams) OR, PH The impact of Rhododendron on soil dwelling invertebrates and plant diversity OR The effectiveness of Rhododendron / non-native plant control OR Public perception of nature / ecosystem service and functionality studies (any). - The impacts of dog walking on sensitive ecological communities / effect of dog fouling BH Evaluating the impact of fieldwork on sites. BH, OR The impacts of trampling on vegetation and animal communities BH The effect of browsing on sand dune plant communities BH Rocky shore and tidal community ecology (gastropod snails, barnacles, macroalgae, lichens etc.) WA, ST, MB, SW Distribution of cushion star species (Asterina phylactica and Asterina gibbosa) on Pembrokeshire shores WA, SW Plant communities at Broomhill Burrows BH Impact of nutrient enrichment, grazing and other management strategies on sand dune communities BH The distribution of invasive marine species in Milford Haven waterway and surrounding coasts MH, WA, SW, MB The effect of thermal pollution from Pembroke Power Station on intertidal species MH Impact of the use of ICT in fieldwork (in conjunction with FSC staff) - The effect of field courses on behaviour change in students ( in conjunction with FSC staff) - Tourism studies – Pembrokeshire Coast NP, Tenby, Saundersfoot Bay etc. (various) - OR = Orielton; WA = West Angle; ST = Stackpole; BH = Broomhill Burrows; MB = Manorbier; SW = Sawdern Point; PR = Preseli Hills; MHW = Milford Haven waterway This list is not exhaustive. Contact the Centre to discuss these suggestions or any others of you own in more detail. More information on key field sites is provided overleaf. FIELD LOCATIONS ORIELTON ESTATE: The 120 acre estate includes areas of extensive mixed woodland, ponds and streams and a lawn area some of which has recently been re-sown as a wildflower meadow. The woodland has been largely unmanaged until recent years. Rhododendron clearing and some tree thinning is now undertaken. Experimental coppicing has been carried out in parts of woodland. There are various small mammals and a large badger population on the estate. Parts of the estate have SSSI status due to thriving bat colonies including those of Lesser Horseshoe (Rhinolophus hipposideros), and Greater Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), which roost in the stable yard, and are regularly monitored by the local bat group. There is a rich diversity of fungi and lichens as well as other ground flora, terrestrial invertebrates and woodland birds. On-site monitoring: Daily Met Office meteorological readings have been taken since 1963. Regular live moth trapping is carried out and there is Rothamsted Moth Trap. Birds, mammals, invertebrates and fungi are systematically recorded. PEMBROKESHIRE COAST NATIONAL PARK (Orielton is just outside the Park boundary): This National Park, designated primarily because of its spectacular coastline, exhibits a variety of rock types and geological features such as arches, stacks and sea caves. In the north are the moorland ecosystems of the Preseli Hills. In the west, is the broad sweep of St Bride's Bay, with Ramsey Island to the north and Skomer Island to the south. The southern part of the Park consists of the limestone plateau and cliffs of the Castlemartin peninsula, the steep wooded valleys around Amroth and the tourist resorts of Tenby and Saundersfoot. The Park is dissected by the Milford Haven waterway with the Daugleddau estuary feeding this natural deep water harbour. In contrast to the Park’s natural beauty, outside its boundaries several large oil refineries, a Liquefied Natural Gas terminal and a new Power Station line the Haven. BROOMHILL BURROWS (6 miles from Orielton): This National Trust managed SSSI, which backs the popular surf beach of Freshwater West, is one of Pembrokeshire's largest dune systems. Numerous notable plants occur, including orchids, mosses and scarce lichens. The seaward dunes, some up to 20 metres high, are interspersed with deep blowouts. More stable inland areas grazed by cattle and rabbits form a species-rich extensive 'grey' dune grassland, mixed with areas of dune slack. Important insects include coleoptera such as rove beetles (Staphylinus caesarius) and tortoise beetles (Cassida vibex and C. murrae) and hemiptera such as Nabis pseudoferus and Pinosomus varius. There are two rare moths, the scarlet tiger Callimorpha dominula and the white colon Sideridis albicolon, whilst the great green bush-cricket Tettigonia viridissima is frequent. Reptiles found include adder, grass snake, slowworm and common lizard. Conservation management challenges include dune and footpath erosion by tourists, dune front erosion by storm damage and soil enrichment due to dog faeces. STACKPOLE ESTATE (5 miles from Orielton): This National Trust estate, which includes the NRW managed Stackpole NNR, is an area of exceptional scenic beauty. The shallow, man-made Bosherston Lakes were created around the 18th century by damming a limestone river valley. Protected from the sea by a small dune ridge, they are fed by calcium-rich springs and are best known for their White Water lilies (Nymphaea alba). Several species of charophyte, such as the Bristly Stonewort (Chara hispida), grow in submerged beds (up to 1m high) in the lime-rich water of the central and western arms of the lakes. The lakes are home to many insects including twenty species of dragonflies. There is at least one breeding holt of Otters (Lutra lutra). Woodland that borders the lakes, along with various estate buildings, are used as roosts by bat species, including Lesser Horseshoe (Rhinolophus hipposideros), and Greater Horseshoe (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). Coastal paths go over species rich, cliff-top, limestone grassland and onto the sand dune backed stunning sandy beaches of Broadhaven South and Barafundle Bay, where intertidal limestone caves can be accessed at low tide. Resident Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) populations breed along the cliffs as well seabirds such as Razorbills (Alca torda) and Guillemots (Uria aalge). WEST ANGLE (8 miles from Orielton): This SSSI is a popular small bay at the mouth of Milford Haven, consisting of a sandy beach flanked by limestone rocky shores with a diverse range of habitats. Extensive rock pools house the cushion star, Asterina phylactica, only formally identified as a species in 1979, which lives alongside the commoner Asterina gibbosa. This shore is ideal for investigations into many species including gastropods, barnacles, macro-algae (including kelp) and rocky shore lichens. Although its westerly aspect exposes it to wave action, there is a range of wave exposures within the bay. SAWDERN POINT- ANGLE BAY (6 miles from Orielton): This rocky shore sits within Milford Haven waterway on the north side of the extensive mudflats of Angle Bay. Despite its setting beneath the Chevron Oil Refinery, it makes an excellent contrasting shore to those on the county’s exposed coasts. Many species of macro-algae as well as gastropod and crab species are common. Milford Haven is home to marine invasive species including the very abundant slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata), the Australian star barnacle (Austrominius modestus) and the wakame kelp (Undaria pinnatifida). MANORBIER (10 miles from Orielton): The sandy beach and adjacent south facing rocky coastline below Manorbier village offers an excellent exposed rocky shore for various intertidal investigations, in contrast to the more sheltered shores within Milford Haven. Limpets, other gastropods, barnacles, mussels and rocky shore lichens are all abundant. PRESELI HILLS & AFON