index.json

[{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":" I am a Professor of Ecology \u0026amp; Biodiversity in the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University. I have a particular interest in the ecology of aquatic ecosystems (especially ponds!), quantitative methods (I’m a bit of a R nerd) and all things spatial. I investigate a wide range of pure and applied ecological questions and employ a combination of laboratory, field and modelling approaches to my research.\nI am also a Director of The Wildlife Information Centre, the environmental records centre for central Scotland and Associate Editor (Freshwater) for Aquatic Conservation: Marine \u0026amp; Freshwater Ecosystems.\nI am always interested in hearing from potential research students or collaborators, so if you want to get in touch, see the Contact information.\n","date":1667260800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"term","lang":"en","lastmod":1667260800,"objectID":"2525497d367e79493fd32b198b28f040","permalink":"","publishdate":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"","section":"authors","summary":"I am a Professor of Ecology \u0026 Biodiversity in the School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University. I have a particular interest in the ecology of aquatic ecosystems (especially ponds!","tags":null,"title":"Rob Briers","type":"authors"},{"authors":["Findlay, MA","Rob Briers","Ingledew, RP","White, PJC"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1667260800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1667260800,"objectID":"53aef8c0f6930a8bd6aeb1f10e621b63","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/resting/","publishdate":"2022-11-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/resting/","section":"publication","summary":"Mammals' resting sites (dens) are important features of their ecology. Eurasian otter Lutra lutra resting sites are strictly protected by UK and European legislation and are ostensibly identified from associated field-signs. This legislation is difficult to apply given the poor understanding of resting sites coupled with the lack of evidence supporting a field-sign signature. We aimed to use camera-trap data to identify resting sites, investigate whether field-signs differed between resting and non-resting sites and describe behaviours recorded on camera-traps that are associated with resting. An evidence-based approach to identifying resting sites of Eurasian otter Lutra lutra from camera-trap and field-sign data camera-trap data showed that otters frequently visited potential resting sites, characterised by a very short time within the structure (often \u003c 4 min). Resting sites were characterised by longer durations (often hours) during the daytime and night-time. Based on these data, six of our 26 sites were identified as resting sites. Modelling suggested that no single field-sign had a clear association with resting sites. However, we found a hitherto unrecognised distinction between otter latrines (defecation sites) and spraint (scent-marking) sites, and that camera-trap observations of latrine behaviour and bedding collection were exclusive to resting sites. As bedding and latrines are not always visible, presence of either indicates a resting site but no interpretation can be drawn from their absence, so camera-trapping would be recommended to identify resting site status. Data simulations found that camera-trapping for 38 d in winter, followed by 38 d in spring, was the optimal approach for a 95% chance of detecting a rest across all resting sites. Ours is the first study to identify standards and expectations for surveys using camera-trap and field-signs at Eurasian otter resting sites. Our novel account of their resting activity facilitates better interpretation of legislation.","tags":null,"title":"An evidence-based approach to identifying resting sites of Eurasian otter Lutra lutra from camera-trap and field-sign data","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Stenton, CA","Bolger, EL","Michenot, M","Dodd, JA","Wale, MA","Rob Briers","Hartl, MGJ","Diele, K"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1654041600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1654041600,"objectID":"635ffb9f3ec9cac77f02687dbdec93f0","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/neph_noise/","publishdate":"2022-06-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/neph_noise/","section":"publication","summary":"There is an urgent need to understand how organisms respond to multiple, potentially interacting drivers in today's world. The effects of the pollutants anthropogenic sound (pile driving sound playbacks) and waterborne cadmium were investigated across multiple levels of biology in larval and juvenile Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus under controlled laboratory conditions. The combination of pile driving playbacks (170 dB(pk-pk) re 1 mu Pa) and cadmium combined synergistically at concentrations \u003e 9.62 mu g([Cd]) L-1 resulting in increased larval mortality, with sound playbacks otherwise being antagonistic to cadmium toxicity. Exposure to 63.52 mu g([Cd]) L-1 caused significant delays in larval development, dropping to 6.48 mu g([Cd]) L-1 in the presence of piling playbacks. Pre-exposure to the combination of piling playbacks and 6.48 mu g([Cd]) L-1 led to significant differences in the swimming behaviour of the first juvenile stage. Biomarker analysis suggested oxidative stress as the mechanism resultant deleterious effects, with cellular metallothionein (MT) being the predominant protective mechanism.","tags":null,"title":"Effects of pile driving sound playbacks and cadmium co-exposure on the early life stage development of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Hunter EC","de Vine R","Pantos O","Clunies-Ross P","Doake F","Masterton H","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1642377600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1642377600,"objectID":"c48009f78dec169ac9e22e43bc583f69","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/micro_plast/","publishdate":"2022-01-17T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/micro_plast/","section":"publication","summary":"Plastic pollution is threatening aquatic ecosystems and wildlife. Understanding the characteristics and extent of plastic pollution is the first step towards improving management and therefore the environmental impacts. Pre-production pellets are used in the manufacture of a range of consumer items. The Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai in Aotearoa-New Zealand, an important wildlife habitat, was assessed for the presence and characteristics of pre-production pellets. Following a visual survey of the estuary's perimeter to establish overall levels, seven accumulation hotspots were identified, and surveyed in more detail. The enumeration and characterisation of pellet colour, size, morphology, degree of weathering and polymer type was undertaken. A total of 3819 pellets were identified, with pellets present at all sites. The pellets were predominantly clear (86%), 3 mm in size (54%), cylindrical in shape (62%), showed moderate weathering (41%) and were made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (53%). Pellet abundance and characteristics varied between sites. Accumulation and abundance may be influenced by river inflows along which plastic manufacturers are located, weather conditions, locality to stormwater outlets and pellet characteristics. Pellet pollution is a notable problem in the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai and it highlights the need to better understand the sources and improve best management practices.","tags":null,"title":"Quantification and characterisation of pre-production pellet pollution in the Avon-Heathcote Estuary/Ihutai, Aotearoa-New Zealand","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Wale MA","Rob Briers","Diele K"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1638316800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1638316800,"objectID":"6972d1121d0fa33a5f78832999645cee","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/noise_methods/","publishdate":"2021-12-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/noise_methods/","section":"publication","summary":"Selecting the correct methods to answer one's chosen question is key to conducting rigorous, evidence-based science. A disciplines' chosen methods are constantly evolving to encompass new insights and developments. Analysing these changes can be a useful tool for identifying knowledge gaps and guiding future studies. Research on the impact of anthropogenic noise on marine invertebrates, a topic with specific methodological challenges, has undergone substantial changes since its beginning in 1982. Using this field as an example, we demonstrate the benefits of such method analysis and resulting framework which has the potential to increase conclusive power and comparability of future studies. We list taxa studied to date, use a range of descriptors to analyse the methods applied, and map changes in experimental design through time. Based upon our analysis, three research strategies are proposed as a best practice framework for investigating effects of noise on marine invertebrates and delivering policy-relevant information.","tags":null,"title":"Marine invertebrate anthropogenic noise research-Trends in methods and future directions","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Hill, MJ","Greaves, HM","Sayer, CD","Hassall, C","Milin, M","Milner, VS","Marazzi, L","Hall, R","Harper, LR","Thornhill, I","Walton, R","Biggs, J","Ewald, N","Law, A","Willby, N","White, JC","Rob Briers","Mathers, KL","Jeffries, MJ","Wood, PJ"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1638316800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1638316800,"objectID":"b0ef08f43f272ca84714e87eb8aeea33","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/pond_review/","publishdate":"2021-12-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/pond_review/","section":"publication","summary":"Ponds are among the most biodiverse and ecologically important freshwater habitats globally and may provide a significant opportunity to mitigate anthropogenic pressures and reverse the decline of aquatic biodiversity. Ponds also provide important contributions to society through the provision of ecosystem services. Despite the ecological and societal importance of ponds, freshwater research, policy, and conservation have historically focused on larger water bodies, with significant gaps remaining in our understanding and conservation of pond ecosystems. In May 2019, pond researchers and practitioners participated in a workshop to tackle several pond ecology, conservation, and management issues. Nine research themes and 30 research questions were identified during and following the workshop to address knowledge gaps around: (1) pond habitat definition; (2) global and long-term data availability; (3) anthropogenic stressors; (4) aquatic-terrestrial interactions; (5) succession and disturbance; (6) freshwater connectivity; (7) pond monitoring and technological advances; (8) socio-economic factors; and (9) conservation, management, and policy. Key areas for the future inclusion of ponds in environmental and conservation policy were also discussed. Addressing gaps in our fundamental understanding of pond ecosystems will facilitate more effective research-led conservation and management of pondscapes, their inclusion in environmental policy, support the sustainability of ecosystem services, and help address many of the global threats driving the decline in freshwater biodiversity.","tags":null,"title":"Pond ecology and conservation: research priorities and knowledge gaps","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Schweinsberg M","Feldman M","Staub N","van den Akker OR","van Aert RCM","van Assen MALM","Liu Y","Althoff T","Heer J","Kale A","Mohamed Z","Amireh H","Prasad VV","Bernstein A","Robinson E","Snellman K","Sommer SA","Otner SMG","Robinson D","Madan N","Silberzahn R","Goldstein P","Tierney W","Murase T","Mandl B","Viganola D","Strobl C","Schaumans CBC","Kelchtermans S","Naseeb C","Garrison SM","Yarkoni T","Chan CSR","Adie P","Alaburda P","Albers C","Alspaugh S","Alstott J","Nelson AA","de la Rubia EA","Arzi A","Bahnik S","Baik J","Balling LW","Banker S","Baranger DA","Barr DJ","Barros-Rivera B","Bauer M","Blaise E","Boelen L","Carbonell KB","Rob Briers","Burkhard O","Canela MA","Castrillo L","Catlett T","Chen OL","Clark M","Cohn B","Coppock A","Cuguero-Escofet N","Curran PG","Cyrus-Lai W","Dai D","Dalla Riva GV","Danielsson H","Russo RDSM","de Silva N","Derungs C","Dondelinger F","de Souza CD","Dube BT","Dubova M","Dunn B","Edelsbrunner PA","Finley S","Fox N","Gnambs T","Gong YY","Grand E","Greenawalt B","Han D","Hanel PHP","Hong AB","Hood D","Hsueh J","Huang LL","Hui KN","Hultman KA","Javaid A","Jiang LJ","Jong J","Kamdar J","Kane D","Kappler G","Kaszubowski E","Kavanagh CM","Khabsa M","Kleinberg B","Kouros J","Krause H","Krypotos AM","Lavbic D","Lee RL","Leffel T","Lim WY","Liverani S","Loh B","Lonsmann D","Low JW","Lu A","MacDonald K","Madan CR","Madsen LH","Maimone C","Mangold A","Marshall A","Matskewich HE","Mavon K","McLain KL","McNamara AA","McNeill M","Mertens U","Miller D","Moore B","Moore A","Nantz E","Nasrullah Z","Nejkovic V","Nell CS","Nelson AA","Nilsonne G","Nolan R","O'Brien CE","O'Neil P","O'Shea K","Olita T","Otterbacher J","Palsetia D","Pereira B","Pozdniakov I","Protzko J","Reyt JN","Riddle T","Ali ARO","Ropovik I","Rosenberg JM","Rothen S","Schulte-Mecklenbeck M","Sharma N","Shotwell G","Skarzynski M","Stedden W","Stodden V","Stoffel MA","Stoltzman S","Subbaiah S","Tatman R","Thibodeau PH","Tomkins S","Valdivia A","van de Woestijne GDB","Viana L","Villeseche F","Wadsworth WD","Wanders F","Watts K","Wells JD","Whelpley CE","Won A","Wu L","Yip A","Youngflesh C","Yu JC","Zandian A","Zhang LL","Zibman C","Uhlmann EL"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1625097600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1625097600,"objectID":"ec0f86b8e3f32780f4fe8fb522c0ec3a","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/same_data/","publishdate":"2021-07-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/same_data/","section":"publication","summary":"In this crowdsourced initiative, independent analysts used the same dataset to test two hypotheses regarding the effects of scientists' gender and professional status on verbosity during group meetings. Not only the analytic approach but also the operationalizations of key variables were left unconstrained and up to individual analysts. For instance, analysts could choose to operationalize status as job title, institutional ranking, citation counts, or some combination. To maximize transparency regarding the process by which analytic choices are made, the analysts used a platform we developed called DataExplained to justify both preferred and rejected analytic paths in real time. Analyses lacking sufficient detail, reproducible code, or with statistical errors were excluded, resulting in 29 analyses in the final sample. Researchers reported radically different analyses and dispersed empirical outcomes, in a number of cases obtaining significant effects in opposite directions for the same research question. A Boba multiverse analysis demonstrates that decisions about how to operationalize variables explain variability in outcomes above and beyond statistical choices (e.g., covariates). Subjective researcher decisions play a critical role in driving the reported empirical results, underscoring the need for open data, systematic robustness checks, and transparency regarding both analytic paths taken and not taken. Implications for orga-nizations and leaders, whose decision making relies in part on scientific findings, consulting reports, and internal analyses by data scientists, are discussed.","tags":null,"title":"Same data, different conclusions: Radical dispersion in empirical results when independent analysts operationalize and test the same hypothesis","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Al-Ghafri MK","White PJC","Rob Briers","Dicks KL","Ball A","Ghazali M","Ross S","Al-Said T","Al-Amri H","Al-Umairi M","Al-Saadi H","Aka'ak A","Hardan A","Zabanoot N","Craig M","Senn H"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1621987200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1621987200,"objectID":"1ae42e5bf780ec95cb35b4e5fdc98469","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/ibex_gen/","publishdate":"2021-05-26T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/ibex_gen/","section":"publication","summary":"The Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) is patchily distributed across parts of Africa and Arabia. In Oman, it is one of the few free-ranging wild mammals found in the central and southern regions. Its population is declining due to habitat degradation, human expansion, poaching and fragmentation. Here, we investigated the population's genetic diversity using mitochondrial DNA (D-loop 186 bp and cytochrome b 487 bp). We found that the Nubian ibex in the southern region of Oman was more diverse (D-loop HD; 0.838) compared with the central region (0.511) and gene flow between them was restricted. We compared the genetic profiles of wild Nubian ibex from Oman with captive ibex. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree showed that wild Nubian ibex form a distinct clade independent from captive animals. This divergence was supported by high mean distances (D-loop 0.126, cytochrome b 0.0528) and high F-ST statistics (D-loop 0.725, cytochrome b 0.968). These results indicate that captive ibex are highly unlikely to have originated from the wild population in Oman and the considerable divergence suggests that the wild population in Oman should be treated as a distinct taxonomic unit. Further nuclear genetic work will be required to fully elucidate the degree of global taxonomic divergence of Nubian ibex populations.","tags":null,"title":"Genetic diversity of the Nubian ibex in Oman as revealed by mitochondrial DNA","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Hill MJ","White JC","Biggs J","Rob Briers","Gledhill D","Ledger ME","Thornhill I","Wood PJ","Hassall C"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1619827200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1619827200,"objectID":"9710f0abca889092a4f098e18aff0853","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/pond_beta/","publishdate":"2021-05-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/pond_beta/","section":"publication","summary":"Aim An understanding of how biotic communities are spatially organized is necessary to identify and prioritize habitats within landscape-scale biodiversity conservation. Local contribution to beta diversity (LCBD) identifies individual habitats that make a significant contribution to beta diversity and may have important practical implications, particularly for conservation of habitat networks. In this study, we develop and apply a conservation prioritization approach based on LCBD in aquatic invertebrate communities from 132 ponds. Location Five urban settlements in the UK: Halton, Loughborough, Stockport, Birmingham and Huddersfield. Methods We partition LCBD into richness difference (nestedness: RichDiffLCBD) and species replacement (turnover: ReplLCBD) and identify key environmental variables driving LCBD. We examine LCBD at two scales relevant to conservation planning: within urban settlements and nationally across the UK. Results Significant differences in LCBD values were recorded among the five settlements. In four of the five urban settlements studied, pond sites with the greatest LCBD values typically showed high replacement values. Significant LCBD sites and sites with high taxonomic diversity together supported more of the regional species pool (70%-97%) than sites with high taxonomic diversity alone (54%-94%) or what could be protected by the random selection of sites. LCBD was significantly associated with vegetation shading, surface area, altitude and macrophyte cover. Main conclusions Conservation prioritization that incorporates LCBD and sites with high taxonomic diversity improves the effectiveness of conservation actions within pond habitat networks, ensures sites supporting high biodiversity are protected and provides a method to define a spatial network of protected sites. Identifying new, effective conservation approaches, particularly in urban areas where resources may be scarce and conflicts regarding land use exist, is essential to ensure biodiversity is fully supported, and detrimental anthropogenic effects are reduced.","tags":null,"title":"Local contributions to beta diversity in urban pond networks: Implications for biodiversity conservation and management","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Thornton MJ","Mitchell C","Griffin LR","Rob Briers","Minshull B","Maciver A","White PJC"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1617408000,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1617408000,"objectID":"b1d2098aef00bcff92c60e3acab36a89","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/bean_geese/","publishdate":"2021-04-03T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/bean_geese/","section":"publication","summary":"Our multi-scale habitat selection and spatial analysis of a threatened population of Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis highlights the importance of monitoring and review programmes to determine whether species conservation measures are being implemented at the correct spatio-temporal scales. Aims To undertake a habitat selection and spatial analysis of an internationally important population of Taiga Bean Geese, and quantify the extent to which their foraging range overlaps with a protected area classified to protect their roost sites and foraging areas. Methods A five-year field count dataset was used to quantify foraging habitat selection at the population range scale. In addition, global positioning system (GPS)/ultra high frequency loggers were attached to 12 birds and GPS location data were collected to quantify foraging habitat selection at an individual foraging range scale. Results Generalized linear models predicted that, at the population foraging range scale, Taiga Bean Geese selected agriculturally improved pasture, and this selection was more pronounced at greater distances from public roads. At an individual foraging range scale, compositional analysis revealed that agriculturally improved pasture was significantly selected over all other habitats. There was a substantial mismatch between their individual foraging ranges and the protected area, with less than 35% (median: 21%; range 9.5-31.9%) of their individual full foraging ranges overlapping with the protected area. Discussion Fixed protected areas may fail to fully accommodate the spatio-temporal foraging dynamics of geese, however a more appropriate conservation measure may be the use of flexible management schemes to maintain their foraging areas within and beyond protected area boundaries. This case study highlights the importance of developing dynamic conservation strategies for species liable to undergo range shifts.","tags":null,"title":"Multi-scale habitat selection and spatial analysis reveals a mismatch between the wintering distribution of a threatened population of Taiga Bean Geese Anser fabalis and its protected area","type":"publication"},{"authors":["McLeish J","Rob Briers","Dodd JA","Rueckert S"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1583020800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1583020800,"objectID":"9f9df86a8742978794344190b0f7a544","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/bullhead/","publishdate":"2020-03-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/bullhead/","section":"publication","summary":"The European bullhead (Cottus gobio) is widely distributed across Europe, and within the UK is native to England and Wales, where it is protected under the Habitats Directive. In Scotland, however, the species is considered invasive and thriving populations are recorded in the Forth and Clyde river catchments, and the Ale Water in the Scottish Borders. The genetic identity of the Scottish populations has not been established. There is also debate about the status of the European bullhead and its validity as single species, a species complex with several unresolved species, or distinct different species in its European distribution range. There is therefore a need to determine the taxonomy and likely source of the novel Scottish populations. Genetic analyses using cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) mitochondrial DNA sequences were undertaken on specimens from the Forth and Clyde catchments, and combined with the results of morphological characteristics to provide a comprehensive assessment of the taxonomic classification for Scottish bullheads. There was considerable variation in morphological characteristics between populations within Scotland and a wider range of variability than previously recorded for English populations. Genetically the Scottish populations were very closely related to English specimens, supporting the hypothesis of introduction directly from England to Scotland. In terms of broader relationships, Scottish specimens are genetically more closely related to the ostensible species Chabot fluviatile Cottus perifretum, which has been suggested as one of a complex of species across Europe. Morphologically they exhibit characteristics on the spectrum between C. perifretum and C. gobio. There is an urgent need for the clarification of the taxonomy of Cottus sp(p). to avoid confusion in future publications, legislation and management practices relating to bullheads throughout the UK and Europe.","tags":null,"title":"First genetic evidence that invasive bullhead (Cottus L. 1758) in Scotland is of English origin and the difficulty of resolving the European Cottus species taxonomy","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Findlay MA","Rob Briers","White PJC"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1581897600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1581897600,"objectID":"0d5733b6d3bc1f58d1fba9abd441583a","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/mamres2020/","publishdate":"2020-02-17T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/mamres2020/","section":"publication","summary":"Camera-trap studies in the wild record true-positive data, but data loss from false-negatives (i.e. an animal is present but not recorded) is likely to vary and widely impact data quality. Detection probability is defined as the probability of recording an animal if present in the study area. We propose a framework of sequential processes within detection - a pass, trigger, image registration, and images being of sufficient quality. Using closed-circuit television (CCTV) combined with camera-trap arrays we quantified variation in, and drivers of, these processes for three medium-sized mammal species. We also compared trigger success of wet and dry otter Lutra lutra, as an example of a semiaquatic species. Data loss from failed trigger, failed registration and poor capture quality varied between species, camera-trap model and settings, and were affected by different environmental and animal variables. Distance had a negative effect on trigger probability and a positive effect on registration probability. Faster animals had both reduced trigger and registration probabilities. Close passes (1 m) frequently did not generate triggers, resulting in over 20% data loss for all species. Our results, linked to the framework describing processes, can inform study design to minimize or account for data loss during analysis and interpretation.","tags":null,"title":"Component processes of detection probability in camera-trap studies: understanding the occurrence of false-negatives","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Kent AJ","Pert CC","Rob Briers","Diele K","Rueckert S"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1581465600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1581465600,"objectID":"8097ee5d578d3a894aa94fe6e3d6b463","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/pv2020/","publishdate":"2020-02-12T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/pv2020/","section":"publication","summary":"Background: Red Vent Syndrome (RVS), a haemorrhagic inflammation of the vent region in Atlantic salmon, is associated with high abundance of Anisakis simplex (s.s.) third-stage larvae (L3) in the vent region. Despite evidence suggesting that increasing A. simplex (s.s.) intensity is a causative factor in RVS aetiology, the definitive cause remains unclear. Methods: A total of 117 Atlantic salmon were sampled from commercial fisheries on the East, West, and North coasts of Scotland and examined for ascaridoid parasites. Genetic identification of a subsample of Anisakis larvae was performed using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA. To assess the extent of differentiation of feeding grounds and dietary composition, stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen was carried out on Atlantic salmon muscle tissue. Results: In the present study, the obtained ITS rDNA sequences matched A. simplex (s.s.) sequences deposited in GenBank at 99-100%. Not all isolated larvae (n=30,406) were genetically identified. Therefore, the morphotype found in this study is referred to as A. simplex (sensu lato). Anisakis simplex (s.l.) was the most prevalent (100%) nematode with the highest mean intensity (259.9 +/- 197.3), in comparison to Hysterothylacium aduncum (66.7%, 6.4 +/- 10.2) and Pseudoterranova decipiens (s.l.) (14.5%, 1.4 +/- 0.6). The mean intensity of A. simplex (s.l.) represents a four-fold increase compared to published data (63.6 +/- 31.9) from salmon captured in Scotland in 2009. Significant positive correlations between A. simplex (s.l.) larvae intensities from the body and the vent suggest that they play a role in the emergence of RVS. The lack of a significant variation in stable isotope ratios of Atlantic salmon indicates that diet or feeding ground are not driving regional differences in A. simplex (s.l.) intensities. Conclusions: This paper presents the most recent survey for ascaridoid parasites of wild Atlantic salmon from three coastal regions in Scotland. A significant rise in A. simplex (s.l.) intensity could potentially increase both natural mortality rates of Atlantic salmon and possible risks for salmon consumers due to the known zoonotic role of A. simplex (s.s.) and A. pegreffii within the A. simplex (s.l.) species complex.","tags":null,"title":"Increasing intensities of Anisakis simplex third-stage larvae (L3) in Atlantic salmon of coastal waters of Scotland","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Wale MA","Rob Briers","Hartl MGJ","Bryson D","Diele K"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1572566400,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1572566400,"objectID":"3408e4fcd310060a545e67a3223ce302","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/stoten2019/","publishdate":"2019-11-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/stoten2019/","section":"publication","summary":"Responses of marine invertebrates to anthropogenic noise are insufficiently known, impeding our understanding of ecosystemic impacts of noise and the development of mitigation strategies. We show that the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, is negatively affected by ship-noise playbacks across different levels of biological organization. We take a novel mechanistic multi-method approach testing and employing established ecotoxicological techniques (i.e. Comet Assay and oxidative stress tests) in combination with behavioral and physiological biomarkers. We evidence, for the first time in marine species, noise-induced changes in DNA integrity (six-fold higher DNA single strand-breaks in haemocytes and gill epithelial cells) and oxidative stress (68% increased TBARS in gill cells). We further identify physiological and behavioral changes (12% reduced oxygen consumption, 60% increase in valve gape, 84% reduced filtration rate) in noise-exposed mussels. By employing established ecotoxicological techniques we highlight impacts not only on the organismal level, but also on ecological performance. When investigating species that produce little visually obvious responses to anthropogenic noise, the above mentioned endpoints are key to revealing sublethal effects of noise and thus enable a better understanding of how this emerging, but often overlooked stressor, affects animals without complex behaviors. Our integrated approach to noise research can be used as a model for other invertebrate species and faunal groups, and inform the development of effective methods for assessing and monitoring noise impacts. Given the observed negative effects, noise should be considered a potential confounding factor in studies involving other stressors.","tags":null,"title":"From DNA to ecological performance: Effects of anthropogenic noise on a reef-building mussel","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Culhane F","Rob Briers","Tett P","Fernandes TF"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1572220800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1572220800,"objectID":"8d63d6e6c1bdf8ad7cd77d97ca99660f","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/jmba2019/","publishdate":"2019-10-28T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/jmba2019/","section":"publication","summary":"Nutrient enrichment is a significant cause of ecosystem change in coastal habitats worldwide. This study focuses on the change in a benthic macroinvertebrate community and environmental quality as assessed through different biotic indices following the construction of a sewage outfall pipe in the west of Scotland, from first implementation to seven years after operation of the pipe. Benthic macroinvertebrates are an important part of marine ecosystems because they mediate ecosystem processes and functions, are a key part of food webs and they provide many ecosystem services. Results indicated a clear change in benthic communities over time with an increase in species richness and changes to benthic community composition (specifically feeding type, bioturbation mode and ecological group) towards those indicative of organic enrichment. No clear spatial zonation was observed because organic carbon content increased over the entire area. According to a suite of benthic indices calculated, some negative changes were detectable following the start of sewage disposal, but largely negative community changes, and a change from 'good' to 'moderate' quality, only occurred seven years after implementation. The increase in species richness in response to increasing disturbance reduced the utility of a multi-metric index, the Infaunal Quality Index, which, instead of amplifying the signal of negative impact, dampened it. We suggest that any change in communities, regardless of direction, should be heeded, and species richness is a particularly sensitive and early warning indicator for this, but a suite of approaches is required to understand benthic community changes","tags":null,"title":"Response of a marine benthic invertebrate community and biotic indices to organic enrichment from sewage disposal","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1562198400,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1562198400,"objectID":"2738c1f357ec6e3889b74e81d8938a52","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/joss2019/","publishdate":"2019-07-04T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/joss2019/","section":"publication","summary":" ","tags":null,"title":"cde - R package to retrieve data from the Environment Agency Catchment Data Explorer site","type":"publication"},{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":"I am interested in carbon stores and flows within aquatic systems. I have worked for some years with Prof Mark Huxham looking at carbon storage within mangrove ecosystems and we have more recently begun to focu on seagrass as well.\nWithin freshwaters I am interested in carbon flows through upland streams, and particularly the role of methane as a carbon source in such systems.\n","date":1556323200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1556323200,"objectID":"d4907a5eaa68d4cfa6659fe61542c06a","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/project/aquatic-carbon/","publishdate":"2019-04-27T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/project/aquatic-carbon/","section":"project","summary":"Stores and flows in aquatic systems.","tags":["Other"],"title":"Aquatic carbon","type":"project"},{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":"This is the details of the project.\n","date":1556323200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1556323200,"objectID":"70e71740c2b3b5ef872ab29fdc5ba218","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/project/bioacoustics/","publishdate":"2019-04-27T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/project/bioacoustics/","section":"project","summary":"This is the next project that I am doing.","tags":["Other"],"title":"My next exciting project","type":"project"},{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":"This is the details of the project.\n","date":1556323200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1556323200,"objectID":"a2b69613e6fbbb668f77b435c3c88cdd","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/project/conservation-science/","publishdate":"2019-04-27T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/project/conservation-science/","section":"project","summary":"This is the next project that I am doing.","tags":["Other"],"title":"My next exciting project","type":"project"},{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":"This is the details of the project.\n","date":1556323200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1556323200,"objectID":"219a6e690297b75161388eb17f898515","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/project/next/","publishdate":"2019-04-27T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/project/next/","section":"project","summary":"This is the next project that I am doing.","tags":["Other"],"title":"My next exciting project","type":"project"},{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":"This is the details of the project.\n","date":1556323200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1556323200,"objectID":"465cef77d1b1a9c539eaab43ee34e2d7","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/project/ponds/","publishdate":"2019-04-27T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/project/ponds/","section":"project","summary":"This is the next project that I am doing.","tags":["Other"],"title":"My next exciting project","type":"project"},{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":"This is the details of the project.\n","date":1556323200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1556323200,"objectID":"7aef8e5cd94245e692b23a5f9f424f16","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/project/spatial-ecology/","publishdate":"2019-04-27T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/project/spatial-ecology/","section":"project","summary":"This is the next project that I am doing.","tags":["Other"],"title":"My next exciting project","type":"project"},{"authors":["Harcourt WD","Rob Briers","Huxham M"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1543363200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1543363200,"objectID":"40c659295dbc6601ac9e0736e07c0917","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/biollett2018/","publishdate":"2018-11-28T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/biollett2018/","section":"publication","summary":"Knowledge of seagrass distribution is limited to a few well-studied sites and poor where resources are scant (e.g. Africa), hence global estimates of seagrass carbon storage are inaccurate. Here, we analysed freely available Sentinel-2 and Landsat imagery to quantify contemporary coverage and change in seagrass between 1986 and 2016 on Kenya's coast. Using field surveys and independent estimates of historical seagrass, we estimate total cover of Kenya's seagrass to be 317.1 +/- 27.2 km2, following losses of 0.85% yr-1 since 1986. Losses increased from 0.29% yr-1 in 2000 to 1.59% yr-1 in 2016, releasing up to 2.17 Tg carbon since 1986. Anecdotal evidence suggests fishing pressure is an important cause of loss and is likely to intensify in the near future. If these results are representative for Africa, global estimates of seagrass extent and loss need reconsidering","tags":null,"title":"The thin(ning) green line? Investigating changes in Kenya's seagrass coverage","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Thornhill I","Biggs J","Hill MJ","Rob Briers","Gledhill DJ","Wood PJ","Gee JHR","Ledger M","Hassall C"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1524528000,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1524528000,"objectID":"58eca904c267898cafe08b98206c371e","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/gcb2018/gcb2018/","publishdate":"2018-04-24T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/gcb2018/gcb2018/","section":"publication","summary":"There is growing recognition of the essential services provided to humanity by functionally intact ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems are found throughout agricultural and urban landscapes and provide a wide range of ecosystem services, but globally they are also amongst the most vulnerable. In particular, ponds (lentic waters typically less than 2 ha), provide natural flood management, sequester carbon and hold significant cultural value. However, to inform their management it is important to understand (1) how functional diversity varies in response to disturbance and (2) the link between biodiversity conservation and ecosystem function. In this study, a meta-analysis of seven separate pond studies from across England and Wales was carried out to explore the effect of urban and agricultural land-use gradients, shading, emergent vegetation, surface area and pH upon groups of functionally similar members of the macroinvertebrate fauna. Functional effect groups were first identified by carrying out a hierarchical cluster analysis using body size, voltinism and feeding habits (18 categories) that are closely related to biogeochemical processes (e.g. nutrient and carbon recycling). Secondly, the influence of the gradients upon effect group membership (functional redundancy - FR) and the breadth of traits available to aid ecosystem recovery (response diversity) was assessed using species counts and functional dispersion (FDis) using 12 response traits. The effect of land-use gradients was unpredictable, whilst there was a negative response in both FR and FDis to shading and positive responses to increases in emergent vegetation cover and surface area. An inconsistent association between FDis and FR suggested that arguments for taxonomic biodiversity conservation to augment ecosystem functioning are too simplistic. Thus, a deeper understanding of the response of functional diversity to disturbance could have greater impact with decision-makers who may relate better to the loss of ecosystem function in response to environmental degradation than species loss alone.","tags":null,"title":"The functional response and resilience in small waterbodies along land-use and environmental gradients","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Hill MJ","Biggs J","Thornhill I","Rob Briers","Ledger M","Gledhill DJ","Wood PJ","Hassall C"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1516147200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1516147200,"objectID":"bda34e10def4b9a754a8b4a00e50ba80","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/beta_ponds/beta_ponds/","publishdate":"2018-01-17T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/beta_ponds/beta_ponds/","section":"publication","summary":"Purpose: Urbanisation is a leading cause of biotic homogenisation in urban ecosystems. However, there has been little research examining the effect of urbanisation and biotic homogenisation on aquatic communities, and few studies have compared findings across different urban landscapes. We assessed the processes that structure aquatic macroinvertebrate diversity within five UK cities and characterise the heterogeneity of pond macroinvertebrate communities within and among urban areas. Methods: A total of 132 ponds were sampled for invertebrates to characterise biological communities of ponds across five UK cities. Variation among sites within cities, and variation among urban settlements, was partitioned into components of beta diversity relating to turnover and nestedness. Results: We recorded 337 macroinvertebrate taxa, and species turnover almost entirely accounted for the high beta-diversity recorded within each urban area and when all ponds were considered. A total of 40% of all macroinvertebrates recorded were unique to a particular urban settlement. In contrast to the homogenisation of terrestrial and lotic communities in urban landscapes reported in the literature, ponds support highly heterogeneous communities within and among urban settlements. Conclusions: The high species turnover (species replacement) recorded in this study demonstrates that urban pond biodiversity conservation would be most efficient at a landscape-scale, rather than at the individual ponds scale. Pond conservation practices need to consider the spatial organization of ecological communities (landscape-scale) to ensure that the maximum possible biodiversity can be protected.","tags":null,"title":"Community heterogeneity of aquatic macroinvertebrates in urban ponds at a multi-city scale","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Findlay MA","Rob Briers","Diamond N","White PJC"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1511913600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1511913600,"objectID":"be4c2d7901060a75a0d079ec1448658d","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/otter_camera/otter_camera/","publishdate":"2017-11-29T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/otter_camera/otter_camera/","section":"publication","summary":"The study of nocturnal mammals relies on indirect evidence or invasive methods involving capture and tagging of individuals. Indirect methods are prone to error, while capture and tagging mammals have logistical and ethical considerations. Off-the-shelf camera traps are perceived as an accessible, non-intrusive method for direct data gathering, having many benefits but also potential biases. Here, using a 6-year camera-trap study of a Eurasian otter holt (den), we evaluate key parameters of study design. First, we analyse patterns of holt use in relation to researcher visits to maintain the camera traps. Then, using a dual camera-trap deployment, we compare the success of data capture from each camera-trap position in relation to the dual setup. Finally, we provide analyses to optimise minimum survey effort and camera-trap programming. Our findings indicate that otter presence and resting patterns were unaffected by the researcher visits. Results were significantly better using a close camera-trap emplacement than a distant. There was a higher frequency of otter activity at the holt during the natal and early rearing period which has implications for determining the minimum survey duration. Reducing video clip duration from 30 to 19 s would have included 95% of instances where sex could be identified, and saved 35–40% of memory storage. Peaks of otter activity were related to sunrise and sunset; exclusion of diurnal hours would have missed 11% of registrations. Camera-trap studies would benefit by adopting a similar framework of analyses in the preliminary stages or during a trial period to inform subsequent methodological refinements.","tags":null,"title":"Developing an empirical approach to optimal camera-trap deployment at mammal resting sites: evidence from a longitudinal study of an otter Lutra lutra holt","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Hill MJ","Biggs J","Thornhill I","Rob Briers","Gledhill DH","White JC","Wood PJ"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1488326400,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1488326400,"objectID":"d31f4d161b7b85719f4d747fd6df7e7f","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/urban_ponds/","publishdate":"2017-03-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/urban_ponds/","section":"publication","summary":"Urbanization is a global process contributing to the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats. Many studies have focused on the biological response of terrestrial taxa and habitats to urbanization. However, little is known regarding the consequences of urbanization on freshwater habitats, especially small lentic systems. In this study, we examined aquatic macro-invertebrate diversity (family and species level) and variation in community composition between 240 urban and 782 nonurban ponds distributed across the United Kingdom. Contrary to predictions, urban ponds supported similar numbers of invertebrate species and families compared to nonurban ponds. Similar gamma diversity was found between the two groups at both family and species taxonomic levels. The biological communities of urban ponds were markedly different to those of nonurban ponds, and the variability in urban pond community composition was greater than that in nonurban ponds, contrary to previous work showing homogenization of communities in urban areas. Positive spatial autocorrelation was recorded for urban and nonurban ponds at 0-50km (distance between pond study sites) and negative spatial autocorrelation was observed at 100-150km and was stronger in urban ponds in both cases. Ponds do not follow the same ecological patterns as terrestrial and lotic habitats (reduced taxonomic richness) in urban environments; in contrast, they support high taxonomic richness and contribute significantly to regional faunal diversity. Individual cities are complex structural mosaics which evolve over long periods of time and are managed in diverse ways. This facilitates the development of a wide range of environmental conditions and habitat niches in urban ponds which can promote greater heterogeneity between pond communities at larger scales. Ponds provide an opportunity for managers and environmental regulators to conserve and enhance freshwater biodiversity in urbanized landscapes whilst also facilitating key ecosystem services including storm water storage and water treatment.","tags":null,"title":"Urban ponds as an aquatic biodiversity resource in modified landscapes","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Gress SK","Huxham M","Kairo JG","Mugi LM","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1483228800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1483228800,"objectID":"3ec462f42b2caba880d66ec2413f5cce","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/mangrove_carbon/mangrove_carbon/","publishdate":"2017-01-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/mangrove_carbon/mangrove_carbon/","section":"publication","summary":"Despite covering only approximately 138 000 km(2), mangroves are globally important carbon sinks with carbon density values three to four times that of terrestrial forests. A key challenge in evaluating the carbon benefits from mangrove forest conservation is the lack of rigorous spatially resolved estimates of mangrove sediment carbon stocks; most mangrove carbon is stored belowground. Previous work has focused on detailed estimations of carbon stores over relatively small areas, which has obvious limitations in terms of generality and scope of application. Most studies have focused only on quantifying the top 1 m of belowground carbon (BGC). Carbon stored at depths beyond 1 m, and the effects of mangrove species, location and environmental context on these stores, are poorly studied. This study investigated these variables at two sites (Gazi and Vanga in the south of Kenya) and used the data to produce a country-specific BGC predictive model for Kenya and map BGC store estimates throughout Kenya at spatial scales relevant for climate change research, forest management and REDD+ (reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation). The results revealed that mangrove species was the most reliable predictor of BGC; Rhizophora muronata had the highest mean BGC with 1485.5 t C ha(-1). Applying the species-based predictive model to a base map of species distribution in Kenya for the year 2010 with a 2.5 m(2) resolution produced an estimate of 69.41 Mt C [+/- 9.15 95% confidence interval (C.I.)] for BGC in Kenyan mangroves. When applied to a 1992 mangrove distribution map, the BGC estimate was 75.65 Mt C (+/- 12.21 95% C.I.), an 8.3% loss in BGC stores between 1992 and 2010 in Kenya. The country-level mangrove map provides a valuable tool for assessing carbon stocks and visualizing the distribution of BGC. Estimates at the 2.5 m(2) resolution provide sufficient details for highlighting and prioritizing areas for mangrove conservation and restoration.","tags":null,"title":"Evaluating, predicting and mapping belowground carbon stores in Kenyan mangroves","type":"publication"},{"authors":["White S","Rob Briers","Bouyer Y","Odden J","Linnell JDC"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1443657600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1443657600,"objectID":"40183e80385c433ce7defed3afc36d54","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/lynx_dens/lynx_dens/","publishdate":"2015-10-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/lynx_dens/lynx_dens/","section":"publication","summary":"In carnivores, securing suitable den sites with associated early maternal home ranges is important for successful reproduction, and understanding natal den site selection is essential to ensure that these habitats are protected from human disturbance. This study investigated Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx natal den site selection across multiple use landscapes in Norway and explores whether the selection of early maternal home ranges across southern Norway involved a trade-off of security for access to their preferred prey species, roe deer Capreolus capreolus. The characteristics of natal dens and home ranges from 33 reproductive events were quantified across south-eastern and northern Norway. Natal dens were located in terrain further from the most accessible and disturbed areas (public roads) and in terrain more rugged than generally available. Early maternal home ranges were characterized by low human and low road density in rugged terrain and a selection for areas associated with higher or lower roe deer densities was not important in our analysis. Humans are the dominant cause of lynx mortality throughout Norway and our findings suggest that female lynx primarily chose areas that limited their interaction with people during the denning period.","tags":null,"title":"Eurasian lynx natal den site and maternal home-range selection in multi-use landscapes of Norway","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Huxham M","Emerton L","Kairo J","Munyi F","Abdirizak H","Muriuki T","Nunan F","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1435708800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1435708800,"objectID":"92feac8e4f87bef4bf9d3ff565663004","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/mangrove_ccd/mangrove_ccd/","publishdate":"2015-07-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/mangrove_ccd/mangrove_ccd/","section":"publication","summary":"Mangrove forests are under global pressure. Habitat destruction and degradation persist despite long-standing recognition of the important ecological functions of mangroves. Hence new approaches are needed to help stakeholders and policy-makers achieve sound management that is informed by the best science. Here we explore how the new policy concept of Climate Compatible Development (CCD) can be applied to achieve better outcomes. We use economic valuation approaches to combine socio-economic data, projections of forest cover based on quantitative risk mapping and storyline scenario building exercises to articulate the economic consequences of plausible alternative future scenarios for the mangrove forests of the South Kenya coast, as a case study of relevance to many other areas. Using data from 645 household surveys, 10 focus groups and 74 interviews conducted across four mangrove sites, and combining these with information on fish catches taken at three landing sites, a mangrove carbon trading project and published data allowed us to make a thorough (although still partial) economic valuation of the forests. This gave a current value of the South Coast mangroves of USD 6.5 million, or USD 1166 ha(-1), with 59% of this value on average derived from regulating services. Quantitative risk mapping, projecting recent trends over the next twenty years, suggests a 43% loss of forest cover over that time with 100% loss at the most vulnerable sites. Much of the forest lost between 1992 and 2012 has not been replaced by high value alternative land uses hence restoration of these areas is feasible and may not involve large opportunity costs. We invited thirty eight stakeholders to develop plausible storyline scenarios reflecting Business as Usual (BAU) and CCD which emphasises sustainable forest conservation and management in twenty years time, drawing on local and regional expert knowledge of relevant policy, social trends and cultures. Combining these scenarios with the quantitative projections and economic baseline allowed the modelling of likely value added and costs avoided under the CCD scenario. This suggests a net present value of more than US$20 million of adoption of CCD rather than BAU. This work adds to the economic evidence for mangrove conservation and helps to underline the importance of new real and emerging markets, such as for REDD + projects, in making this case for carbon-rich coastal habitats. It demonstrates a policy tool CCD that can be used to engage stakeholders and help to co-ordinate policy across different sectors towards mangrove conservation.","tags":null,"title":"Applying Climate Compatible Development and economic valuation to coastal management: A case study of Kenya's mangrove forests","type":"publication"},{"authors":["McWhinnie L","Rob Briers","Fernandes TF"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1420070400,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1420070400,"objectID":"b140dccab5e71fd7fdc490dd41c5f6e0","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/zoning_scheme/","publishdate":"2015-01-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/zoning_scheme/","section":"publication","summary":"Marine Spatial Planning attempts to develop integrated planning frameworks for the management of activities within marine ecosystems and support sustainable development. This study demonstrates the application and testing of an existing multiple-use zoning scheme within Scottish territorial waters. The zoning scheme developed is based on integrating existing legally permitted management mechanisms to develop a series of zones where increasing number of activities are restricted. When applied, the zoning scheme allows for assessment of the ability of current governance mechanisms to cope with the increasing number of activities and developments in the marine environment and the pressures associated with them. The zoning scheme was tested by evaluating how the zones defined relate to the protection of features of conservation interest. Specifically, it was tested by determining the proportion of the five rarest marine landscapes as classified by UKSeaMap 2010 and also a selection of OSPAR Priority Marine Features that fell within different zones within Scottish waters.","tags":null,"title":"The development and testing of a multiple-use zoning scheme for Scottish waters","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Culhane FM","Rob Briers","Tett P","Fernandes TF"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1406851200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1406851200,"objectID":"e19787f8e36fad973c7562b98ec64b00","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/indicators/indicators/","publishdate":"2014-08-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/indicators/indicators/","section":"publication","summary":"Reliable ecosystem quality assessment of marine environments is increasingly important due to mounting pressures attributable to human activities. Biotic indices are widely used in studies to describe communities and indicate the ecological state of systems. This study focuses on benthic macroinvertebrate-based biotic indices for the assessment of ecosystem health. Indices used in ecosystem health assessment in the marine environment have mainly focussed on measuring structural components of the system while more recently the measurement of functional components has been highlighted. In this study the performance of traditional diversity indices based on structural components of benthic macroinvertebrate communities, indices developed for the EU Water Framework Directive, and indices which are based on functional biological traits of species were compared. The results indicated that while functional indices may provide a more detailed assessment of the benthic communities than structural indices, the overall outcome is broadly similar for both types of indices. This suggests measurement of functional indices may be unnecessary for routine monitoring purposes, although they may have value in revealing more specific aspects of change in a system.","tags":null,"title":"Structural and functional indices show similar performance in marine ecosystem quality assessment","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1391212800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1391212800,"objectID":"8515e3eea0de70e49e6f95215fbf0803","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/suds/","publishdate":"2014-02-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/suds/","section":"publication","summary":"Increasing use is being made of constructed wetlands to store and treat urban drainage prior to release into watercourses. Known as sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in the UK these have potential to support and enhance freshwater biodiversity in urban areas, but the diversity and value of communities present in these ponds is not well established. This study establishes the characteristics of invertebrate communities and investigates links with prevailing environmental conditions in four SUDS sites in Dunfermline, Scotland over a five year period. The SUDS ponds supported communities of between 10 and 47 invertebrate species. Only one beetle species of conservation significance was recorded, along with an invasive species of mollusc. There were significant temporal changes in species richness and community composition, with the sites losing species and becoming more dissimilar over time. Variation in the invertebrate species composition at the sites was linked to both average environmental conditions and temporal variability, particularly soluble reactive phosphorus and dissolved oxygen levels. The biodiversity value SUDS of invertebrate communities may be limited by pollutant loads being received from drainage, but they can still potentially contribute to freshwater diversity in urban areas. In order to maximize their biodiversity potential, more research needs to be undertaken on appropriate design and management considerations.","tags":null,"title":"Invertebrate Communities and Environmental Conditions in a Series of Urban Drainage Ponds in Eastern Scotland: Implications for Biodiversity and Conservation Value of SUDS","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rideout AJR","Joshi NP","Viergever KM","Huxham MH","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1383264000,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1383264000,"objectID":"cf9d033b71245367362efe84cfc10cd5","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/mangrove_risk/mangrove_risk/","publishdate":"2013-11-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/mangrove_risk/mangrove_risk/","section":"publication","summary":"Deforestation of mangroves is of global concern given their importance for carbon storage, biogeochemical cycling and the provision of other ecosystem services, but the links between rates of loss and potential drivers or risk factors are rarely evaluated. Here, we identified key drivers of mangrove loss in Kenya and compared two different approaches to predicting risk. Risk factors tested included various possible predictors of anthropogenic deforestation, related to population, suitability for land use change and accessibility. Two approaches were taken to modelling risk; a quantitative statistical approach and a qualitative categorical ranking approach. A quantitative model linking rates of loss to risk factors was constructed based on generalized least squares regression and using mangrove loss data from 1992 to 2000. Population density, soil type and proximity to roads were the most important predictors. In order to validate this model it was used to generate a map of losses of Kenyan mangroves predicted to have occurred between 2000 and 2010. The qualitative categorical model was constructed using data from the same selection of variables, with the coincidence of different risk factors in particular mangrove areas used in an additive manner to create a relative risk index which was then mapped. Quantitative predictions of loss were significantly correlated with the actual loss of mangroves between 2000 and 2010 and the categorical risk index values were also highly correlated with the quantitative predictions. Hence, in this case the relatively simple categorical modelling approach was of similar predictive value to the more complex quantitative model of mangrove deforestation. The advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed, and the implications for mangroves are outlined.","tags":null,"title":"Making predictions of mangrove deforestation: a comparison of two methods in Kenya","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Kirui KB","Kairo JG","Bosire J","Viergever KM","Rudra S","Huxham MH","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1380585600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1380585600,"objectID":"9fad6ae9cf82801acd2af5e431428f6e","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/mangrove_change/mangrove_change/","publishdate":"2013-10-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/mangrove_change/mangrove_change/","section":"publication","summary":"Mangroves in Kenya provide a wide range of valuable services to coastal communities despite their relatively small total area. Studies at single sites show reductions in extent and quality caused by extraction for fuel wood and timber and clearance for alternative land use including saltpans, aquaculture, and tourism. Such studies suggest that Kenyan mangroves are likely to conform to the general global trend of declining area but there are no reliable recent estimates of either total mangrove extent or trends in coverage for the country. The total extent of Kenyan mangroves was estimated at four points in time (1985, 1992, 2000 and 2010) using Landsat satellite imagery. Due to its medium resolution, Landsat may underestimate mangrove areas in Kenya where relatively small, linear, coastal features occur. There is also a high frequency of clouds in the coastal areas which can cause data gaps during analysis. However comparison with aerial photographs taken in 1992 showed satisfactory levels of accuracy (87.5%) and Cohen's Kappa (0.54) validating its use in this context. These 1992 data provided an independently validated baseline from which to detect changes (fore- and hind-casted) in other periods after removing cloud coverage. We estimated total mangrove coverage in 2010 at 45,590 ha representing a loss of 18% (0.7% yr(-1)) in the 25 years between 1985 and 2010. Rates of mangrove loss for Kenya varied both spatially and temporally with variations possibly due to legislative inadequacies and differences in habitat alteration patterns. Hence freely available Landsat images proved adequate to detect changes in mangroves and revealed that Kenya shows rates of decline similar to (although slower than) global estimates.","tags":null,"title":"Mapping of mangrove forest land cover change along the Kenya coastline using Landsat imagery","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Waterman JO","Galt K","Campbell RNB"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1356998400,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1356998400,"objectID":"934ebb728584a16b61eccc9fec799a12","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/carotenoids/carotenoids/","publishdate":"2013-01-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/carotenoids/carotenoids/","section":"publication","summary":"Trout (Salmo trutta) exhibit anadromous and non-anadromous forms which are commonly sympatric. Offspring of the two forms can be separated by differences in characteristics such as stable isotope ratios and carotenoid pigments, which differ due to the influence of maternal resources. The rate of change in different characteristics due to freshwater feeding and the extent of differences between populations however remain unclear. Stable isotope (N and C) ratios and carotenoid pigment profiles were examined in the offspring of anadromous and non-anadromous fish sampled at different times from six sites within the catchment of the River Tweed, UK. Both techniques were able to separate newly emerged fry successfully, with carbon isotopes distinguishing the forms better than nitrogen isotopes and zeaxanthin being the primary carotenoid pigment used to distinguish the offspring of different migratory forms. By 4 months, stable isotope ratios of the two forms were still distinct although both carbon and nitrogen ratios needed to be considered to distinguish the forms. Zeaxanthin levels were more variable and overlapped between the offspring of the two forms. There was significant variation between populations and over time in both isotope ratios and carotenoid composition. Comparison between the two techniques would suggest that stable isotopes are more effective for distinguishing between offspring of different forms as the distinctions are evident for longer. Population differences in isotope ratios could influence the extent to which the forms can be distinguished and need to be quantified more thoroughly to fully evaluate the technique.","tags":null,"title":"Population differentiation and temporal changes of carotenoid pigments and stable isotope ratios in the offspring of anadromous and non-anadromous trout Salmo trutta","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Lancaster J","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1214870400,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1214870400,"objectID":"22a681c822b8b987df44f82284c0959f","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/aquatic_insects/aquatic_insects/","publishdate":"2008-07-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/aquatic_insects/aquatic_insects/","section":"publication","summary":"Insects are a diverse, numerous and important group in aquatic habitats, occupying key functional and ecological roles. This edited volume brings together acknowledged experts in often disparate fields ranging from physiology through ecology to evolution to consider in a unified manner the challenges facing insect populations in aquatic environments and how they have adapted to achieve such prominence in virtually all habitats. It will be of central interest to researchers and students in aquatic insects and general entomology","tags":null,"title":"Aquatic Insects: challenges to populations","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Gaston KJ","Charman K","Jackson SF","Armsworth PR","Bonn A","Rob Briers","Callaghan CSQ","Catchpole R","Hopkins J","Kunin WE","Latham J","Opdam P","Stoneman R","Stroud DA","Tratt R"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1157068800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1157068800,"objectID":"17ee4cf2b72f885f2397e4611c32ffc5","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/protected_areas/protected_areas/","publishdate":"2006-09-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/protected_areas/protected_areas/","section":"publication","summary":"Given the importance placed on protected areas, determining their effectiveness in representing and maintaining biodiversity is a core issue in conservation biology. Nonetheless, frameworks identifying the breadth of issues associated with this effectiveness, and case studies of how well these are understood in particular regions, remain lacking. In this paper, we provide such a framework and an overview of the current state of knowledge of the ecological effectiveness of protected areas in the United Kingdom. Arguably, better data are available to address such issues in this region than anywhere else in the world. Nonetheless, studies remain scarce and have focussed foremost on the, rather narrow, issue of the effectiveness of management actions on individual sites in order to deliver fixed conservation objectives and discharge statutory responsibilities. Some attention has also been paid to how well the regional collection or portfolio of protected areas performs, particularly in capturing biodiversity features. Work on the extent to which protected areas in the United Kingdom form effective functional networks is in its infancy, but initiatives are under development. We identify some of the questions about the effectiveness of protected areas to which answers need to be known at the site, portfolio and network levels, and how significant progress might be achieved in addressing these.","tags":null,"title":"The ecological effectiveness of protected areas: The United Kingdom","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Todd PA","Rob Briers","Ladle RJ","Middleton F"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1143849600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1143849600,"objectID":"2403f2f903b661ad5fdbad3a5d903bfd","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/phenotype/phenotype/","publishdate":"2006-04-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/phenotype/phenotype/","section":"publication","summary":"The shore crab (Carcinus maenas) exhibits a range of carapace pattern polymorphisms, but little is known regarding their function or maintenance. If patterns represent some form of crypsis, then associations between carapace colouration and substrate are expected; to determine whether such relationships exist, frequency of crab morphs and quantity of substrate type were measured from fifteen 10x40 m(2) quadrats at each of three sites along the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, Scotland. Five thousand one hundred and thirty-seven crabs and 3.6 km of line intercept transect data were collected during a 9-week period. Crab abundance, relative frequency of morphs and substrate type varied significantly among the three sites. Plain crabs were strongly associated with macro-algal substrates whereas patterned crabs were associated with mussel beds. This pronounced phenotype-environment matching, as well as various characteristics of the carapace patterns themselves, suggests that patterned crabs are cryptic on polychromatic backgrounds. The frequency of patterned crabs and the percentage of white pigment on the carapace both declined significantly with carapace width. The loss of pattern coincides with an ontogenetic shift in habitat use and we present evidence to suggest that individual crabs lose their pigment, rather than larger patterned crabs being preferentially removed from the population by predators. Throughout their life history, shore crabs encounter high variation in predation, food supply, and physical habitat; to survive they have evolved a strategy that includes elements of pattern polymorphism, crypsis, ontogenetic shifts, and plastic responses.","tags":null,"title":"Phenotype-environment matching in the shore crab (Carcinus maenas)","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Onal H","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1141171200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1141171200,"objectID":"7f79c19f2f1236ec1f8632ca1bef6783","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/connected/connected/","publishdate":"2006-03-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/connected/connected/","section":"publication","summary":"Spatial considerations are important in conservation reserve design. A particularly important spatial requirement is the connectivity of selected sites. Direct connections between reserve sites increase the likelihood of species persistence by allowing dispersal and colonization of other areas within the network without species having to leave the reserve. The conventional set-covering and maximal-covering formulations of the reserve selection problem assume that species representation is the only criterion in site selection. This approach usually results in a small but highly fragmented reserve, which may not be desirable. We present a linear integer programming framework incorporating spatial contiguity as an additional site selection criterion. An empirical application to a data set on the occurrence of breeding birds in Berkshire, United Kingdom, demonstrates that site connectivity requires a significantly larger reserve. Incorporation of spatial criteria increases the computational complexity of the problem. To overcome this, we use a two-stage procedure where the original sites are aggregated first and an optimum solution is determined for the aggregate sites. Then, site selection is restricted to original sites included in the aggregate solution and a connected reserve is determined. In this particular application the above procedure generated a significantly more efficient reserve than a heuristic selection.","tags":null,"title":"Optimal selection of a connected reserve network","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Biggs J"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1130803200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1130803200,"objectID":"bdb6a20e6923bd21e0478e9d5d5a0541","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/spatial_pond/","publishdate":"2005-11-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/spatial_pond/","section":"publication","summary":"1. The nature and extent of spatial pattern in communities has important implications for their dynamics and conservation. Previous studies of pond ecosystems, over relatively small spatial scales, have found little evidence of spatial autocorrelation of community composition. Patterns in community composition over greater spatial distances have not been documented. 2. Here, data on macroinvertebrate communities and physico-chemical characteristics of 102 ponds over a 60 x 60 km area of Oxfordshire, UK, were used to examine evidence for spatial autocorrelation in community composition and to separate the effects of environmental similarity and physical distance on community similarity. 3. Overall similarity between communities was low, but showed significant positive spatial autocorrelation. There was evidence for both environmental and physical distance effects on spatial autocorrelation of community similarity. Community similarity was negatively related to differences in environmental conditions, but effects were only significant for large environmental differences. 4. When environmental effects were accounted for, there was significant positive spatial autocorrelation of community composition over inter-site distances of up to 13 km. These results suggest that interactions between pond sites, potentially through dispersal, are evident over larger spatial scales than has previously been appreciated, and emphasize the need to consider spatial issues when developing strategies for pond conservation.","tags":null,"title":"Spatial patterns in pond invertehrate communities: separating environmental and distance effects","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Onal H","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1125532800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1125532800,"objectID":"f829a21a62bb1966f889793986edfaa5","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/min_frag/min_frag/","publishdate":"2005-09-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/min_frag/min_frag/","section":"publication","summary":"In the biological conservation literature, the optimum reserve site selection problem has often been addressed by using the prototype set covering and maximal covering formulations, assuming that representation of species is the only criterion in site selection. This approach usually results in a small but highly fragmented reserve, which is not useful for practical conservation planning. To improve the chances of species' persistence, it may be desirable to reduce habitat fragmentation. This paper presents a linear integer programming formulation to minimize spatial gaps between selected sites in a reserve network, which is applied to a data set on breeding birds.","tags":null,"title":"Designing a conservation reserve network with minimal fragmentation: A linear integer programming approach","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Todd PA","Ladle RJ","Rob Briers","Brunton A"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1120176000,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1120176000,"objectID":"5a52f0469b0dac7d31e48dc9abd66236","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/crab_patterns/crab_patterns/","publishdate":"2005-07-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/crab_patterns/crab_patterns/","section":"publication","summary":"Contrasting patterns of pigmentation, such as those associated with crypsis and aposematism, are common in many taxa. In order to determine why patterning, varies among individuals or populations, it is important to quantify how these patches of pigment are arranged. Here we present a simple technique for measuring areas of pigmentation as well as their spatial distribution, and demonstrate its application to the study of substrate-associated patterning in shore crabs (Carcinus maenas L.). The results, based on a virtual grid laid over digital images of crab carapaces, allow for correlations to be made among sample populations. The technique, or variations of it, can be applied to any Situation where two-dimensional dichromatic patterns need to be quantified.","tags":null,"title":"Quantifying two-dimensional dichromatic patterns using a photographic technique: case study on the shore crab (Carcinus maenas L.)","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Cariss HM","Geoghegan R","Gee JHR"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1112313600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1112313600,"objectID":"ddeba8c76eb7941d32c614649142d02b","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/subsidy/","publishdate":"2005-04-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/subsidy/","section":"publication","summary":"Adult aquatic insects emerging from streams can subsidize riparian food webs, but little is known of the spatial extent of these subsidies. Stable isotope (N-15) enrichment of aquatic insects, principally a species of stonefly (Plecoptera: Leuctridae), emerging from an upland stream was used to trace the subsidy from the stream ecosystem to riparian spiders (Lycosidae). The downstream profile of spider delta(15)N correlated closely with that of adult stoneflies, indicating that they were deriving nutrition from aquatic sources. The contribution of adult aquatic insects to spider diets was determined using a two-source mixing model. Adult aquatic insects made up over 40% of spider diets adjacent to the stream, but \u003c 1% at 20 m from the stream. Enrichment of riparian spiders declined exponentially with distance from the stream channel. Aquatic-terrestrial subsidies were spatially restricted, but locally important, to riparian lycosid spiders at the study site.","tags":null,"title":"The lateral extent of the subsidy from an upland stream to riparian lycosid spiders","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Gee JHR","Geoghegan R"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1101859200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1101859200,"objectID":"30f135156e48551574a715a7708be145","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/nao/nao/","publishdate":"2004-12-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/nao/nao/","section":"publication","summary":"Climatic variation associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) influences terrestrial and marine ecosystems, but its effects on river and stream ecosystems are less well known. The influence of the NAO on the growth of stream insects was examined using long-term empirical data on the sizes of mayfly and stonefly nymphs and oil water temperature data. Models of egg development and nymphal growth in relation to temperature were used to predict the effect of the NAO on phenology. The study was based in two upland streams in mid-Wales UK that varied in the extent of plantation forestry in their catchments. Winter stream temperatures at both sites were positively related to the winter NAO index, being warmer in positive phases and colder in negative phases. The observed mean size and the simulated developmental period of mayfly nymphs were significantly related to the winter NAO index, with nymphs growing faster in positive phases of the NAO, but the growth of stonefly nymphs was not related to the NAO. This may have been due to the semivoltine stonefly lifecycle, but stonefly nymph growth is also generally less dependent on temperature. There were significant differences in growth rates of both species between streams, with nymphs growing more slowly in the forested stream that was consistently cooler than the open stream. Predicted emergence dates for adult mayflies varied by nearly two months between years, depending on the phase of the NAO. Variation in growth and phenology of stream insects associated with the NAO may influence temporal fluctuations in the composition and dynamics of stream communities.","tags":null,"title":"Effects of the North Atlantic Oscillation on growth and phenology of stream insects","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1101859200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1101859200,"objectID":"cba2705530734bee4d8a9c25fe7b3385","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/trematode/","publishdate":"2004-12-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/trematode/","section":"publication","summary":"The relationship between the prevalence and abundance (infection intensity) of trematode parasites infecting Lymnaea stagnalis L. was investigated based on collections a snails from 12 sites in central UK. Five species of trematode were recorded from the snails. There was a significant positive relationship between the prevalence and abundance (intensity of infection) of trematode species.","tags":null,"title":"The relationship between abundance and prevalence of trematode parasites infecting Lymnaea stagnalis L.","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Gee JHR"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1086048000,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1086048000,"objectID":"062d3aa10f45e80398e0b27756584d4a","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/riparian/riparian/","publishdate":"2004-06-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/riparian/riparian/","section":"publication","summary":"The impacts of coniferous plantation forestry on the biology of upland streams in the UK are firmly established. Whilst benthic communities have been well Studied, very little research has considered the impacts of riparian forestry management oil adult stream insects, yet the essentially terrestrial adult (reproductive) phase may be important in determining the abundance and distribution of larval stages. Riparian vegetation has a potentially strong impact on survival and success of adult stages through alteration of microclimate, habitat structure and potential food sources, in addition to effects carried over from larval stages. Here, current riparian management strategies are analysed ill the light of available information on the ecology of adult stream insects. On the whole, management practices appear to favour adult stream insects, although an increase in tree cover in riparian areas could be beneficial, by providing more favourable microclimatic conditions for adults. This conclusion is drawn based on rather limited information. and the need for further research into the effects of riparian forestry management on adult stream insects is highlighted.","tags":null,"title":"Riparian forest management and adult stream insects","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Gee JHR","Cariss HM","Geoghegan R"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1080777600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1080777600,"objectID":"7b1855189c2ee2038d35cc0f22fd0a5c","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/iso_dispersal/iso_dispersal/","publishdate":"2004-04-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/iso_dispersal/iso_dispersal/","section":"publication","summary":"1. Dispersal of adult stream insects may be of considerable importance in regional population dynamics and colonisation of new sites, but quantifying the rate and extent of dispersal is difficult. 2. We used stable isotope (N-15) enrichment to mark more than 1.5 million larval stoneflies (Leuctra inermis) before they emerged from an upland stream in the Plynlimon area of mid-Wales, in order to determine directly the rate and pattern of inter-site dispersal. 3. A small number of isotopically enriched adult stoneflies were captured in samples taken at adjacent streams between 800 m and 1.1 km away from the source population, including a headwater of a different river system. 4. The distribution of marked individuals suggested that wind influences dispersal direction in the uplands, but the low number of captures limits our ability to draw firm conclusions. 5. This is the first direct demonstration of dispersal of insects between streams. The dispersal distances recorded were significantly greater than those suggested by previous direct studies, but much more consistent with indirect studies based on genetic differentiation of populations.","tags":null,"title":"Inter-population dispersal by adult stoneflies detected by stable isotope enrichment","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1067644800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1067644800,"objectID":"afd2577417d3e8b3c1506d5ff6e8cc08","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/snail_range/snail_range/","publishdate":"2003-11-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/snail_range/snail_range/","section":"publication","summary":"Geographical range limits are thought to be set by species' physiological or ecological adaptation to abiotic factors, but the importance of biotic factors such as parasitism in determining range limits has not been well explored. In this study the prevalence of trematode parasitism in populations of a freshwater gastropod snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, increased sharply as this species approached its western UK range limit. The likelihood of trematode infection increased with snail size, but high prevalence at the range edge was not a result of interpopulation variation in snail size. Changes in population growth rates resulting from high rates of parasitism at the range edge could contribute to range limitation. The mechanism driving high rates of parasitism at the range edge is not clear, but changes in abiotic factors towards the range limit may influence snail life history and immune response to trematode infection, indirectly altering the prevalence of parasites in marginal host populations.","tags":null,"title":"Range limits and parasite prevalence in a freshwater snail","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Biggs J"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1059696000,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1059696000,"objectID":"b2fc4392b032e280397b72f55bef9859","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/indicator_ponds/indicator_ponds/","publishdate":"2003-08-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/indicator_ponds/indicator_ponds/","section":"publication","summary":"1. Ponds are a valuable resource for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity, but are often extremely numerous in a given area, making assessment of the conservation value of individual sites potentially time consuming. 2. The use of indicator taxa, the species richness of which is representative of total site species richness, may provide one way to improve the efficiency of survey work. However, such indicators are poorly developed for freshwater systems. 3. A data set was used describing the occurrence of macroinvertebrate taxa in ponds in Oxfordshire, UK, to assess the extent to which variation in the species richness of selected taxa most consistently represented variation in all other taxa. 4. Coenagriidae (Odonata) and Limnephilidae (Trichoptera) reflected the variation in species richness of other taxa most consistently, with Coenagriidae showing the best overall performance as an indicator taxon. 5. For both suggested indicator taxa, selection of sites based solely on the presence of at least one species of indicator would represent over 95% of all species recorded across all sites. 6. Further investigation in different geographical regions is necessary to establish whether these relationships are consistent over a wider area.","tags":null,"title":"Indicator taxa for the conservation of pond invertebrate diversity","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Onal H","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1057017600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1057017600,"objectID":"c7b5fd129b521c4403ad2b72ba8a2115","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/min_bound/min_bound/","publishdate":"2003-07-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/min_bound/min_bound/","section":"publication","summary":"In the conservation literature, heuristic procedures have been employed to incorporate spatial considerations in reserve network selection with the presumption that computationally convenient optimization models would be too difficult or impossible to formulate. This paper extends the standard set-covering formulation to incorporate a particular spatial selection criterion, namely reducing the reserve boundary to the extent possible, when selecting a reserve network that represents a set of target species at least once. Applying the model to a dataset on the occurrence of breeding birds in Berkshire, UK, demonstrated that the technique resulted in significant reductions in reserve boundary length relative to solutions produced by the standard set-covering formulation. Computational results showed that moderately large reserve network selection problems could be solved without issue. Alternative solutions may be produced to explore trade-offs between boundary length, number of sites required or alternative criteria.","tags":null,"title":"Selection of a minimum-boundary reserve network using integer programming","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Cariss HM","Gee JHR"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1044057600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1044057600,"objectID":"68815d7b84b5878ceb08a11f699eb2b9","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/flight_activity/flight_activity/","publishdate":"2003-02-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/flight_activity/flight_activity/","section":"publication","summary":"1. Dispersal of adult aquatic insects between streams may have important consequences for local and regional population dynamics, but little is known about how dispersal is affected by weather conditions. 2. The influence of meteorological variables on flight activity of adult stoneflies (Plecoptera: Leuctridae, Nemouridae, and Chloroperlidae) was investigated using Malaise traps adjacent to three upland streams in the Plynlimon area of mid Wales, U.K. 3. Numbers of adult stoneflies captured weekly in the traps were related positively to air temperature and related negatively to wind speed. Meteorological conditions during daylight showed stronger relationships with flight activity than did conditions at night. 4. There was inter-site variation in the strength of weather effects on stonefly flight. Wind speed was significant at only one site, which had higher average wind speed than the other sites. 5. Annual variation in weather conditions during adult flight periods may result in varying extent of dispersal between sites, influencing community dynamics over a wide area.","tags":null,"title":"Flight activity of adult stoneflies in relation to weather","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1041379200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1041379200,"objectID":"268390a9b1fc7b0842d0181505b29e85","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/snail_range_size/snail_range_size/","publishdate":"2003-01-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/snail_range_size/snail_range_size/","section":"publication","summary":"Calcium is an essential requirement for the successful growth and development of gastropod molluscs. Data for British freshwater gastropods were used to examine the relationship between environmental calcium requirements and British and European range sizes. At both spatial scales calciphile species, which require a high level of environmental calcium, had significantly smaller range sizes than species able to exploit a wide range of environmental calcium levels. However, at least in Britain, range size may also be influenced by the availability of suitable habitat. British and European range sizes were significantly correlated. This study provides evidence for niche-based explanations of range size variation, and suggests that both niche breadth and niche availability are important in determining range size.","tags":null,"title":"Range size and environmental calcium requirements of British freshwater gastropods","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Onal H","Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1038700800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1038700800,"objectID":"d2b5602999e596a265feeb2d0ef77d24","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/spatial_integer/","publishdate":"2002-12-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/spatial_integer/","section":"publication","summary":"Considering the spatial location of sites that are to be selected for inclusion in a protected reserve network may be necessary to facilitate dispersal and long-term persistence of species in the selected sites. This paper presents an integer programming JP) approach to the reserve network selection problem where spatial considerations based on intersite distances are taken into account when selecting reserve sites. The objective is to reduce the fragmentation of preserved sites and design a compact reserve network. Two IP formulations are developed which minimize the sum of pairwise distances and the maximum intersite distance between all sites in the reserve network, respectively, while representing all species under consideration. This approach is applied to a pond invertebrate dataset consisting of 131 sites containing 256 species in Oxfordshire, UK. The results show that significant reductions in reserve fragmentation can be achieved, compared with spatially unrestricted optimum reserve selection, at the expense of a small loss in reserve efficiency.","tags":null,"title":"Incorporating spatial criteria in optimum reserve network selection","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Cariss HM","Gee JHR"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1036108800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1036108800,"objectID":"5e9a8dad5f404570204f55792c6ed78e","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/dispersal_landuse/dispersal_landuse/","publishdate":"2002-11-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/dispersal_landuse/dispersal_landuse/","section":"publication","summary":"Populations of benthic invertebrates in neighbouring streams are isolated from each other by intervening terrestrial habitat. The adult stages of stream insects that are capable of flight may disperse between streams, although little is known of the extent of inter-stream dispersal, or the degree to which movement is influenced by riparian vegetation. Double-headed Malaise traps were set at differing distances from the channel to measure the numbers of adult stoneflies moving towards or away from three upland streams draining adjacent catchments on the Plynlimon ridge in mid-Wales. Riparian vegetation differed between the streams: open sheep-grazed moorland, buffer strips left free from 15 year old plantation forestry, and mature conifers planted up to the stream bank. Adult abundance was broadly consistent with benthic larval abundance. In three of the five most abundant species (Amphinemura sulcicollis, Leuctra fusca and Siphonoperla torrentium) abundance varied inversely with the amount of forestry in the riparian zone. In the others (L. inermis and L nigra) numbers caught were unrelated to forestry. Relationships between adult abundance and distance from the channel were best described by inverse power functions. Numbers of adults declined sharply with distance from the stream; 90 % of adults were caught within I I in of the stream channel. The rate of decline of adult numbers with distance did not differ with riparian vegetation. Inter-stream differences in the numbers caught at particular distances were due to differences in overall abundance. There were no differences in the number of males or females caught at different distances from the stream. At all times more stoneflies were caught in the side of the trap facing the stream than that facing away, although the difference was greatest in the middle of the flight period and least at the beginning and end. Overall, the majority of adult stoneflies did not disperse a significant distance from the stream channel, suggesting that only a very limited number of individuals are likely to disperse between streams.","tags":null,"title":"Dispersal of adult stoneflies (Plecoptera) from upland streams draining catchments with contrasting land-use","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":1009843200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":1009843200,"objectID":"8d34ee852f77491b556161cbcf451174","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/connectivity/connectivity/","publishdate":"2002-01-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/connectivity/connectivity/","section":"publication","summary":"Methods for selecting sites to be included in reserve networks generally neglect the spatial location of sites, often resulting in highly fragmented networks. This restricts the possibility of dispersal between sites, which for many species may be essential for long-term persistence. Here I describe iterative reserve selection algorithms which incorporate considerations of reserve connectivity and evaluate their performance using a data set for macroinvertebrates in ponds. Methods where spatial criteria were only invoked when ties between sites occurred did not perform significantly better than a simple greedy algorithm in terms of reserve connectivity. An algorithm based on a composite measure of species added and changes in reserve connectivity produced a reserve network with higher connectivity, but needed more sites to represent all species. A trade-off between connectivity and efficiency may be inevitable. but the costs in terms of efficiency may be justified if long-term persistence of species is more likely.","tags":null,"title":"Incorporating connectivity into reserve selection procedures","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Warren PH"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":957139200,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":957139200,"objectID":"2878d0f1a1d5bf2e7d93b1e98d429051","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/metapop/metapop/","publishdate":"2000-05-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/metapop/metapop/","section":"publication","summary":"Simple metapopulation models assume that local populations occur in patches of uniform quality habitat separated by non-habitat. However field metapopulations tend to show considerable spatial and temporal variation in patch quality, and hence probability of occupancy. This may have implications for the adequacy of simple metapopulation models in describing and predicting regional population dynamics of natural systems. This study investigated the effects of habitat characteristics on landscape-scale occupancy dynamics of two species of backswimmer (Notonecta Hemiptera: Notonectidae) in small freshwater ponds. The results demonstrated clear links between habitat, pond occupancy and population turnover, particularly local extinction. There were considerable changes in the habitat of individual ponds between years, but local changes were not spatially correlated and the frequency distribution of habitat conditions at the landscape level remained similar in different years. Stable occupancy levels of Notonecta species appears to result from a balance of the rates of creation and loss of suitable habitat due to spatially uncorrelated habitat change. Systems such as this, where turnover is driven by habitat dynamics, demonstrate the potential value of incorporating the dynamics of habitat change into metapopulation models. Such developments are Likely to improve predictions of landscape-scale occupancy dynamics, whilst also allowing patch-level predictions of occupancy, based on local habitat conditions.","tags":null,"title":"Population turnover and habitat dynamics in Notonecta (Hemiptera: Notonectidae) metapopulations","type":"publication"},{"authors":["Rob Briers","Warren PH"],"categories":null,"content":"","date":933465600,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":933465600,"objectID":"74c40119b077429dad878be19f15e7d9","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/publication/noto_comp/noto_comp/","publishdate":"1999-08-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/publication/noto_comp/noto_comp/","section":"publication","summary":"1. Two species of freshwater invertebrate predator, Notonecta maculata and N. obliqua, showed a negative association in a series of small, man-made ponds in the Peak National Park, Derbyshire, U.K. The present study examines the potential role of interspecific interactions among nymphs on this regional distribution pattern. 2. The survival, development and feeding efficiency of nymphs were examined in laboratory and field mesocosm experiments with intra- and interspecific competition and contrasting environmental complexity. 3. Survival to adulthood and mean lifespan varied significantly in interspecific competition treatments in both laboratory and field experiments, with N. maculata showing higher survival in the simple environment and N. obliqua higher survival in the complex environment. 4. Variations in feeding efficiency were consistent with the survival trends: N. maculata had a higher efficiency in the simple environment, whereas N. obliqua had greater efficiency in the complex environment. There was evidence of a developmental response in feeding efficiency, with differences between species increasing with age. 5. These results suggest that the relative competitive abilities of the two species are affected by habitat complexity, and that competition between species may modify the species distribution where they co-occur.","tags":null,"title":"Competition between the nymphs of two regionally co-occurring species of Notonecta (Hemiptera : Notonectidae)","type":"publication"},{"authors":null,"categories":null,"content":"R packages I am the creator and maintainer of the following packages:\nbiotic. This calculates a range of common UK freshwater biotic indicies. The stable version (0.1.2) can be installed from CRAN. I am currently starting work on version 0.2. Follow progress, request a feature, log an issue or install the development version from Github.\ncde. This is a package to facilitate download and analysis of WFD monitoring data from the Environment Agency Catchment Data Explorer website. The current version can be installed from github. This package is part of the rOpenSci family of packages.\nPython I use GIS in a lot of my work, mainly QGIS and R. I have used Python to develop some scripts and tools for various analyses, such as randomisation tests to determine the extent of clustering of marine invasive species around ports, import of data from the National Biodiversity Network (before they improved their output data format) and top-of-the atmosphere correction of Landsat images. Most of this is either too hacky to release or has been superceded by other tools. If I ever get round to sorting it out, then it will be made available on Github.\nVisual Basic for Applications I have developed a few add-ins for Excel using VBA. You can download these (zipped add-in files with outline instructions) below:\nDepletion.xla\nThis calculates population estimates using the Carle \u0026amp; Strube and Zippen estimators\nBMWP.xla\nThis calculates BMWP and associated indices for UK freshwater invertebrate samples. Now superceded by the biotic package above, but available for posterity!\n","date":-62135596800,"expirydate":-62135596800,"kind":"page","lang":"en","lastmod":-62135596800,"objectID":"83a668d2e49edcb69bbeb8ae26540d17","permalink":"https://robbriers.github.io/project/coding/","publishdate":"0001-01-01T00:00:00Z","relpermalink":"/project/coding/","section":"project","summary":"Coding projects; `R` packages, Python, even VBA.","tags":["coding"],"title":"Coding","type":"project"}]