An Investigation into the Distribution of the A
I
ti ti i t th Di t ib ti f th Bilberry bumblebee, B.monticola
Christiane Valluri­Nitsch and Martin Price
C
Centre for Mountain Studies, Perth College UHI Millennium Institute
f M
i S di P h C ll
UHI Mill
i
I i
Cairngorms Knowledge Exchange Meeting
15­16 November 2010
Aviemore MacDonald Aviemore Highland Resort
Aviemore, MacDonald Aviemore Highland Resort
Outline
•
•
•
•
•
IIntroduction
d
Ecology
Public Survey / CNP case study
Recommendations
Summary
Introduction
• What: Wh
– Habitat Suitability Map
• Why:
– 25 species ‐
5
3 exctinct 2 threatend
h
d
– Little known on ecology – declining?
– Suitable conservation strategies
S it bl
ti
t t i
• How: H
– Combining Public Surveying and GIS
Ecology
• Heather
Heather / moorland and old Caledonian wood / moorland and old Caledonian wood
(Nisbet 2002 and Hewson 1986)
• Bilberry, bell heather, sallow, bird’s foot trefoil and Bilb
b ll h th
ll
bi d’ f t t f il d
white clover (Benton 2006)
• Bumblebee life‐cycle
Public Survey
y
• Data Collection
– Presence
Presence and absence, and absence
date, grid reference, habitat, caste, weather ,
,
wind speed and bee activity.
• 37 Records – 34 presence, 3 absence
p
– 24 unidentified
– Mountains and moorland (16)
– Caluna vulgaris (4)
– Fair weather conditions
Results
Distribution of Bombus monticola in the UK
NBN Data NBN
Data
1991‐2008
Public Survey Public
Survey
Data 2009
Discussion
•
•
•
•
•
Presence and absence data
Habitat
Caste / Activity
Weather
Public awareness
Cairngorm National Park case study
Cairngorm National Park case study
National Biodiversity dataset:
y
• 76 records, 182 sightings
• Highland Biological Recording Group (1982‐2004)
• Date, grid reference, number, caste, comment, recorder
Results
Recommendations
1 IImprove information recorded at positive 1.
i f
ti
d d t
iti
sites
2. Use a more systematic sampling approach
3 Keep habitat variables to a minimum and 3.
Keep habitat variables to a minimum and
survey forms easy to use
4. Establish a regular transect scheme
5 Survey wider range of habitats 5.
Survey wider range of habitats
…so what does this mean?
so what does this mean?
1. Surveys must be designed with analysis in mind
2. Traditional knowledge and science complement each other
3. The importance of The importance of
volunteer power
Thank you
For more information please contact: [email protected]