South American Adventure

Tom Hathway, one of our Biological Sciences students, is currently on the second placement of his placement year. He is blogging about his adventures at http://tomhathway.blogspot.co.uk/

Feeding 9 billion people, an evening of discussion at the Royal Geographical Society

Peter Smithers

South Kensington is one of London’s cultural hotspots, the block that is bordered by Hyde Park and Cromwell Road is an intellectual  concentrate of institutions that explore, catalogue and interpret the world around us. There is the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Imperial College, the Victorian and Albert Museum, the Albert Hall and even Baden Powell House HQ of the scouting association. But as I walked the sodium light streets on the edge of Hyde park on a late October evening it was none of these I was heading for. It was that legendary institution that is synonymous with exploration and adventure, the Royal Geographic Society. So what may you ask is a biologist doing at the RGS? 

Life is full of surprises and when I received an email inviting me to give a talk at a meeting on the theme of feeding the 9 billion, my eyebrows did rise a little. I am not a geographer but it was my entomological knowledge they were keen to tap. How real is the prospect of using insect proteins to feed a growing world population? Thats what they would like me to talk about. The meeting would comprise a panel of three experts and a chair, there would be three short talks to introduce the topic then a discussion with questions from the audience. The chair would be Jay Rayner, the novelist and TV food critic and the other panel members were Tim Wheeler (Deputy scientific advisor and director of research & evidence division at the department of International Development plus being  professor of Crop Science at the University of Reading) and Edd Colbert (campaign coordinator for the Pig Idea). Tim was there as a government advisor on food security and climate change, while Edd’s organisation was campaigning for the recycling of food waste as pig feed (just like we used to when I was a boy). So between us we had to sum up what we knew regarding the prospects of feeding the growing world population and then engage in a discussion with the audience.  This sounded like a wonderful opportunity to bring the idea of insects as food to the attention of a wide cross section of the population, so I accepted the RGS’s invitation.  

 Hence I found myself walking along the bustling pavements on the edge of Hyde park on a warmer than expected October evening, heading for the RGS HQ.  I arrive at reception and  peruse the exhibition of stunning photographs of Eastern Europe while I await my host. These images are amazing , shot from the air they present that exotic view that we so rarely have the opportunity to see. Images ablaze with crisp symmetries, abstract patterns imbedded in the landscape and intense colours. I wish I had longer to explore these images but my host arrives.  Amy Lothian introduces herself and leads me to a room where Edd is waiting, introductions are made, there is an air of tense excitement in the room. Ed is telling me about the meeting he has just come from at the London mayors office re an event they are planning in Trafalgar square. Jay arrives, a storm of enthusiasm, fresh from his part as the devil in the first British performance of Frank Zappas “100 Motels” the previous night. Tim arrives last having rushed from a meeting with government ministers. I begin to feel that just coming up from Plymouth is a little pedestrian!

We are miked up and wait for the audience to settle down. Amy gives ushers us out and we walk  past the statues of Shackleton and Livingstone who gaze sternly down as we pass into the famous Ondaatje lecture hall. A procession of four that hushes the conversation buzzing around the room. The theaters oak paneled walls exude a sense of history, adding an air of gravitas. The auditorium is not full but there are over four hundred people present and the row of red leather chairs await us on the podium, picked out by bright unforgiving lights. 

We settle into our seats and the auditorium falls silent. The director of the RGS  Dr Rita Gardner welcomed everyone and introduces the evening and Jay Rayner who then introduces us and the topic. Jay  talks eloquently and passionately about food production in the UK and the security of our food supply. He linked unrest in the middle east and the arab spring with rising food prices and shortages,  leaving us with the thought that we are just nine meals from crisis should the UK food supply chain be interrupted.  How long before  riots would erupt on Uk streets once the supermarkets were empty. 

Tim Wheeler then discussed the role of new agricultural technologies, could these solve the problem. He ends on the note that there is no prospect of this happening., we urgently need to explore other avenues.  

I then talk of how insect farming could generate large amounts of animal proteins far more efficiently than farming vertebrates as we do at the moment. Especially if we utilize bio waste streams as feed for them. I also explain how 2 billion people already consume insects as a regular part of their diet and eagerly anticipate these tasty treats and go on to discuss the recent UN report on insects in human diets. I conclude that we need to shift our perception of insects from one of disgust to delight. Following the path that  the UK has taken in embracing sushi. 

Edd Colbert then discussed the use of processed food waste as feed for pigs rather than sending it all to land fill. He outlined the problems that had arisen in the past and the processes that now exist to ensure that food waste dose not pose a hazard in the food chain. 

For the next 45 mins we then fielded questions from the floor dealing with a wide range of questions. These ranged from water security, alternative foods in the USA, insects as animal feed and just why can’t we feed food waste to our pigs at the moment. The evening was concluded by the director who thanked every one present and announced the topic of the next event, Big Data was now on the RGS’s agenda. Member of the audience then approached the podium with questions that had not been aired and many useful contacts were made.  

While feeding 9 billion had been the focus of the evening there was a sudden downsizing of our perspective and feeding the four became a pressing issue. The RGS director and her staff then escorted us to a local restaurant. 

Feeding the 9 billion had been a wonderful opportunity to take part in an event hosted by and in a legendary institution, it had brought a fresh perspective to one of the most pressing issues of our day and had proven to be a most informative and enjoyable evening.

 The entire evening was filmed and can be viewed on the RGS website along with a mass of information dealing with all of the topics discussed.

Links 

RGS http://www.21stcenturychallenges.org/talks_and_interviews/

Edd Colbert, The Pig Idea   http://thepigidea.org 

Jay Rayner   http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007tcw7/profiles/jayrayner 

Tim Wheeler  http://www.reading.ac.uk/apd/staff/t-r-wheeler.aspx 

Peter Smithers 

Camera trapping in Mongolia

by Anna Lindblad


Last spring, the Conservation Biology programme leader sent out an e-mail about a course run by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) on camera trapping survey methods in Mongolia. The course was led by Nathan Conaboy, ZSL’s field representative in Mongolia and Oliver Wearn, an Imperial College London student doing his PhD with the ZSL. Instantly I knew that Mongolia was a place that I wanted to go to. I also wanted the chance to learn something about camera trapping and its use. And so I started the nerve-racking path of getting to there.

News from the woods...

Find out the latest news from the School of Biological Science’s Plymouth Woodland Project’ and how you can get involved in surveys and work with schools to help conserve local woodland biodiversity. Read our winter newsletter here. 

P-P-Pick up a penguin...

By Becca Miller, Conservation Biology student at Plymouth University

I travelled to Cape Town, South Africa and completed the 6-month Seabird Care and Conservation internship (January-July 2013) with SANCCOB (The South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds) as part of my placement year with the university. There are other internships available: for more information you can visit the SANCCOB website (www.sanccob.co.za) and look at the volunteering tab for the internship section to read more about what’s available. 

BSc Conservation Biology - entry in 2014

The latest pdf guide to the BSc Conservation Biology course is now available. You can download it from here. It is aimed at students who are thinking about starting the course in September 2014.
Important note for students planning to join us in September 2015
An updated version will be available after September 2014 for those students who are planning to join us in September 2015. We cannot guarantee all the details in the document attached here will still be valid in a year from now. So, although you can use this current document to give you an idea of what the course will be like, make sure you check our website nearer the time. You will also be able to download the 2015 version once we have published it here.

Here is the document for 2014 entry. You can read it directly here if you want, or else click on the "BSc Conservation Biology Booklet" link to download a copy to keep on your computer or reading device.

SORRY! This document is now out of date. Find the latest version on this blog (see the entry in February 2015).

Spiders, our unseen lodgers

by Pete Smithers

Standing on the roof of Exeter cathedral I am surveying the the city spread out below me as it runs out towards the Exe estuary. A sprawl of ancient and modern buildings that are a testament to the city's trading history. It is this history that brings a biologist to this stunning vantage point to discuss with the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s "Living World" why there are large spiders living in the Cathedral walls.  

Barn Owl in Chile

As a quick follow-up to Chris Batey's article on his work with the Barn Owl Trust, I thought I would share these photos with you of a barn owl in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile...

Barn Owl Trust Placement

by Chris Batey

In the 2011/12 academic year, before my final year of BSc Conservation Biology, I undertook a nine month placement at the Barn Owl Trust (BOT). I am passionate about bird conservation and have a particular enthusiasm for raptors and owls: the BOT was a good fit for me! The BOT is a charity, based in South Devon, whose aim is to conserve the barn owl, a bird which has suffered historical decline in the UK due mainly to the effects of agricultural intensification (see www.barnowltrust.org.uk). 

Induction Week

Induction week is a hectic time for us with graduation on the Monday and our new cohort of students arriving on the Tuesday thus the tardiness of this post. The week is a mixture of formal and administrative activities for the new students mixed together with some lab skills, a quiz, a welcome party culminating with the annual trip to Mt Edgcumbe on the Friday. We get our students out in the field early! This year we based the activities around some of the OPAL surveys. These included water quality, air quality, tree health and the worm survey. The staff were around to offer advice and encouragement before lunch in the pub.

On the boat to Cornwall

Student membership of the Society of Biology

I am a Fellow of the Society of Biology, and the local representative of the Society at Plymouth University. The Society of Biology is a single unified voice for biology: advising Government and influencing policy; advancing education and professional development; supporting our members, and engaging and encouraging public interest in the life sciences. The Society represents a diverse membership of individuals, learned societies and other organisations.

You might want to consider joining. Here are some of the benefits of student membership (other membership grades are available for more experienced biologists):

Plymouth Zoological Society

Interested in Wildlife? Enjoy trips to zoos and local Wildlife Trusts? Interested in learning more about Wildlife Conservation, Biodiversity, Behaviour and Welfare? Want to help Fundraise for many local and international wildlife charities that need a helping hand?

Join the Zoological Society this year, with a new committee we promise it will be better than ever.

Just £10 membership fee... and that gets you all your zoo admission fees free!!!

Email upzs@hotmail.co.uk for more information or to sign up come and find us at the Society fair on Sunday the 22nd of September in the SU.

Graduation and prize winners

Monday saw our annual graduation ceremony and lots of the staff looking uncomfortable in unfamiliar attire that last saw the light of day exactly one year before! We were there to celebrate the achievements of our graduating students including some of the prize winners. Some photos of the prize winners and amusing staff photos are below:

Assembled academics

Retirement of Pete Smithers

Our long standing technician Pete Smithers retired at the end of August and this afternoon we celebrated his 40 years at the university. An entomologist, Pete has shared his enthusiasm with students and staff alike as well as being involved in numerous outreach activities. 

Enjoy your retirement but you will be sorely missed.

Azores Photos

With Alison covering the scientific part, I am left to provide photos of students doing stuff. If anyone has any more, send them to me and I'll add them.

Post test group photo

Azores 2013 Day 2

On day two we visited Furnas, the most volcanically active part of Sao Miguel island, where you can see naturally boiling water bubbling up from the ground.



Thermal vents at Furnas. On Thursday night the staff enjoyed a meal cooked in these vents (a stew pig's ears - suprisingly not chewy after being slow cooked underground all day)   

Students took water samples from a lake and the numerous cold and hot water springs around the town of Furnas. Here we were particularly interested in testing the water quality, and looking at the ecology of the springs, which support a fascinating diversity of cyanobacteria, fungi and invertebrates that have adapted to live in and around these waters. 




The boys put their feet up whilst the girls take water samples

Azores field course 2013

The 2^nd year Biological Sciences students are currently on a week-long field course on Sao Miguel island in the Azores archipelago. In the last few days the students have carried out two plant surveys on the island's volcanic slopes, sampled and analysed water samples from four lakes, spotted the endemic and rare Priolo bullfinch and seen a new species of spider!

Here’s a bit more about what we’ve been up to so far…

 

View from Sierra da Tronqueira where the students carried out endemic plant surveys



Day 1: Lagoa do Fogo

Rob Parkinson talking to students about the island's formation

On our first morning we visited Lagoa do Fogo – one of the island’s calderas. These are remnant volcanoes that have exploded all their magma, and have now become freshwater lakes, fed by rainwater. Here we were investigating differences between leaf physiology of endemic and native plants compared with non-native invasives. This is an important question, as the Azores have a higher proportion of non-native plant species compared with native species, than anywhere else in the world (69% of plants are non-native).

Chytrid and amphibians

A paper published by Rob Puschendorf and Ben Phillips from Australia called “Do pathogens become more virulent as they spread? Evidence from the amphibian declines in Central America”, re-examines prevalence data on the amphibian chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and amphibian population decline across 13 sites from southern Mexico through Central America and show that, in the initial phases of the Bd invasion, amphibian population decline lagged approximately nine years behind the arrival of the pathogen, but that this lag diminished markedly over time.  In total, their analysis suggests an increase in Bd virulence as it spread southwards; a pattern consistent with rapid evolution of increased virulence on Bd’s invading front. The impact of Bd on amphibians might, therefore, be driven by rapid evolution in addition to more proximate environmental drivers.

Atelopus varius - Harlequin Frog

Histo image of chytrid

Citation: Phillips, B. L., & Puschendorf, R. (2013). Do pathogens become more virulent as they spread? Evidence from the amphibian declines in Central America. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 280(1766), 20131290. doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.1290

This story has also been covered here, here and here.

Miguel Franco in the British Ecological Society's list of 100 most influential papers

The British Ecological Society was founded in 1913, so is celebrating its 100th year with a Festival of Ecology. As part of the celebrations, the society asked ecologists across the world to nominate their most influential paper published in the society's journals and regular publications (click on "Read more", below, to see which). The results are now in, and the 100 most influential papers are available to view in an interactive pdf. It's a great selection of classic papers, with some real favourites of mine. I'm happy to say that Miguel Franco, one of our conservation biology lecturers, has made the list with a brilliant paper on plant demography.

Silvertown J, Franco M, Pisanty I & Mendoza A (1993) Comparative plant demography - relative importance of life-cycle components to the finite rate of increase in woody and herbaceous perennials. Journal of Ecology, 81: 465-476.

You can download the full text from the interactive pdf. But please look at the rest of the papers in the list. It really is a fantastic way of broadening your ecological understanding.

And here's to the next 100 years!

Clearing Places Available!!!

****Update 14:20****

We still have places on all courses but getting very limited. Most places left on Environmental Biology

We have a small number of clearing places available on all of our degree programmes:

BSc Biological Sciences
BSc Environmental Biology
BSc Animal Behaviour and Welfare
BSc Conservation Biology

And visit our new school webpage. If you want to apply, visit our clearing pages.

We'll keep these updated throughout the day.......