tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78491130591475265292024-03-13T15:23:13.955+00:00RainDrop - Investigating climate change at Upper SeedsA new long-term climate change experimental platform on lowland calcareous grassland in Oxfordshire, UK, Jessica Bayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12040861226480550821noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-79613150770767540242020-12-10T10:32:00.003+00:002020-12-10T10:32:44.405+00:00Long-term ecological experiments in plant-soil ecosystems - a joint ECT-PSE Annual Science conference, Buxton (May 2019)<p></p><p><b>Grasses and graphics and eyeballs, oh my! I give my first conference presentation <br /></b></p><p> Nervewracking to have to stand up in front of a lot of eyeballs and talk about my results so far - but the questions were interesting and easy, and I was tweeted! If I ever speak at a conference again, I'll make sure my slides actually show up... Rookie error, not to check that the slides project so that people can actually read them (I blame the sunshine ;) ). Some really interesting talks, and great to catch up with ECT's Ben Sykes, Jerry Tallowin and Robin Buxton.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgycaMFLiXt8S9byMaOxObrNyLuS5AOe7XF9wdyxWNegUBxhJ6ocNWMNi57Ps2WuJJ0MU_DyWs9mZFqP5eVetbQymHQ59KnZfldSPkMp8KWYfUn4Bgz0PBzie-VGA3oQu38boEZzj0F0/s619/ect+conf+twitter01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="619" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgycaMFLiXt8S9byMaOxObrNyLuS5AOe7XF9wdyxWNegUBxhJ6ocNWMNi57Ps2WuJJ0MU_DyWs9mZFqP5eVetbQymHQ59KnZfldSPkMp8KWYfUn4Bgz0PBzie-VGA3oQu38boEZzj0F0/s320/ect+conf+twitter01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW3KAaDonc9c9WXg5s8cqghk8yvjP2NgrrEGzAYcHS0UIqPNS_tOIn_jV-uietFHv1RmpEeTm6yXcNccFs_aLRQq-PPe37STt6bwynDllMbChYBk5C9UjD0_0WI1Lb0hIwwAJ9VF6QyY/s609/ect+conf+twitter02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="609" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbW3KAaDonc9c9WXg5s8cqghk8yvjP2NgrrEGzAYcHS0UIqPNS_tOIn_jV-uietFHv1RmpEeTm6yXcNccFs_aLRQq-PPe37STt6bwynDllMbChYBk5C9UjD0_0WI1Lb0hIwwAJ9VF6QyY/s320/ect+conf+twitter02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xsRXDOcaMDu1UyO30djDQxjqQyI_pBjsU65jiVs2DkKZfBKrPykTHm8BEehb3MUOFWTZ-pNvlfvw3YHCJfYA7eOR7RwEM4rrQZL21Ux7jVkqP8nS-23jGq7M0Wpdj5OLqZbHugBu1DY/s607/ect+conf+twitter03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="607" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7xsRXDOcaMDu1UyO30djDQxjqQyI_pBjsU65jiVs2DkKZfBKrPykTHm8BEehb3MUOFWTZ-pNvlfvw3YHCJfYA7eOR7RwEM4rrQZL21Ux7jVkqP8nS-23jGq7M0Wpdj5OLqZbHugBu1DY/s320/ect+conf+twitter03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p><b>And a trip to see where it all started....</b><br /></p><p>Day 2 included a trip out to the Buxton Climate Change impact lab - this feels like the grandfather of grassland climate change experiments, and a real thrill to see the site and set-up I've read so much about. Well worth the trip, especially as our guides were the very knowledgeable J. Philip Grime and Andrew Askew. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCImJoHD8m8hTFHUwYLTR66te2SpHirf2L21eMn84JAzNe42ubkCImu3XetqHmczJpTU6njFXU1afv1Ty27VoFIHQ1KhxexHLOGbtNRVdCNe9cR7YqJWNpd_edalmwYJBWxSrETHGYXQ/s2048/P1180413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYCImJoHD8m8hTFHUwYLTR66te2SpHirf2L21eMn84JAzNe42ubkCImu3XetqHmczJpTU6njFXU1afv1Ty27VoFIHQ1KhxexHLOGbtNRVdCNe9cR7YqJWNpd_edalmwYJBWxSrETHGYXQ/s320/P1180413.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89S3Hs0rXK2QlmRrwZglZoVtRwdzt7m570NeIffvuP3b0IXnD8mDxeEh_KKTo7kr7Jlnhavya0GL7SJUxvpLxiuN0tJGqjJDFfXmIepEO7AwlpeLCuYIVv447q8WMxquF4X6K1zIeyGY/s2048/P1180414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi89S3Hs0rXK2QlmRrwZglZoVtRwdzt7m570NeIffvuP3b0IXnD8mDxeEh_KKTo7kr7Jlnhavya0GL7SJUxvpLxiuN0tJGqjJDFfXmIepEO7AwlpeLCuYIVv447q8WMxquF4X6K1zIeyGY/s320/P1180414.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijl52excbb9N_xM-92USWs5Ftg2hbWGj0bNqZdbi5A7NV4M9hgleuZlG-Q0OAO-XQjD_Y8kX2zVSTgbLifNET2CESPSmIXzMLCSZHGbuAvV4VcJm-JXVhZ8sh2Y9pN7nToqYiC2V0fuMo/s2048/P1180416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijl52excbb9N_xM-92USWs5Ftg2hbWGj0bNqZdbi5A7NV4M9hgleuZlG-Q0OAO-XQjD_Y8kX2zVSTgbLifNET2CESPSmIXzMLCSZHGbuAvV4VcJm-JXVhZ8sh2Y9pN7nToqYiC2V0fuMo/s320/P1180416.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The terrain is somewhat different to that at RainDrop!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-50931447601826894672020-12-10T10:31:00.005+00:002020-12-10T17:01:31.340+00:00Summer 2018<div><p> <b>June</b></p><p>The sward is knee-high now:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0_u4d4p5e3Y1siZjSHadaorGpm_-UXxn86_hxL-TwhrSJ_quCZHQSs76dEm21buyUpwyqymM1eFub9TZFaNp2IJU2giRNrHMeACUYP7BFaMKYl9WzUGqq9v0b1oTqOzXpw0YBDNSa68/s2048/P1150399.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0_u4d4p5e3Y1siZjSHadaorGpm_-UXxn86_hxL-TwhrSJ_quCZHQSs76dEm21buyUpwyqymM1eFub9TZFaNp2IJU2giRNrHMeACUYP7BFaMKYl9WzUGqq9v0b1oTqOzXpw0YBDNSa68/s320/P1150399.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south towards block A (June 2018)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> June is the month when you really start to get a strong visual expression of the diversity in these limestone grasslands. Even in early June, the sward is thickly dotted with a rich variety of flower colours, sizes and shapes. </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirl0QjAg92G4AUM9GHC-8-MbSdGViOwMIXigKCI-6-GTJrcYoZ1Bchx0tSeTYPyrzVgSf0zkKjjrFtUrfKWyPbQL5MfGCgnhyphenhyphenv-19XRzaThql5XkHcJiGFrHq2TMC6brQ8L4P-83JTNF4/s2048/P1150534.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirl0QjAg92G4AUM9GHC-8-MbSdGViOwMIXigKCI-6-GTJrcYoZ1Bchx0tSeTYPyrzVgSf0zkKjjrFtUrfKWyPbQL5MfGCgnhyphenhyphenv-19XRzaThql5XkHcJiGFrHq2TMC6brQ8L4P-83JTNF4/s320/P1150534.JPG" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oLSvWirrJxcJaquh08kG2SCj_i2MnRcZdNRCipjqdTMNcUDS4SojdfDhf4uvBwUN6mks-cOQ9Nh9ltrl0VHfitBY4a3sGX8a3_YzuRE6pQK2hrC2hDsOBYVG3B7N9qIbJ5fyoC74jqM/s2048/P1150486.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5oLSvWirrJxcJaquh08kG2SCj_i2MnRcZdNRCipjqdTMNcUDS4SojdfDhf4uvBwUN6mks-cOQ9Nh9ltrl0VHfitBY4a3sGX8a3_YzuRE6pQK2hrC2hDsOBYVG3B7N9qIbJ5fyoC74jqM/s320/P1150486.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34yLQoMTHgY-pnGPVKG4mAYxNEMr94itFzmTZCcFuH3CBPeoC1gknBMCTpJbrmUXHdxdooN0IjTNL4iRgLGalvvu7FfyjkXK1_NCMyVRcVZ3GiRm_3YXYsGPK9PO_x9JcCOFy6eiPtyg/s2048/P1150548.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34yLQoMTHgY-pnGPVKG4mAYxNEMr94itFzmTZCcFuH3CBPeoC1gknBMCTpJbrmUXHdxdooN0IjTNL4iRgLGalvvu7FfyjkXK1_NCMyVRcVZ3GiRm_3YXYsGPK9PO_x9JcCOFy6eiPtyg/s320/P1150548.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qcVGT-2wdVcUS5FSKcMgvwnAPLEC519HEGuHhmIMcNcAWHxe7VXmDQrxM7Iy0AWxukOiz6D1yaL1kN0ln4DoQO212i5hS0byKQKWexpuAauEvHRcSSfFrs2ohA_fxpxKqQVmidCq-_o/s2048/P1150549.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qcVGT-2wdVcUS5FSKcMgvwnAPLEC519HEGuHhmIMcNcAWHxe7VXmDQrxM7Iy0AWxukOiz6D1yaL1kN0ln4DoQO212i5hS0byKQKWexpuAauEvHRcSSfFrs2ohA_fxpxKqQVmidCq-_o/s320/P1150549.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFFLWwd2BKpyQHMM_DqasHwv_n8F5iWEoWpfg-nyyAC7u5SCfzmmrjmE4wYGMPw7WKqPo7r66sa5i_ICGw5-Y9LnU5GcyIT1SgYwVdRl2ldkGEfmZGayyKzNleP0OLvJHG3RYgJLuKMY/s2048/P1150571.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFFLWwd2BKpyQHMM_DqasHwv_n8F5iWEoWpfg-nyyAC7u5SCfzmmrjmE4wYGMPw7WKqPo7r66sa5i_ICGw5-Y9LnU5GcyIT1SgYwVdRl2ldkGEfmZGayyKzNleP0OLvJHG3RYgJLuKMY/s320/P1150571.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShjOAASuqVNSBlJbG311u33WrLQdnB_TMO-HgRD7ghI0UCw6e-zETyy_ZSMjfEBiTtyv5C5gTuhZ07nbJXRFAxCYu-h3RoN8gFbm6RZeNLK0ZBrJWbQqutX9AY7-h-mMYzX_7sEPd_OI/s2048/P1150572.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShjOAASuqVNSBlJbG311u33WrLQdnB_TMO-HgRD7ghI0UCw6e-zETyy_ZSMjfEBiTtyv5C5gTuhZ07nbJXRFAxCYu-h3RoN8gFbm6RZeNLK0ZBrJWbQqutX9AY7-h-mMYzX_7sEPd_OI/s320/P1150572.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND0y2Zve0VxmRL1PcVd0nafJf47S5Ja-al7oEOppWH1kEvKfCLyAgSyFX4vUIixVcFo7-EuGCyJ8Ld6eBvviA8uuYCDOOkaarBuXpB4R4_W14-Y34R47MamXbtodVCnsTAnFABgF7dqA/s2048/P1150577.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND0y2Zve0VxmRL1PcVd0nafJf47S5Ja-al7oEOppWH1kEvKfCLyAgSyFX4vUIixVcFo7-EuGCyJ8Ld6eBvviA8uuYCDOOkaarBuXpB4R4_W14-Y34R47MamXbtodVCnsTAnFABgF7dqA/s320/P1150577.JPG" /></a></div><p> </p><p>There is a good show of some of the less commonly considered flowers found in calcareous grasslands, including those of broomrapes and grass species. Although they are superficially reminiscent of orchids, broomrapes are parasitic species that don't contain any chlorophyll, and so are unable to photosynthesise. They get their nutrition by tapping in to the roots of other plant, often strongly restricted to specific host plants such as knapweed, ivy and some grass species. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gGeaeHPo60nLfCTCgeqoqfjpxCHBry1igjQEZia-wG588KBKT4Rz2T-hP5nf8UoNxNWbtB9wpNREJjVxwxDjiuaJIzh-og5b9K9KuSFZDuPbCAu0g4RIOaQrqf7EuTn6SRuYtCdwFZ4/s2048/P1150403.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gGeaeHPo60nLfCTCgeqoqfjpxCHBry1igjQEZia-wG588KBKT4Rz2T-hP5nf8UoNxNWbtB9wpNREJjVxwxDjiuaJIzh-og5b9K9KuSFZDuPbCAu0g4RIOaQrqf7EuTn6SRuYtCdwFZ4/s320/P1150403.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broomrape</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1iTZo77jBT7roapmfX-d5T6nSUiyTCmpKv5_9SYLJg5Qz-NPndSTWAxMI2i9zyWCG3vr58zVoWaWUbOyjWbfTiQsZSI3wwa-Wlt37t_goCtKlwGvUCYFlAk9RuKE13f0z1ZyYqLDrsY/s2048/P1150488.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1iTZo77jBT7roapmfX-d5T6nSUiyTCmpKv5_9SYLJg5Qz-NPndSTWAxMI2i9zyWCG3vr58zVoWaWUbOyjWbfTiQsZSI3wwa-Wlt37t_goCtKlwGvUCYFlAk9RuKE13f0z1ZyYqLDrsY/s320/P1150488.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pyramidal orchid<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><p></p><p>Grasses are wind-pollinated, and produce a huge amount of pollen - this makes working in grasslands in summer a real trial if you (like me) suffer from hayfever.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpvAa4w_rCON6K9eieNM6A6iiWFIy_8OLUArvepsRdtvaRdkkTS9GyUbPf2acKmL_N7zZ86FhBgUR9oQ6Q1hFj_IxwEIMUQIxfcL22jf8bDyYs3njmf43_pKry0KN0m0l1C-1jrjJyWw/s2048/P1150404.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOpvAa4w_rCON6K9eieNM6A6iiWFIy_8OLUArvepsRdtvaRdkkTS9GyUbPf2acKmL_N7zZ86FhBgUR9oQ6Q1hFj_IxwEIMUQIxfcL22jf8bDyYs3njmf43_pKry0KN0m0l1C-1jrjJyWw/s320/P1150404.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmYV8HZYj3jIqQT8CsKzyGlVpJkb3CuTN_HC_Po7W-r2mn6-eW-WTwK9ZCl9KmDTfUPg9x1Zi1aMyoXwXby6l6RwucpAkZ20Dw8l2E1j-A5qQy7QYQL52dAkEyaEHCXtM-04tLaN9VLo/s2048/P1150407.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzmYV8HZYj3jIqQT8CsKzyGlVpJkb3CuTN_HC_Po7W-r2mn6-eW-WTwK9ZCl9KmDTfUPg9x1Zi1aMyoXwXby6l6RwucpAkZ20Dw8l2E1j-A5qQy7QYQL52dAkEyaEHCXtM-04tLaN9VLo/s320/P1150407.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8fh56x8T18B-2OJP5ux6-EARbtZ1tXczzkby5tKYGD3cwtTmjWe6Sjpq3UsHLyGggQ1zoyoU6NOVDZkf59OeZlut32plwfIO7iTSH0ABnqX6t-DGLmhQJzrW5yfE2qqiPeZWRhEWrcU/s2048/P1150408.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8fh56x8T18B-2OJP5ux6-EARbtZ1tXczzkby5tKYGD3cwtTmjWe6Sjpq3UsHLyGggQ1zoyoU6NOVDZkf59OeZlut32plwfIO7iTSH0ABnqX6t-DGLmhQJzrW5yfE2qqiPeZWRhEWrcU/s320/P1150408.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicET48TZP025TL98YEp5L7_EEJJ5k_B9FZiz8Dla3q0kZH7HRyBzSYFGqmIxU9yduTQlDP8WKcav9mc8zSJf5lFrROXfEx0QDxp6UObjiV_jX-lkbZ09yhVrCZee-jA3UMxVMA4oKPAio/s2048/P1150409.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicET48TZP025TL98YEp5L7_EEJJ5k_B9FZiz8Dla3q0kZH7HRyBzSYFGqmIxU9yduTQlDP8WKcav9mc8zSJf5lFrROXfEx0QDxp6UObjiV_jX-lkbZ09yhVrCZee-jA3UMxVMA4oKPAio/s320/P1150409.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0UhBH8Hyxo23MKi1BHGDfasIVITIL5Yh4J-SyWHOrq3ZL3WWMo6OfcUcMi2jkpoIYmxgSre-psqYNGBJIx6plfTXhKn5LigmzB3cGxuUNjRbc9WjMZZCErVheSNpChQ6YckIuZAPVHQ/s2048/P1150411.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0UhBH8Hyxo23MKi1BHGDfasIVITIL5Yh4J-SyWHOrq3ZL3WWMo6OfcUcMi2jkpoIYmxgSre-psqYNGBJIx6plfTXhKn5LigmzB3cGxuUNjRbc9WjMZZCErVheSNpChQ6YckIuZAPVHQ/s320/P1150411.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlP7F2ZOFPZj9khZ_kChGZBVN2J1iWUKHdOcnc-jAotnfYqCZQl2j4o1buMuy8nFC_pQgaTirjiskCHRFeLk3a7AJaearALfT21fUHM4-tV5GIyt3k9ajYdlaaF8wBiHodoRdi5gjb1c/s2048/P1150430.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlP7F2ZOFPZj9khZ_kChGZBVN2J1iWUKHdOcnc-jAotnfYqCZQl2j4o1buMuy8nFC_pQgaTirjiskCHRFeLk3a7AJaearALfT21fUHM4-tV5GIyt3k9ajYdlaaF8wBiHodoRdi5gjb1c/s320/P1150430.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p>By late June, the colour and structure of the sward had changed again, and was becoming dominated by seeding bodies rather than flower organs. This is the stage that the biomass harvest is taken, in order to assess the influence of the experimental manipulations (rainfall and nitrogen addition) on the productivity of the functional (plant) groups. </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BxuqewnyJRSXWCOCnNfumDwKgV1A71E1kdTOZJLu7THk3QP3w8rOq8WcoDHqSyNK6RukY-vm1JjLG9o_wqYDjoEAG3ONTxlbpkcSs_CiC77JYClOt9wTi9Mn2olFsG0yZ5gYYIIOnVM/s2048/P1150757.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BxuqewnyJRSXWCOCnNfumDwKgV1A71E1kdTOZJLu7THk3QP3w8rOq8WcoDHqSyNK6RukY-vm1JjLG9o_wqYDjoEAG3ONTxlbpkcSs_CiC77JYClOt9wTi9Mn2olFsG0yZ5gYYIIOnVM/s320/P1150757.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking east; block B is nearest, block C is at distance. June 2018.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The June surveys and biomass harvests conclude the data collection I am doing for my PhD, though RainDrop will continue to run, and will continue to be monitored to build a long-term dataset for this plant community. </p><p> Collecting data is only one part of this kind of research - albeit arguably the most enjoyable aspect - and I now move into the next step, which is the deeper analysis of the data, and the development of credible interpretations of what that data is telling me. I have a strong impression that the vegetation on site is distinctly different to how it was when I first arrived, over three years ago, and an equally strong impression of differences between rainfall treatments. Once I have tackled some of the analysis, I hope to be able to describe those differences in a more objective way! </p><p> More on that later.... for now, I'm just happy to have been able to spend so much time in this very special corner of the UK, in this very special h<span>abitat. I've even learned to ID some grass species!</span><br /></p><p> </p><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-69870726289964986532020-12-10T10:30:00.001+00:002020-12-10T10:30:45.878+00:00Spring 2018<p> <b>March </b></p><p>The roof panels have been turned over, and I'm back on site despite there still being snow on the ground here and there. It's been a long, wet winter and isn't very warm up here today; I'm grateful for my toasty hat, and a flask of tea (nectar of the fieldworker!). <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0a224YCTz2CsfhRFgbHsu0LnqNiKaRfSxQIbkh0XOo2ixJYonBHlgJSZAT96cWgjHLlCVu_JhTFYHxMtZhpgL9QmisYGUgE1u_XRX809s-sKo9Kvod2jZoDiWm9JWRTjl6WuCwgqLwc/s2048/P1120929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0a224YCTz2CsfhRFgbHsu0LnqNiKaRfSxQIbkh0XOo2ixJYonBHlgJSZAT96cWgjHLlCVu_JhTFYHxMtZhpgL9QmisYGUgE1u_XRX809s-sKo9Kvod2jZoDiWm9JWRTjl6WuCwgqLwc/s320/P1120929.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The wet weather from Autumn last year meant that the Wytham staff couldn't get onto site to do the end of season cut until really late, so there's not been much regrowth yet (though not a lot would be expected over winter). It's very quiet on site - just me, some crows, and, despite still being rather nippy, rather a lot of snails.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLV14OsF7XSXgvbMn_JUu1FOuxe44ofZrkHFndgBSrlRw_pD1-ySzhV7pgo75uZYQAASJYwZnuTApET7-Ntz6-HBpQfnPPP4AQz8ZkStZXVOVA5BXFcCDJKQSBI4WYvYB0ukwus-Rv3g/s2048/P1120966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLV14OsF7XSXgvbMn_JUu1FOuxe44ofZrkHFndgBSrlRw_pD1-ySzhV7pgo75uZYQAASJYwZnuTApET7-Ntz6-HBpQfnPPP4AQz8ZkStZXVOVA5BXFcCDJKQSBI4WYvYB0ukwus-Rv3g/s320/P1120966.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Taking a walk around the perimeter and revelling in being back, I spotted this striking parasitic wasp. This is definitely one to check on for an ID when I get back into the warm - though I'll probably need specialist input, as I'm really rusty now on these impressive-looking insects. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lUjysRTlxxxRL5BVS4tlQvWj0Vlvt4V39mb4WIufIDPQ98BfrsRpVYL-nyVgykXOn6mTIfDhNcJA-cjhDU1a-K-IuZyRLk4ZH39ZFXSX_nf9RNQKtZai7qzXLDjT4MW4gP9O1Q69-Ro/s2048/P1120989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lUjysRTlxxxRL5BVS4tlQvWj0Vlvt4V39mb4WIufIDPQ98BfrsRpVYL-nyVgykXOn6mTIfDhNcJA-cjhDU1a-K-IuZyRLk4ZH39ZFXSX_nf9RNQKtZai7qzXLDjT4MW4gP9O1Q69-Ro/s320/P1120989.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><b>April</b></p><p>Not so much April showers, as April fog...</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAg1s2f6tgrJcrkEDYpyFmg-GDcggS9_a8339B_NZ2m5FYmEkWhV0bnZ67WbZGCfVFxSqctjXVSOYzGL4V2hy67G40MQ0YS7QFeGY8FX2QA7buu9KxzESn_RfoVVb2Nfn2STuJik6qMGg/s2048/P1130207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAg1s2f6tgrJcrkEDYpyFmg-GDcggS9_a8339B_NZ2m5FYmEkWhV0bnZ67WbZGCfVFxSqctjXVSOYzGL4V2hy67G40MQ0YS7QFeGY8FX2QA7buu9KxzESn_RfoVVb2Nfn2STuJik6qMGg/s320/P1130207.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south towards blocks A (right) and B (left). April 2018</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p>Still not much regrowth, though there are some small flowers making a show - violets and cowslips nudge up towards the weak spring sunshine.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8FHlRq5Ca5lYyKIaDrhQn9WsnjEsMIFOtHCZugeb4x-k2-vBMQ3DwXbpJ5QVNOWBGyxnWwHzPUTpAfwDSNE1wpKeTSEhXl1ITWjRQXHnPMyKgVO1n7RP5quXgiI_q05KUfHiXYYeZN0/s2048/P1130213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8FHlRq5Ca5lYyKIaDrhQn9WsnjEsMIFOtHCZugeb4x-k2-vBMQ3DwXbpJ5QVNOWBGyxnWwHzPUTpAfwDSNE1wpKeTSEhXl1ITWjRQXHnPMyKgVO1n7RP5quXgiI_q05KUfHiXYYeZN0/s320/P1130213.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXiA1uXcaAJwo9z-Zq3lxAGNX12v-a43rdPowEyZDvpv0J2BuVUMXBzb5f9Y92Cih-G79eDP3Z9u1v72MxcDheRzWPJXQyvig5IcXgiYDdz484HLpT05sRTBawOD8mi8lK_4jkuF3baM/s2048/P1130216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXiA1uXcaAJwo9z-Zq3lxAGNX12v-a43rdPowEyZDvpv0J2BuVUMXBzb5f9Y92Cih-G79eDP3Z9u1v72MxcDheRzWPJXQyvig5IcXgiYDdz484HLpT05sRTBawOD8mi8lK_4jkuF3baM/s320/P1130216.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p><b>May</b></p><p>May saw me mostly engaged in a survey of calcareous grasslands from Somerset up to County Durham (a bit intense, but totally enjoyable work), but I did find time to call in to RainDrop in mid May, and what a difference a month (and some blue skies and sunshine) makes! Some strong regrowth lends the site a rich green mantle - look at the difference between this and a similar shot in April (above):<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOzXT69Qbgh-ksPBBjs1aifSuQvlGCOnkeM0EXmWnOlE49pVfElti-5OXrlw-mCaK53BLbVpMuDwI1hh8gxAIHv_AMVZhAv0a70cgLFCNN5hiRDwu7dweO6FyRyG-6EMs1-Db-S2DPs8/s2048/P1130940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOzXT69Qbgh-ksPBBjs1aifSuQvlGCOnkeM0EXmWnOlE49pVfElti-5OXrlw-mCaK53BLbVpMuDwI1hh8gxAIHv_AMVZhAv0a70cgLFCNN5hiRDwu7dweO6FyRyG-6EMs1-Db-S2DPs8/s320/P1130940.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south towards blocks A (right) and D (in the distance to the left). May 2018.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Plenty of Spring flowers stud that green sward now:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lxVY8nNIr-geDHZI9fkn5YZrkDr7QwBdhXMtZAqeoeH98n5M2B96JZy31cHjWQ1XreMFmx289g_slMW1DX1156g1heZLc-MHVibuWifaZaN8B5Iro2KnCm86O7hMqYpZcFbJWTTQUN8/s2048/P1130942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lxVY8nNIr-geDHZI9fkn5YZrkDr7QwBdhXMtZAqeoeH98n5M2B96JZy31cHjWQ1XreMFmx289g_slMW1DX1156g1heZLc-MHVibuWifaZaN8B5Iro2KnCm86O7hMqYpZcFbJWTTQUN8/s320/P1130942.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA4VdzM_tkLwS9yU5pYunz0cAd18pCh2ybjNPWx1vAoZgn2VvBwDyNfhYraTYuAuDjr3jUN3G0MqATf3ush6AB3sE2yxu28FEoWWenSmkNJNQoBOUA3c9eQitmzdeufhz5d95uRtqbVI/s2048/P1130943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlA4VdzM_tkLwS9yU5pYunz0cAd18pCh2ybjNPWx1vAoZgn2VvBwDyNfhYraTYuAuDjr3jUN3G0MqATf3ush6AB3sE2yxu28FEoWWenSmkNJNQoBOUA3c9eQitmzdeufhz5d95uRtqbVI/s320/P1130943.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQmEOkAn2g8w_mgK8KrTgl8hOzhWlQg67M7k_tYqrUyQ83REX7r5Xd7akj01NLrUgkUnbNszfvSGuLppzUgyno2iZ4Z2n8tdOlHIc0cb40u5IbExbryFBjAUCCG-J6RkMwl5W73LFCPw/s2048/P1130944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQmEOkAn2g8w_mgK8KrTgl8hOzhWlQg67M7k_tYqrUyQ83REX7r5Xd7akj01NLrUgkUnbNszfvSGuLppzUgyno2iZ4Z2n8tdOlHIc0cb40u5IbExbryFBjAUCCG-J6RkMwl5W73LFCPw/s320/P1130944.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCKe_27X_7kejQVMFRtPVzYMXf08YRcl0J0fxm_rV_lNJnd1tqu5TGV31Dvbhvw1T-926jwyBI2LvtFSiOwHAkdlADmWyYOsPT5CDe4yyTmwJWAnL3YqfOLiD77IAJdVYHWiYcqQCjD4/s2048/P1130945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCKe_27X_7kejQVMFRtPVzYMXf08YRcl0J0fxm_rV_lNJnd1tqu5TGV31Dvbhvw1T-926jwyBI2LvtFSiOwHAkdlADmWyYOsPT5CDe4yyTmwJWAnL3YqfOLiD77IAJdVYHWiYcqQCjD4/s320/P1130945.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmvLDWs11C4_m14tadP4VKk4lFBbu64juXkfjVzyWGXZzG1Ueo3svCyFLgJEPJNOYqGdE0Andvqg2nLnkr03dm_xViz_R9Tv5-lZ87kBATmay3yrz-1LQlkUUGhO01c44pdCdHyPrhYk/s2048/P1130946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmvLDWs11C4_m14tadP4VKk4lFBbu64juXkfjVzyWGXZzG1Ueo3svCyFLgJEPJNOYqGdE0Andvqg2nLnkr03dm_xViz_R9Tv5-lZ87kBATmay3yrz-1LQlkUUGhO01c44pdCdHyPrhYk/s320/P1130946.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnZE12BsmxlhDUMjf9dXZK8Frhc44GwtpKPE3Dtv-SdUMIBQWsRbOH6kP2UvGRN3A1V8Mk_InjMptHqLWrPeoMbtC9iq9p92QVG3PDsDWhrX7rjjgVOnY9VTaK7umtV6P62_Tn1dW5nE/s2048/P1130949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnZE12BsmxlhDUMjf9dXZK8Frhc44GwtpKPE3Dtv-SdUMIBQWsRbOH6kP2UvGRN3A1V8Mk_InjMptHqLWrPeoMbtC9iq9p92QVG3PDsDWhrX7rjjgVOnY9VTaK7umtV6P62_Tn1dW5nE/s320/P1130949.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-20973667292379476272018-01-08T20:17:00.002+00:002018-01-08T20:17:13.176+00:00We go to GhentA shot-in-the-dark application to BES resulted in the offer of a poster presentation slot at the 2017 Ecology Across Borders conference in Ghent in December.<br />
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This proved to be a huge conference, with over 1,000 delegates, and trade and information stands covering everything from remote sensing, publications, butterfly nets, citizen science and, of course, the BES.
A great opportunity to meet old colleagues and make new friends, and to find out about some of the great science they are involved with (and to tell them about my own small contribution to scientific knowledge). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My poster!</td></tr>
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Happy New Year!Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-43066500702355244992017-10-12T19:36:00.002+01:002017-10-12T19:44:26.249+01:00Above ground, below ground<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Most of my data collection is concerned with what's going on above ground - which plants are growing where, and how productive they are. Although the sward is perhaps the most immediately obvious feature of a grassland, it's just the tip of the iceberg, and there's a lot of activity going on out of sight on which the familiarly green upstanding parts depend. Not only the underground parts of plants themselves, but also soil organisms work the soil like tiny miners, allowing air to flow in and water to flow out, and burying organic matter, where it is broken down by a myriad of soil fauna and flora.<br />
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One group of organisms that help tie together the above and below ground worlds are the fungi, and Autumn is when their presence is made visible to even the casual observer, as their fruiting bodies push up through turf and litter. Though the visible stage in the lifecycle is often ephemeral, fungi play a crucial role in grassland ecosystem functions: their role as decomposers is an important part of the carbon and other nutrient cycles; they themselves provide a food source for other organisms (insects, small mammals, etc); and they facilitate nutrient uptake in plant roots. Grassland fungi are vulnerable to physical and environmental disturbance, being often sensitive to such as nutrient input in the form of fertiliser, and so are declining in many semi-improved and improved grasslands.<br />
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Inspired by Sean Cooch of Natural England, and his presentation on waxcap grasslands at the Grasslands conference in August, I thought I'd see what the fungal offering was at Upper Seeds, and how many different macro fungi I could spot as I went about my other tasks on site. Apart from making a change from looking solely at forbs, it would be a useful exercise as fungi can be used as indicators of unimproved grassland quality, so the more I find of the right kind, the further the site draws away from its semi-improved past.<br />
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So, what are the right kind of fungi, that I was looking for? The best and brightest are the waxcaps (<i>Hygrocybe </i>genus), that favour short swards on undisturbed, infertile soils.. Waxcaps are a group of grassland fungi known to be in serious decline, and waxcap grassland habitat is now recognised for its conservation value for mycological diversity. There's lots of information about waxcaps, their habitat and requirements on Aberystwyth University's <a href="https://www.aber.ac.uk/waxcap/index.shtml">Waxcap Website</a> , and English Nature's research report on waxcap grasslands can be found here: <a href="http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/131003">ENRR555 Waxcap grasslands</a><br />
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This is a selection of the fungi I spotted in one day on site: any IDs would be very welcome, as I hesitate to even start down that road just at present (the green herbaceous things are keeping me far too busy for that!).<br />
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-57053098022151963762017-09-29T21:59:00.000+01:002017-09-29T21:59:58.179+01:00Fisticuffs - Wytham's sparring spiders<br />
Slappy spider colonists on one rain shelter come to blows yesterday - well, pokes, anyway 😉 <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xlVpDSkIchM?rel=0" width="459"></iframe>Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-11683783062567420732017-09-29T09:06:00.002+01:002017-09-29T09:06:43.873+01:00Just passing through.....As I sat writing up my notes and enjoying the quiet earlier on site this week, I was pleased to see a couple of swallows alight on the overhead wires......<br />
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then there were three......<br />
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then quite a few......<br />
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and suddenly there was in excess of 60 chittering chattering swallows swooping around me as they scooped up insects to fuel the long journey ahead, all the way down to South Africa. <br />
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Then on a sudden, they were all up and gone. <br />
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Marvellous to be able to just be there and experience that! (I did try videoing them, but really, it was a lot of small specks in a big sky, as you can imagine. You really had to be there!)<br />
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-49707865009578940732017-09-01T11:29:00.000+01:002017-09-25T11:37:07.997+01:00Mists and mellow fruitfulnessKeats' vision of Autumn was a tad warmer and drier than the other day: a very misty vista across the site - a chill in the air, and a fine grey wetness over everything cast thoughts of the summer behind me. Even the buzzard seemed diminished by the cool grey damp, and sat calling most mournfully from its perch at the top of the telegraph pole.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buzzard on the look-out for breakfast on a foggy morning</td></tr>
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The summer hay cut has been made across the whole field, which has changed the appearance of the sward (and so, of course, the whole site) immensely - no longer a flower-rich meadow of waving grasses studded with colour and humming to the summer song of bees, it's low, green and rather wet underfoot, as the plants start to cut back production, and the bees slowed down by the cooling days. This bumblebee (<i>B. pascuorum</i>) was very v e r y slow, and sat on the scabious flowerhead looking rather damp for at least half an hour. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bumblebee <i>Bombus pascuorum </i>waiting to warm up</td></tr>
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As the mist lifted, a brief break in the clouds let some sunshine in, and that touch of warming sun meant more insects were on the wing making the most of the day. The flowers may be mostly gone from the field, but there's fruit aplenty in the bushes and scrubby field margins - hawthorn bushes offer up their own ruby-red berries, and support scrambling brambles heavy with tender sweet sugary blackberries.<br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2DzBRtKG4AM72HWqQgX4njx0udg2kY8qXZ1Krn8MpKtrj_VEtIrWSpQFjGMnZQqVgdRHkP1OUamAA1h7Zx0UZUSK6K9ZP4HOARvljma9S0WQFcExNMMFnrmjyLuEpYBH1rVcBqPC-n0/s1600/P1090637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2DzBRtKG4AM72HWqQgX4njx0udg2kY8qXZ1Krn8MpKtrj_VEtIrWSpQFjGMnZQqVgdRHkP1OUamAA1h7Zx0UZUSK6K9ZP4HOARvljma9S0WQFcExNMMFnrmjyLuEpYBH1rVcBqPC-n0/s320/P1090637.JPG" width="240" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC76cBrf3Rj-Uft3JYFoHnkhyPQuDFOiJkqWmvvHVnX1DclJmSMPyPRsjHcyVpJcCRNnk1RwZe1KLL9gt0Of4M3pAGo2ScHvebavC9D25jM9xb_SyUT8Skiy44sTRwotuF9X9-wck0gw/s1600/P1090641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWC76cBrf3Rj-Uft3JYFoHnkhyPQuDFOiJkqWmvvHVnX1DclJmSMPyPRsjHcyVpJcCRNnk1RwZe1KLL9gt0Of4M3pAGo2ScHvebavC9D25jM9xb_SyUT8Skiy44sTRwotuF9X9-wck0gw/s320/P1090641.JPG" width="240" /></a></td>
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<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wasps go crazy for blackberries - thorns AND stings to watch out for when picking my lunch!</td>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Marmalade Fly (<i>Episyrphus balteatus</i>) maybe fancying some bramble jam</td>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
These small winged creatures actually catch the eye by virtue of their movement; softer-bodied, more slow-moving residents in the field rely on camouflage to avoid predation: snails frequently rest partway up plant stems, and Lepidoptera larvae use colouring and posture to fade into their immediate background.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSKwUB2lV5qTUc2UxAClRlXvNTbh3nGPaT0uViGX45BifRMJn6xBTAs0P6z11gwU0aO4E8vsKexvInBq_gbS8Mt7UVHLhnlb6bTjtVc4JVbSlYsda6u8dRU7rsibG_SR09QxflDAlhXw/s1600/P1090635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSKwUB2lV5qTUc2UxAClRlXvNTbh3nGPaT0uViGX45BifRMJn6xBTAs0P6z11gwU0aO4E8vsKexvInBq_gbS8Mt7UVHLhnlb6bTjtVc4JVbSlYsda6u8dRU7rsibG_SR09QxflDAlhXw/s320/P1090635.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kentish snail taking a break</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGKVJdAKrRPfDZMNo9bwcJMfw-0vMSiZ6cL9JccJwxAA_86Tz48ozNtmbaKDPXncbLW1O9cxZ0a_v5quqtaMmkMo79G1rsqPUwsZO-OCCmB3TaucSyqYQBleiz_MPic-lRTHhO1WB-As/s1600/P1090805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibGKVJdAKrRPfDZMNo9bwcJMfw-0vMSiZ6cL9JccJwxAA_86Tz48ozNtmbaKDPXncbLW1O9cxZ0a_v5quqtaMmkMo79G1rsqPUwsZO-OCCmB3TaucSyqYQBleiz_MPic-lRTHhO1WB-As/s320/P1090805.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pug moth caterpillar on ragwort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Beetles were also out and about - an upturned chair (to prevent rainwater puddles, which are unpleasant to sit in!) provided shelter for a number of woodlice and these rove (staphylinid) beetles, which have a bright red pronotum and basal abdominal segments. Their bright colouring may be warning indicators; the <i>Paederus</i> genus (which these may belong to) produce toxins associated with irritant dermatitis (<a href="https://jvat.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40409-015-0004-0">Nasir et al. (2015) biomedcentral</a>). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyi6QpFG9ARQG1-3grYCEElr9mKIrq7n6hD1V_x45cC7xmbvBKZHjQI_gW2OWdJCkI7RLuF8mQB5pZgqhF294hsIZR76w-PEq_lSejHOs8tu5pExj0hjoYf5UpJAGhifVnf0P0DChCXw/s1600/rovebeetles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1529" data-original-width="1185" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRyi6QpFG9ARQG1-3grYCEElr9mKIrq7n6hD1V_x45cC7xmbvBKZHjQI_gW2OWdJCkI7RLuF8mQB5pZgqhF294hsIZR76w-PEq_lSejHOs8tu5pExj0hjoYf5UpJAGhifVnf0P0DChCXw/s320/rovebeetles.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rove beetles hiding out under my chair</td></tr>
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After seeing the hundreds of Harlequin Ladybirds (<i>Hormona axyridis</i>) that emerged from overwintered pipework and other hardwares, it's been satisfying to see some of our native ladybirds on site. We have over forty native species (remember the downy <span class="st">24-spot ladybird (<i>Subcoccinella 24-punctata</i>) from May's post last year? <a href="https://millenniumexperiment.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/">Spring comes to Upper Seeds</a>)</span><span class="st"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOCQJhxKlx07P4WGZ119qcbliZBodcNLO2Lnph8MfxauaJxIaKmQPJcNZK-hpvzUDedlcMHGx5Sy6uoKvr-Qx8P01K7r7ZtCom6VXe1G3oRY1tSUkhZJoJC7-c94NcTfstDx6xV9oNmI/s1600/P1090660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOCQJhxKlx07P4WGZ119qcbliZBodcNLO2Lnph8MfxauaJxIaKmQPJcNZK-hpvzUDedlcMHGx5Sy6uoKvr-Qx8P01K7r7ZtCom6VXe1G3oRY1tSUkhZJoJC7-c94NcTfstDx6xV9oNmI/s320/P1090660.JPG" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Native Seven-spot Ladybird (Cocchinella septempunctata) munching on late aphids</td></tr>
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The Harlequins have been named the most invasive ladybird in the world (<a href="http://www.ladybird-survey.org/">ladybird survey website</a>),
and have spread across the whole of the south and midlands of England,
and into northern counties, since they were first recorded in 2004 in
the UK. They can outcompete our native ladybirds, and will take eggs,
larvae and pupae of other insects, including other ladybirds,
butterflies and moths.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwnDtn2KqO-8bPoRXMheXa2Nd_Ke2tAscOWQP3oqvgP9OI1OR82xynKNvBRDVOYeykEiKyhtQSiorImWxsYE93COcQh74HEu_WVQCRELLTg-p9luvkn2e9ojxYJfuuP4i65hPJCznoYg/s1600/P1040056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwnDtn2KqO-8bPoRXMheXa2Nd_Ke2tAscOWQP3oqvgP9OI1OR82xynKNvBRDVOYeykEiKyhtQSiorImWxsYE93COcQh74HEu_WVQCRELLTg-p9luvkn2e9ojxYJfuuP4i65hPJCznoYg/s320/P1040056.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harlequin ladybirds emerging into the Spring sun, 2017</td></tr>
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So there you are - a few observations from a changing field. Many of the features that we think of when picturing a lowland grassland have gone or are fading as the year's page turns towards another season, but there's still plenty of activity on site. A taste of things to come...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BxdTy_QjG22zJtJd4T7h_rfwbznVp1RR8bUKpL09Cc4nnX6U7Qwg3BI2xfXJ_D9_2cmynz9Hi8mFUb6MEmvkmyqcFD7QFtgf2mVI_mSXtm_AvLyJoeheQhT4qW7V1MYZldMPRGnG6PQ/s1600/P1090810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3BxdTy_QjG22zJtJd4T7h_rfwbznVp1RR8bUKpL09Cc4nnX6U7Qwg3BI2xfXJ_D9_2cmynz9Hi8mFUb6MEmvkmyqcFD7QFtgf2mVI_mSXtm_AvLyJoeheQhT4qW7V1MYZldMPRGnG6PQ/s320/P1090810.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-82420345152843282532017-08-18T11:50:00.002+01:002017-08-18T13:59:04.424+01:00Grassland conservation conference 2017 - and a bit of trumpet-blowingThere's nothing like a bit of recognition to put a smile on your face!<br />
<br />
Recently returned from the inaugural Grassland Conservation conference, hosted and organised by conservation research colleagues at Edge Hill university. <a href="https://twitter.com/upland_grazing?lang=en">@upland_grazing</a> <span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/biologyehu?lang=en">@biologyehu</a> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
Keynote speaker Richard Jefferson set the scene for a mixed group of people from widely varied backgrounds, and enthusiastic chairing successfully promoted relaxed discussions on topics from grassland invertebrate biodiversity, the need for a national ancient grasslands database, and how to improve interaction and engagement between academics, other researchers, practitioners and the public. <br />
<br />
Day Two comprised grassland management workshops - I opted for the upland calcareous one, involving a site visit to Ingleborough NNR in North Yorkshire, to see upland grassland management on limestone pavement sites in action; seems that cattle are more appropriate for this kind of habitat, as sheep graze-out the tasty forbs in the nooks and crevices of the pavement, but cattle tend to graze around the edge of the exposed limestone. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IhQrSDlOlmmNNc_sDpY9ottgragtFgEXV1H7BIvve0S0ypjRz0OhVo5oPoXWM8c3ChTAuFIENovVrqggV3WopzdnjfA_u0qXthQd8fxmaQ2OO9OWdpsIPE0l2hjvPx1G-K1Rtjrrkl4/s1600/P1090369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IhQrSDlOlmmNNc_sDpY9ottgragtFgEXV1H7BIvve0S0ypjRz0OhVo5oPoXWM8c3ChTAuFIENovVrqggV3WopzdnjfA_u0qXthQd8fxmaQ2OO9OWdpsIPE0l2hjvPx1G-K1Rtjrrkl4/s320/P1090369.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixed cattle including Red Poll and Shorthorns graze the upland calcareous grasslands at Ingleborough NNR</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjncfxFiogzI7u4km88ZGZm_64yFPCnwuOXE__CdApohiaftTwib8u7y6TpD6wEqrFxcd7HdABAUl4Y1zB0MWUKOXrJT9ViMeGYcdKtqDR9EBY01K_FezSTQ_2AIOq26ixduVz5EEDziA/s1600/P1090403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjncfxFiogzI7u4km88ZGZm_64yFPCnwuOXE__CdApohiaftTwib8u7y6TpD6wEqrFxcd7HdABAUl4Y1zB0MWUKOXrJT9ViMeGYcdKtqDR9EBY01K_FezSTQ_2AIOq26ixduVz5EEDziA/s320/P1090403.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Limestone pavement provides sheltered nooks and crannies for rare and specialist plant species</td></tr>
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All in all, a really interesting and enjoyable couple of days, topped off by winning the poster prize, sponsored by the Sir George Stapledon Memorial Trust - forgive the rather mad expression, I can only say I was completely (but pleasantly) surprised!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZ_AU9Pfa7oyLkYimk9Rdy3v7VbvBySVOJACpTCr67lYOKH1TN3VfUBxfPipujhjikxt9K74teAxKexaD2YIea_5YvZAQsXWztLKQvuZo9hN84-37G4cB2_7_fv6iRfH46Lm3rpR4kbk/s1600/20170814_175623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNZ_AU9Pfa7oyLkYimk9Rdy3v7VbvBySVOJACpTCr67lYOKH1TN3VfUBxfPipujhjikxt9K74teAxKexaD2YIea_5YvZAQsXWztLKQvuZo9hN84-37G4cB2_7_fv6iRfH46Lm3rpR4kbk/s320/20170814_175623.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stephen Peel, Trustee of the Sir George Stapledon Memorial Trust, my poster, and a rather surprised me!</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
In my opinion, the conference was a great success, and I would heartily recommend it to anyone interested in grassland conservation - either for research or practical management - and hope to attend future events. A really comfortable and friendly conference indeed. Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-25335282284155477862017-05-18T23:30:00.001+01:002017-05-18T23:30:59.470+01:00Spring cleaning and gearing up for a new yearAfter dismantling the irrigation and decommissioning the rain shelters for the winter months, the long wait is over and it's time to get cracking again. Back in March, I was joined by a handful of people willing to spend some time cleaning the accumulated dust and debris. All depths were plumbed as we cleaned water butts....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmA6ysI0ZwPkT55bVY8VMioZX_SiSSL7GDalrfnWkmd5qfYehnq4xS2TS7vW-uShn3t7L8TqFY0-msNkIh7RSKJfr6vmlaLnUK2f0ei74pSpqLk6_DIoQlDWVVjvmeQzhBcjnwPzHl-sc/s1600/P1030908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmA6ysI0ZwPkT55bVY8VMioZX_SiSSL7GDalrfnWkmd5qfYehnq4xS2TS7vW-uShn3t7L8TqFY0-msNkIh7RSKJfr6vmlaLnUK2f0ei74pSpqLk6_DIoQlDWVVjvmeQzhBcjnwPzHl-sc/s320/P1030908.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neil cleaning the water butts</td></tr>
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<br />
.... washed down guttering.....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAW_x1Zs40nrRCMMsNOCPq_VchOVoE9nDJEpwyYagL3kohcCneD5K7lrLAkzyWyo4KUxpqh6Q3VfhNWARu0bkHiIP3-fSmwUufp49xS9cr-Q7lvMFQZhswwrbFq7uu0AV1edgIOB9QxuA/s1600/P1030956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAW_x1Zs40nrRCMMsNOCPq_VchOVoE9nDJEpwyYagL3kohcCneD5K7lrLAkzyWyo4KUxpqh6Q3VfhNWARu0bkHiIP3-fSmwUufp49xS9cr-Q7lvMFQZhswwrbFq7uu0AV1edgIOB9QxuA/s320/P1030956.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andy, Kadmiel and Neil - useful tall people reach the parts shorter </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">researchers cannot reach!</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
.... and checked pumps, batteries and solar panels were all still working properly. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TT-eODhyphenhyphen-SpPEvMLBiZi2xPAFN16bUOsVRPZkISRE32Gi0_6njgMwhx-TU-fNSWIe9uaWCMAprcnRbkbMBIFBZqD9NUcBP9mohgViLYosfgMC2izveRYumCGR-PKQLmCzBLzsPR6xm0/s1600/P1040038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TT-eODhyphenhyphen-SpPEvMLBiZi2xPAFN16bUOsVRPZkISRE32Gi0_6njgMwhx-TU-fNSWIe9uaWCMAprcnRbkbMBIFBZqD9NUcBP9mohgViLYosfgMC2izveRYumCGR-PKQLmCzBLzsPR6xm0/s320/P1040038.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Becca checking the pump housing and evicting a few beetles while she's at it</td></tr>
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The relatively mild winter meant that some plants had got started early, with hairy violets and cowslips being among the first flowers seen on site this season. <br />
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It also meant that there were scores of overwintering harlequin ladybirds hiding out in all the pipework and basking in the unexpected (but very welcome) Spring sunshine. <br />
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Did I say "scores"? Hundreds of the little critters were soon swarming around - I had to turf several out of my camera bag when I got home, and several more have taken up freeloading residence in the car since! <br />
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Several hours of sunny showers (including a short shower of hail) culminated in a dramatic rainbow over site, affording some 'ooh' and 'aah' moments to end the day on. Lovely. <br />
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-22635045149864059962016-10-10T19:42:00.000+01:002016-10-10T19:42:13.489+01:00Irrigation at work <br />
As a change from more still photos, here's a (very) short video of the irrigation working during a site visit:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6UtENzWbLFc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6UtENzWbLFc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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The sprinkler heads are set to have a 90 degree operational arc, so
theoretically the water falls within the experimental plot. The water
for this comes from the storage butts that act as reservoirs for the
intercepted 50% rainfall from the droughted plots. I need to tweak the
float switches still, to ensure they're all switching on and off at the
same water depth, but otherwise, the system seems to be working so far.<br />
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This is something I'll be checking on regularly over the winter, as
part of the ongoing monitoring of the site, the system, and the field
generally. Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-12458718314223544892016-09-09T16:18:00.004+01:002016-09-18T23:18:07.338+01:00<h2>
Buttercups and bedstraws, mouse-ears and geraniums </h2>
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These four groups are abundantly scattered over Upper Seeds, and though it's fairly straightforward to recognise them quickly to genus, it can take time to become familiar with individual species, especially when many characteristics are similar. This first survey season has also been a timely reminder not to assume I know what species I'm looking at, and to take a few minutes just checking some of the finer details to make sure. Time well spent with the small, shy species in grasslands like this!<br />
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<b>Buttercups </b>(<i>Ranunculus </i>species)<br />
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Always very familiar, with their shiny yellow flowers, and beloved of all pollinators and pollen eaters, these are not always so easy to tell apart without closer inspection. I've so far identified three species of buttercup here - Small-Flowered, Creeping and Meadow.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G6XVYwf-JzL9i2XtY5eLVm3Sa1DcKM1i81HqulhERMcoYJrkP7KTHzMJ1kkIEffwD66spEvEZmvwGsnJuCYzuKxRTrfR6ThdWmdFzkIhzWsGb5F3MpbAWqhHt9968XB3y7MaWwzJzD4/s1600/bcup+smallflowered.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G6XVYwf-JzL9i2XtY5eLVm3Sa1DcKM1i81HqulhERMcoYJrkP7KTHzMJ1kkIEffwD66spEvEZmvwGsnJuCYzuKxRTrfR6ThdWmdFzkIhzWsGb5F3MpbAWqhHt9968XB3y7MaWwzJzD4/s320/bcup+smallflowered.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small-Flowerd Buttercup (<i>R. parviflorus</i>) (May 2016)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The small-flowered buttercup really stood out early in the season, as its pale yellowy-green leaves weren't familiar at all. Mostly growing towards the western end of the field, at the top of the rise, a few localised patches showed up in late May as soft leafy mounds against the otherwise still-short cover before the growing season really got underway.<br />
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It's well-named, as the flowers are small and easily overlooked, lacking
the shiny in-your-face nature of some of the other buttercups.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Syzo4sr15n5EhIxqgngCHI5ifGY6jUuxplG88qAvKx1L5i-ANQQKU0_eEQFAS2W8fPnl7xA6P27uRuAlqOyWLbKHro3dv72DsjYB22gqw6LDPOce8sOltCAySd-hZ70He4-3EpwK5gw/s1600/bcup+creeping.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Syzo4sr15n5EhIxqgngCHI5ifGY6jUuxplG88qAvKx1L5i-ANQQKU0_eEQFAS2W8fPnl7xA6P27uRuAlqOyWLbKHro3dv72DsjYB22gqw6LDPOce8sOltCAySd-hZ70He4-3EpwK5gw/s320/bcup+creeping.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Groovy Creeping Buttercup stem</td></tr>
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Creeping (<i>R. repens</i>) and Meadow (<i>R. acris</i>) buttercups are possibly the two species most often encountered, and easily mixed up, as they occur together in many meadows and other habitats (I know I have to get down and check these constantly!).<br />
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Once they're flowering, there's two main characteristics that tell them apart: leaf shape, and whether the flower stem is grooved or not.<br />
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Both creeping and meadow buttercups have spreading sepals, but creeping buttercups also have a grooved flower stem (this isn't grooved on the meadow buttercup), and have three-lobed leaves where the terminal leaflet has its own short stem (meadow buttercup leaves are more deeply cut).<br />
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One species I expected to find but haven't yet is the Bulbous Buttercup (<i>R. bulbosus</i>) - another shiny yellow-flowered species, but easily told from creeping and meadow by its reflexed (downturned) sepals. <br />
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<b>Bedstraws</b> (<i>Galium</i> species)<br />
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Another group where I have got three species on site; two familiar faces, and one that is another new one for my personal species list. Hedge bedstraw (<i>G. mollugo</i>) and lady's bedstraw (<i>G. verum</i>) are quickly differentiated by the width of the leaf blades: hedge bedstraw has much broader leaves, with fewer leaves per whorl along the stem than lady's bedstraw.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFyXr8rirPgYcushT6VHLvJRsre7MV9V3VW61DExZpMAAMD6aYVFmDFvxIf_azEiw_p2slWTr3aTpw-rdmX2REDTvJTf5II4w72a_ckKkZglPQVbaaGTFAX34GgI357uUtnWxbcRbScI/s1600/hedgeb01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFyXr8rirPgYcushT6VHLvJRsre7MV9V3VW61DExZpMAAMD6aYVFmDFvxIf_azEiw_p2slWTr3aTpw-rdmX2REDTvJTf5II4w72a_ckKkZglPQVbaaGTFAX34GgI357uUtnWxbcRbScI/s640/hedgeb01.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hedge bedstraw - wider leaves, white flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEbUPh-WUae9pBrtAfy6p0eCIpn_D2aigK6iZ7ubv5ojiiux5Nr2eOHzdBVHK4cUGTvgNY_2zUeNx4nLHdb9jhlCpbYXGUo42vI3jZC1k_x9Xy9rv6FaIkOkbr8ZM5M961vjNzkw4amM/s1600/ladysbedstraw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEbUPh-WUae9pBrtAfy6p0eCIpn_D2aigK6iZ7ubv5ojiiux5Nr2eOHzdBVHK4cUGTvgNY_2zUeNx4nLHdb9jhlCpbYXGUo42vI3jZC1k_x9Xy9rv6FaIkOkbr8ZM5M961vjNzkw4amM/s640/ladysbedstraw.jpg" width="435" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady's bedstraw - narrow leaf blades, yellow flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-nVJ3ArqxZJp-6qjlcTU5JmLmeibVVQdNjWBR0UgwRA1WseHOTC1O00FQdPJgTyjnUdXbPz4zKyqkG7Z5_S68vJwNOT6fWVo5nqk88WOZQdU5a18R444HrEoow6cfwlcz47AxAImpSo/s1600/slender+bstraw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-nVJ3ArqxZJp-6qjlcTU5JmLmeibVVQdNjWBR0UgwRA1WseHOTC1O00FQdPJgTyjnUdXbPz4zKyqkG7Z5_S68vJwNOT6fWVo5nqk88WOZQdU5a18R444HrEoow6cfwlcz47AxAImpSo/s320/slender+bstraw.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slender bedstraw - widely spaced narrow leaves, white flowers</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I was happy with these IDs - until the bedstraws started to flower, when I quickly realised I had white flowers on what I thought was lady's bedstraw (which has yellow flowers). Whoops. A salutory reminder not to get over-confident!<br />
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This surprise species I have now down as Slender Bedstraw (<i>G. pumilum</i>), and the process of looking closer at it has highlighted small but crucial differences from lady's bedstraw. The flower colour is the really obvious characteristic; beyond that, the leaf whorls are much more widely spaced along the stem, giving slender bedstraw a less robust appearance. Getting a hand lens out, will show you a few backward-pointing bristles along the edge of the leaves, as well as a lack of the distinctively rolled edges that characterise lady's bedstraw. <br />
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<b>Mouse-ears</b> (<i>Cerastium </i>species)<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTOcQg0nSuN3lG-q83zs6TkLEH5XScgCpbfuXSaTUufAQy85-y0-rB_DiPVq3FlyAw6p7rQK-oVkUMCHFzkTgefOjbKO6EjHHhmCKxNBP_bUImSoeHUce9dlB-2-qgwLCX581D_DFeEM/s1600/mousear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTOcQg0nSuN3lG-q83zs6TkLEH5XScgCpbfuXSaTUufAQy85-y0-rB_DiPVq3FlyAw6p7rQK-oVkUMCHFzkTgefOjbKO6EjHHhmCKxNBP_bUImSoeHUce9dlB-2-qgwLCX581D_DFeEM/s320/mousear.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Mouse-ear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Small, white-flowered plants that sparkle between the grass blades and round the side of other plant species; these are the little brothers of Stitchwort, and share the same starry flowers and simple paired leaf arrangements.<br />
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Two species on site: Common Mouse-ear (<i>C. fontanum</i>) - ubiquitous throughout the field, hairy but not sticky (see below!), with tiny white flowers and narrow pointed green leaves. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GyB0zE0FVu4unkLn15oQOBEI5DvE3L9F77HhqIH0WwaMkoIemWzW74GUpa9Y878D3QuYlWILI9ycF4Amlc7QgTvai5O5TDcV4hEoq88nlnFZH0HR-sdp5fhWSVPt06qpwLOkK3NPBHc/s1600/mousear+sticky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GyB0zE0FVu4unkLn15oQOBEI5DvE3L9F77HhqIH0WwaMkoIemWzW74GUpa9Y878D3QuYlWILI9ycF4Amlc7QgTvai5O5TDcV4hEoq88nlnFZH0HR-sdp5fhWSVPt06qpwLOkK3NPBHc/s320/mousear+sticky.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crowded terminal flowerhead of Sticky Mouse-ear</td></tr>
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I've only seen Sticky Mouse-ear (<i>C. glomeratum</i>) in one location so far. It's stickily hairy, and has crowded terminal flower heads. These, and the broader, more yellow leaves, make it stand out as something different from the common mouse-ear. This is a plant I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for as time goes on and I get a closer look around my field.<br />
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<b>Geraniums </b><br />
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One or other of two tiny pink-flowered species have been popping up in most places, like Little Jack Horner's plums - everywhere I stopped to do a survey, there was a small pink speck demanding I figure out which it is. Like the buttercups, both these species were found growing closely together, making unravelling which was which tricky while there was still only foliage present.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dUNJiJH_JpoiTYEp-eTJN5CwQqfqPHr9eZEht3a1wq2m7hJqcDpF8iIbbV8grj7o8j97sgoziPHyo7TU2Sn1U9vj6U2Jc9nWFvLks5N0OYabUy8JvjxL1XXPmljH1yYa4bd1dn31yTQ/s1600/ger+both02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-dUNJiJH_JpoiTYEp-eTJN5CwQqfqPHr9eZEht3a1wq2m7hJqcDpF8iIbbV8grj7o8j97sgoziPHyo7TU2Sn1U9vj6U2Jc9nWFvLks5N0OYabUy8JvjxL1XXPmljH1yYa4bd1dn31yTQ/s400/ger+both02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two tiny Geranium species (and other things!)</td></tr>
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Both with similar, deeply cut foliage, and small pink flowers each with 5 petals - but if you look a bit closer.......<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQVh-vTCuuxk8-dy-GvX3FD7xLWoXfE-m65hrVcls_znHE3X2hAIjuaYjwbmHgrltNFYXmEpxoEP8zskZ7RPCFfzOyFi6uJ9YpuUm-LeIGmKL_llOCKrXrivw96hgzL5retpCEdGgYU4/s1600/ger+diss04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQVh-vTCuuxk8-dy-GvX3FD7xLWoXfE-m65hrVcls_znHE3X2hAIjuaYjwbmHgrltNFYXmEpxoEP8zskZ7RPCFfzOyFi6uJ9YpuUm-LeIGmKL_llOCKrXrivw96hgzL5retpCEdGgYU4/s320/ger+diss04.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut-leaved Crane's-bill</td></tr>
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Cut-leaved crane's-bill (<i>G. dissectum</i>) is a more sprawling, hairy plant, with flowers on short petioles close to the main stem, along with a number of leaves, giving an overall rather crowded impression of the flower position.<br />
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The petals are notched, and flowers appear to be a slightly deeper pink than the Long-Stalked Geranium (this is much more obvious when you can see them growing together).<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpFz0e2ukkAyjf7AO3KIh5l-URtWzCG0hW_GtZ4Xyzq8qq_OhwhF07FAZ4nKH5IUOzyQ_SXPLpsKFps1lyik_wS-dWHjiBw8texQ_4m3dGA3x2bNdIfKY6Y0e0MhGufa0B8IhWcuvnf8/s1600/ger+long04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpFz0e2ukkAyjf7AO3KIh5l-URtWzCG0hW_GtZ4Xyzq8qq_OhwhF07FAZ4nKH5IUOzyQ_SXPLpsKFps1lyik_wS-dWHjiBw8texQ_4m3dGA3x2bNdIfKY6Y0e0MhGufa0B8IhWcuvnf8/s320/ger+long04.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long-stalked Crane's-bill</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Long-stalked Crane's-bill (<i>G. columbinum</i>) - is a gracile plant with
larger, unnotched, paler pink petals forming individual flowers placed
at the end of long delicate stems. This is also less noticably hairy
than the Cut-leaved crane's-bill. <br />
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Just some of the small things that please me about working in grasslands like this. There are many others, of course, and I hope to document some of those in later posts. Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-3816561762919503042016-08-17T22:44:00.002+01:002016-08-17T22:44:55.466+01:00First cut, July 2016Despite being delayed by sporadically heavy showers, we finally got Upper Seeds mown. The guys at Wytham did a fantastic job, and left a very tidy field, complete with stripes. The final stage - setting up the irrigation system and other field "furniture" - could now get going. <br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ojQh7KWWQuE0EZ5jTcQTYWBwQphsM8VxwydR60AlQvDzHPnPP_rUVhghiz0DKc1Qejon3Su4TfvQovdIVHS-7nMfJ6GOWmvAlEGPxHpIXN6eKmxTqGpRky8uzneURKgiuUGWsPJSLB0/s1600/blog01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ojQh7KWWQuE0EZ5jTcQTYWBwQphsM8VxwydR60AlQvDzHPnPP_rUVhghiz0DKc1Qejon3Su4TfvQovdIVHS-7nMfJ6GOWmvAlEGPxHpIXN6eKmxTqGpRky8uzneURKgiuUGWsPJSLB0/s320/blog01a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After first cut, July 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We left butterfly strips around the field margins, well away from the experimental plots, to support the plant and invertebrate diversity so apparent in Upper Seeds during the Spring.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9CVF2rjjlAQ-IQQPJzLdPm6kf3FmoEE_XnGjOO0Co808B52ZZm8_EPW2aElMmSPCWD9d4Iw92ppiV-SYp1mJ7nKfdMo-m-_WL3JLBb6SODXSvw4Uc7vZGJn0SY01ETytsyVx3hzPYPU/s1600/blog02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9CVF2rjjlAQ-IQQPJzLdPm6kf3FmoEE_XnGjOO0Co808B52ZZm8_EPW2aElMmSPCWD9d4Iw92ppiV-SYp1mJ7nKfdMo-m-_WL3JLBb6SODXSvw4Uc7vZGJn0SY01ETytsyVx3hzPYPU/s320/blog02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butterfly strips were left around field margins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This approach means that early-Summer pupating butterflies and moths wouldn't be completely lost due to this first mowing - this freshly emerged Six-Spot Burnet (below) would have ended up in a silage heap, otherwise!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruQq8o0xHNP8l04WybRbdpcC4WRJ7k3e-3obFWlBqPW2S8qOp9nsSWI77YGJ79mizqmM6loq1UO_ZzLqfPY-g_5GIvayzbf4lWLGvbLSujhvWC5Jxxp2pgaoKHPGdafd8gksRviBIjUM/s1600/blog03+burnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhruQq8o0xHNP8l04WybRbdpcC4WRJ7k3e-3obFWlBqPW2S8qOp9nsSWI77YGJ79mizqmM6loq1UO_ZzLqfPY-g_5GIvayzbf4lWLGvbLSujhvWC5Jxxp2pgaoKHPGdafd8gksRviBIjUM/s320/blog03+burnet.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six-spot Burnet moth (<i>Zygaena filipendulae</i>)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The bullerfly strips also mean that many plant species are allowed to flower, and later to set seed, providing valuable forage for insects and birds. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQy_Bx7-Do_gekeCp_Ssz9CSCjROX3qh5a0LpnV0ruXXy2BOYobQQNuGqYDUlt7zvkkSMmzvxVd-AlyKRqA621xoyxxvrpnqwgF2TKvn-jaEUeWaIfzA0uia7jPWAuvtJQwZVvqpCEz4/s1600/blog04+scabious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQy_Bx7-Do_gekeCp_Ssz9CSCjROX3qh5a0LpnV0ruXXy2BOYobQQNuGqYDUlt7zvkkSMmzvxVd-AlyKRqA621xoyxxvrpnqwgF2TKvn-jaEUeWaIfzA0uia7jPWAuvtJQwZVvqpCEz4/s320/blog04+scabious.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six-spot Burnet feeding on Field Scabious (<i>Knautia arvensis</i>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifXP0K958xhoi82F0NWuwo6r-p9pxo9VTrqWL2dFGcafzgsx5EraavvzgYbI1y16XNylhCVG_W950wITbyIk7kMldBp51BB3zEGnc76fHM3w9QvBicxW0Tt7qhUpgGI88bvjj6C8t2fY/s1600/blog05+meadowbrown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgifXP0K958xhoi82F0NWuwo6r-p9pxo9VTrqWL2dFGcafzgsx5EraavvzgYbI1y16XNylhCVG_W950wITbyIk7kMldBp51BB3zEGnc76fHM3w9QvBicxW0Tt7qhUpgGI88bvjj6C8t2fY/s320/blog05+meadowbrown.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meadow Brown on Smooth Hawksbeard (<i>Crepis capillaris</i>)</td></tr>
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-37705268061052953672016-07-11T12:18:00.000+01:002016-07-11T12:34:36.936+01:00Past land use at Upper Seeds - modern timesThe management history of a parcel of land is often hard to establish; I'm lucky to be working on an estate that has an extensive archive, and which has been the focus of many different ecological surveys over the years. Past land use has a bearing on current soil characteristics and ecology, and because of this, will influence future development and successional change.<br />
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This is particularly important when trying to restore or establish species-rich semi-natural calcareous grasslands, as these are considered to need several decades of appropriate management to begin to approach the diversity and complexity of historical grasslands.In common with many grassland areas across the country, Upper Seeds was ploughed during WW2, and put down to arable. This may explain in part the apparent consistency of soil depth observed in the rainshelter post holes, as small-scale variation in underlying limestone bedrock topography would be erased through the erosive nature of ploughing. <br />
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The Conservator at Wytham has kindly sent me some aerial photos of the area spanning 20 years from immediately post-war:<br />
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1. Wartime ploughing of grasslands, followed by use as pasture<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4P-_8eoojhtSzLJ-uvs-kguwGgy4XYyQCzYQpV1HPdUnXXAiTbik7BFnjbijicCHtl7vxJqSfkXlxcKhKVgd5pAG8Hn5yJYgDufjG8IVB2D9KUbr8UW_HbiLUt259tlB2hPUlRYebqY/s1600/ms+1953+upper+seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4P-_8eoojhtSzLJ-uvs-kguwGgy4XYyQCzYQpV1HPdUnXXAiTbik7BFnjbijicCHtl7vxJqSfkXlxcKhKVgd5pAG8Hn5yJYgDufjG8IVB2D9KUbr8UW_HbiLUt259tlB2hPUlRYebqY/s320/ms+1953+upper+seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper Seeds, 1953</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4dpWhChzPX2-3GT2bNkAyEbL5pYpEzSMmrpBiUQWO-iXRVuFCCpKHz4vTIaax7qREgXW_NPifVoa1V9iom7y88jSnvuayIFayX2B8NZJbvklc26iUhyphenhyphenaIbzd_8jfXpWSDyEF3YQ35T0/s1600/ms+1946+5+sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4dpWhChzPX2-3GT2bNkAyEbL5pYpEzSMmrpBiUQWO-iXRVuFCCpKHz4vTIaax7qREgXW_NPifVoa1V9iom7y88jSnvuayIFayX2B8NZJbvklc26iUhyphenhyphenaIbzd_8jfXpWSDyEF3YQ35T0/s320/ms+1946+5+sisters.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper Seeds, 1946</td></tr>
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2. Under arable crops from 1960 to 1982:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXacUpXRXae38fyQ0gYfZgD3TIU8DLojYTXBbJhMCNDfBy8XoE6XDgQqd0RMr5kpCElFXamKqVkW3qr41GLGSjKVMBj8QUba71w7m0J-UbgmiRrWG7bwZ62AogMXw-8rI33XAxBVxjAU/s1600/ms+1960b+upper+seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXacUpXRXae38fyQ0gYfZgD3TIU8DLojYTXBbJhMCNDfBy8XoE6XDgQqd0RMr5kpCElFXamKqVkW3qr41GLGSjKVMBj8QUba71w7m0J-UbgmiRrWG7bwZ62AogMXw-8rI33XAxBVxjAU/s320/ms+1960b+upper+seeds.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper Seeds, 1960</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CazN3fu_yaxKIFY_IdO0NNxF7aPzN9VrVXkgqWfgcYA7ugC_nlwtLxikdthsWkN2YK96wvhrTgUPRlkQLUIFV8ZciXynUIkg1LcMbVOfzYpfeeGKgJGxT8A_8mIgKhs_IYEgVa93sVc/s1600/ms+1968b+lords+common.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CazN3fu_yaxKIFY_IdO0NNxF7aPzN9VrVXkgqWfgcYA7ugC_nlwtLxikdthsWkN2YK96wvhrTgUPRlkQLUIFV8ZciXynUIkg1LcMbVOfzYpfeeGKgJGxT8A_8mIgKhs_IYEgVa93sVc/s320/ms+1968b+lords+common.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper Seeds, 1968</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The field wasn't managed between 1982 and 1984, from when it was deer-grazed only. From November 2006, it has been sheep pasture, with Spring/Summer and Autumn grazing, with occasional use of a forage harvester to remove and prevent the encroachment of scrub, especially hawthorn, which is still present as small bushes and low-growing seedlings. From now on, it will be mown as for hay, twice yearly.<br />
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<b>Mowing as management for a UK calcareous grassland</b><br />
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Using mowing as a management strategy for Upper Seeds is a compromise driven primarily by issues around having grazing animals in fields with permanent structures and equipment (the rainshelters and irrigation systems). Ideally, I'd have grazed it, as this is mostly how we manage calcareous grassland in the UK; in continental Europe, there is wider use of hay cropping, so there is justification for this as a management technique for this habitat. The problems with having sheep on site include congregation around rainshelter legs, with nutrient addition and trampling in these locations; chewing, rubbing against and other damage of the pipes and upstanding elements of the irrigation. The effect of mowing will be different to that of grazing, as grazing is continual low-level foraging, and selective, whereas mowing is indistriminate, biannual and less good for invertabrates. Certainly in the 11 years that the sheep grazing and scrub removal has been carried out, Upper Seeds has moved on a long way from being a species-impoverished grassland, and I'm happy to receive comments and advice on how to better replicate grazing over Upper Seeds, as this is a more real-world scenario. <br />
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-30731258725420696482016-07-11T00:13:00.000+01:002016-07-11T00:13:05.295+01:00Ready for first cutIt's been a very busy and full few weeks, during which I've had the chance to really get acquainted with the site in some depth. On the hardware side, we've now got all ten rainshelters up, and just await the first cut before we can install the irrigation system that will carry the intercepted precipitation to the supplemented plots. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3pLrBz4GikuFUgSs8vbSfqnMPOtjbtzUS6gClIX82P-j0iB8MXgrpeXehSRy-GCQKvQDQDh_RKBhHZt918sOV5u_dd_ttuaIV5EBHqGcrRxrwFsGrvmzyYazFZeTmG5vA8Ji_izTaylU/s1600/P1490880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3pLrBz4GikuFUgSs8vbSfqnMPOtjbtzUS6gClIX82P-j0iB8MXgrpeXehSRy-GCQKvQDQDh_RKBhHZt918sOV5u_dd_ttuaIV5EBHqGcrRxrwFsGrvmzyYazFZeTmG5vA8Ji_izTaylU/s320/P1490880.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainshelters in the sun</td></tr>
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Before that can happen, baseline vegetation surveys had to be done -
this comprised 100 metre-square quadrats, so I've been busy recording the species present, and their
percentage cover, and taking a biomass harvest from each quadrat location. I've started sorting the biomass harvests into 6 categories: graminoids (grasses, sedges), legumes, non-leguminous forbs, woody species, bryophytes, and litter; once dried, this will give me an indication of productivity in each group. This data will form the baseline reference against
which all my subsequent surveys will be compared, so it's been important to get it right - grass ID continues to prove time-consuming, but I'd like to think I'm getting better, at least at some species; this is in no small part due to an excellent training day with Dominic Price of the Species Recovery Trust (<a href="http://www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk/">http://www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk/</a>), whose enthusiasm and knowledge kept us all going through a day of incessant rain - no mean feat!<br />
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I have grown to love the chalk grassland plant species over the last few years' surveying, and it's a pleasure to see some of them here on the limestone at Wytham, along with some familiar Lepidopteran faces in the guise of Marbled White and Common Blue butterflies.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOaPhQzGy-bQD31XbmECXqwoMbaOy9jaS1Rzl0m_29nkFlka7yZ4kFE0lXXwlR3NDq0-2LinpBx1RS3A9l4qKR2VIGhcjoDvTgq58dJOoJ9E6d9eom4HamQTpyMQmh5HjLihoa34xNQh8/s1600/P1490917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOaPhQzGy-bQD31XbmECXqwoMbaOy9jaS1Rzl0m_29nkFlka7yZ4kFE0lXXwlR3NDq0-2LinpBx1RS3A9l4qKR2VIGhcjoDvTgq58dJOoJ9E6d9eom4HamQTpyMQmh5HjLihoa34xNQh8/s320/P1490917.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marbled Whites in the sun</td></tr>
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This plant species assemblage makes for a very colourful sward, with pinks (Red Clover, Common Centaury, Pyramidal Orchids), purples (Self-heal, Field scabious, Common Vetch), whites (White Clover, Hedge Bedstraw, Common Mouse-ear, Fairy Flax) and yellows (Smooth Hawk's-beard, Perforate St. John's Wort, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Black Medick, Mouse-ear Hawkweed). As the season has progressed, I've been interested to see more species coming into evidence and flowering, and by Friday last week, it looked very different to the low green grass-dominated sward it had been.<br />
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There's plenty of non-plant interest, too; the invertebrate community is rich and fascinating, and really warrants a page all of its own. Similarly the bird life - there's long-tailed tits flitting about in the remaining scrub and woodland edge, a pair of kestrels regularly hunt over the hillside, and buzzards cruise by over the nearby woods. In places, the flowering heads of grasses and Wild Parsnip is now shoulder-high to me, and providing shelter for a number of roe deer (including fawns) that up and run if I get too close. The southern side of the field has been claimed by a male pheasant, who regularly makes me jump with his clattering call and accompanying rattle of feathers. As I have just taken my final biomass harvest for this round, the field will now be mown, and will look very different next week to how it was when I left on Thursday:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qYS4Q_ghLynAn_crHCRi-euArzggwuJ9wM9RTHZup19Tcd9JwAYh24OhCOf21lmDX_s56hw0uc_C2-0S4PF27lcbUwKwm-DmQuugHzzDsr5upWWXrRs7NB-SDZQq9A_fnrJjrsRyjU8/s1600/P1490750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qYS4Q_ghLynAn_crHCRi-euArzggwuJ9wM9RTHZup19Tcd9JwAYh24OhCOf21lmDX_s56hw0uc_C2-0S4PF27lcbUwKwm-DmQuugHzzDsr5upWWXrRs7NB-SDZQq9A_fnrJjrsRyjU8/s320/P1490750.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upper Seeds up to my knees (and beyond, in places!)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-69307127867403372482016-05-23T18:46:00.002+01:002016-05-23T18:55:37.193+01:00Mine's a pintPeter Horrocks, Vice Chancellor of the Open University, dropped by to investigate the irrigation verification I was running on campus:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qFLhvhuaoUKx0BsbGh1U_2nudv_RPB2-jPNm4Y316cGThJmveIFeBIdFyyzU6MdErqw9HMPCGC2LvZqOm6_aJAyITSbmPOUQdSKu18_Wf4bqlqmO8VKxMSAwtvKVjytR9UlnwLqSyr8/s1600/peterhorrocks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qFLhvhuaoUKx0BsbGh1U_2nudv_RPB2-jPNm4Y316cGThJmveIFeBIdFyyzU6MdErqw9HMPCGC2LvZqOm6_aJAyITSbmPOUQdSKu18_Wf4bqlqmO8VKxMSAwtvKVjytR9UlnwLqSyr8/s320/peterhorrocks.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter Horrocks, OU VC, exploring the test plot at Walton Hall</td></tr>
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The combination of 81 pint pots, with sprinklers sending graceful arcs of water out to sparkle in the sunshine, drew a lot of attention. So much of our research is done out of sight - behind closed doors, or out in the middle of nowhere - that it was a pleasure to share even a small aspect of what I'm doing with interested passers-by and colleagues. I may install a deckchair so people can come and do science, while catching some rays!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKpTVbflZ75xWG2l6XR0QnVAytJ08XgeY0UY5W_QQMiZaI5KQzbjxpX8WQjGFI9raFs9gsNsDIfY95B2bFuQtsy6-ertrmcC-ZxVddVP_yUeWp_4G9KcjvTX3K5y62h1M5mWkQTc14r4/s1600/sprinklerdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKpTVbflZ75xWG2l6XR0QnVAytJ08XgeY0UY5W_QQMiZaI5KQzbjxpX8WQjGFI9raFs9gsNsDIfY95B2bFuQtsy6-ertrmcC-ZxVddVP_yUeWp_4G9KcjvTX3K5y62h1M5mWkQTc14r4/s320/sprinklerdetail.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irrigation system - detail</td></tr>
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-51221181335753308162016-05-05T00:11:00.001+01:002016-05-06T15:59:00.061+01:00Spring comes to Upper SeedsIt's been a long winter, much of which I've been in the office, so I've really enjoyed the monitoring visits down to Upper Seeds. Getting out and about has always been a real cause for joy for me, and it's great to see Spring springing on site. Not only rainshelters, but cowslips and bluebells are coming up at Upper Seeds!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cpnaJbmxQJ7PD0w8erImxV67bgvi5losVsUCzckJnVWN6zdBJoJsdinZjrqaGiICQYCdFZu6jSnggBSoY-4T9PcQMpBJAEFPBrLAwBUIhts43T4e2iFPbGCh1IW-rExvmdqZaztPjZ4/s1600/P1450960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cpnaJbmxQJ7PD0w8erImxV67bgvi5losVsUCzckJnVWN6zdBJoJsdinZjrqaGiICQYCdFZu6jSnggBSoY-4T9PcQMpBJAEFPBrLAwBUIhts43T4e2iFPbGCh1IW-rExvmdqZaztPjZ4/s320/P1450960.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebells and cowslips at Upper Seeds</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Being down on your hands and knees means you're much more likely to come face to face with our smaller fauna - my first furry ladybird, for one....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BbY651GAxjBmxXIFMPbDmHpfG16vkOsY1ebWjbDU4nHpi0XmQmLCS7y92-GyMF94xlgPWPpTmB2biyfynyZtSLdx3GQNWe47wfBv5TKQTHae9z-uhVXv5E0F4r8m_JtOTfmoi_frFBo/s1600/lbird02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BbY651GAxjBmxXIFMPbDmHpfG16vkOsY1ebWjbDU4nHpi0XmQmLCS7y92-GyMF94xlgPWPpTmB2biyfynyZtSLdx3GQNWe47wfBv5TKQTHae9z-uhVXv5E0F4r8m_JtOTfmoi_frFBo/s320/lbird02.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="st">24-spot ladybird (<i>Subcoccinella 24-punctata</i>) - it really is covered in very fine down</span></td></tr>
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... and a soltary bee checking out the footings, for another.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW2HVgu-aZ2WSjn_PA4rGGay-lNZRRB7vpO1Yp_abI6qnWgUdQJD1-U72coPDvGt1J4omxBSCZUV7CFxoaxCcISdX1J8mOtEL8-eIrRAxtYthY4UDawmcQs-nsElZSIbfYjPo6rnDcI4/s1600/solbee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrW2HVgu-aZ2WSjn_PA4rGGay-lNZRRB7vpO1Yp_abI6qnWgUdQJD1-U72coPDvGt1J4omxBSCZUV7CFxoaxCcISdX1J8mOtEL8-eIrRAxtYthY4UDawmcQs-nsElZSIbfYjPo6rnDcI4/s320/solbee.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solitary bee - one of the mining or mason bees?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Overhead, and over the nearby woodlands, buzzards have been cruising, adding their calls to the Spring soundtrack. Fantastic. <br />
<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-7864360696795383902016-05-04T23:43:00.000+01:002016-05-06T15:58:33.281+01:00Hello and welcome to my field!<b>What's in a name?</b><br />
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At the start of any project, arguably the most important thing is getting the name right. Of course. the simplest way would be to use the acronym - USCCE - but that's already in use. I could have named it after someone - my supervisor, any of the other people involved in the initial conception or development or construction..... my dad..... Sir David Attenborough.... but that's a very boggy area to get into, egos being what they are (Dad would've been delighted) and would have been bound to miff someone. After the main field? Yes, possible, but Upper Seeds is the field and not the project; and Upper Seeds also has form in that it's the site of the TIGER and <a href="http://www.ecologicalcontinuitytrust.org/gibson" target="_blank">Gibson</a> experiments, so there may be confusion over which project I'm referring to. Rat Pen Field is the name my part of Upper Seeds is fondly known, but no-one else seems to like the name "Rat Pen Field Experimental Platform"...... So, I'm currently toying with Druscilla - Doctoral Research at Upper Seeds Climate Change Impacts Laboratory.<b> </b>Or maybe Muscari - Millenium Upper Seeds Climate change research installation. All suggestions in a hat and the winning one gets to head up my blog :)<br />
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<b>Let's do some introductions.....</b><br />
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I'm a research student with the Open University, looking into some of the impacts of changing climate patterns on plant communities. Over the next three years, I'll be spending a lot of time out here, running the first field study on the Upper Seeds experimental platform, investigating changing rainfall regimes and developing the baseline data for everyone who comes along after me. I'll be talking more on my project in other posts, as things really get underway; for the time being, I'm busy project managing the on-site works involved in the setting out of the experimental blocks, and the construction of the rainshelters.<br />
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<b>Upper Seeds - from quiet green field to experimental platform (in several moves)</b><br />
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The blank canvas that was Upper Seeds in February, before groundworks got underway<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZDxQG3DRVNV-mlB8XGrHYESU9x4pVQ7AzDYe9o-VmV7vmt_Ng1xrzQDZC1QSFqI5qkX8W48lvNghvpeDHHw7wU4KP81dq82S_bXTO2uNXNCsJ6YCiIIAoUXz0NH-CSosIjVdkjeMlzE/s320/P1440044.JPG" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">February 2016, prior to groundworks</td></tr>
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The first thing to do was to survey in the location of all the experimental plots, using high-precision GPS technology, and marking them with canes and pegs so the contractors, Darran and Josh, would know where to excavate post holes for the rainshelter legs. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQzjrYW6SYR8maYF3zfVZodqFnA736W15VgL9IQu6eRtLv6hfvUdJWQRQxKoskpGB8UvUxidzRzgolmXiHX-JbmWpVUpS4dHYzwSQHo8TnuttLEVrU3XLAdcgfq1Wa70jU-HuVLmJQiQ/s1600/P1440054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQzjrYW6SYR8maYF3zfVZodqFnA736W15VgL9IQu6eRtLv6hfvUdJWQRQxKoskpGB8UvUxidzRzgolmXiHX-JbmWpVUpS4dHYzwSQHo8TnuttLEVrU3XLAdcgfq1Wa70jU-HuVLmJQiQ/s320/P1440054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High tech and low tech kit - guess which I got to use....</td></tr>
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Once the plots were all marked out, over to Darran and Josh to dig post holes and put together the rainshelters before erection. The site slopes down towards the east, and has surface undulations, so it was important to ensure accurate profiles were in place for each plot. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUFZzifmwsc_-uCOfcvYuaUT21NFYVgsj1ijInjYi5bHm98PEcO4jP0fFzYaUpwsONko4fYEgjstXSnTVhGQaPK15jXnLWa9l4lnt7sO3tsBOpKEqRbo3DXHRnaBsXuBVuriG5WdV3e0/s1600/P1450803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoUFZzifmwsc_-uCOfcvYuaUT21NFYVgsj1ijInjYi5bHm98PEcO4jP0fFzYaUpwsONko4fYEgjstXSnTVhGQaPK15jXnLWa9l4lnt7sO3tsBOpKEqRbo3DXHRnaBsXuBVuriG5WdV3e0/s320/P1450803.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Profiles on marked plot</td></tr>
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Monitoring visits during the excavation of the post holes gave me the opportunity to have a good look at the soil profile and to take some undisturbed soil core samples from which I can gain some initial information about the soil structure and hydrology. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6Tt_q2T7IlrA7q_98gzzphZJRttSJC6FhgNNApRXowL91KwXov8LxRZeXpaus8tT81SWCj7utxK0vOrSTJpDyQ7OHg9tBNnCvydzoD_9JwLDrHzepWaOt3pBOe9dWsjnRVc_CNkgRkU/s1600/P1440570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6Tt_q2T7IlrA7q_98gzzphZJRttSJC6FhgNNApRXowL91KwXov8LxRZeXpaus8tT81SWCj7utxK0vOrSTJpDyQ7OHg9tBNnCvydzoD_9JwLDrHzepWaOt3pBOe9dWsjnRVc_CNkgRkU/s320/P1440570.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking soil cores - I found the best way was to just hit it with a hammer!</td></tr>
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While I'm down on my hands and knees looking down holes, Darran and Josh were busy putting the rainshelters together and getting them fixed securely in the ground. If Ikea did rainshelters, they'd probably come like this - flat-packed in kit form, and not as straightforward as perhaps you think they're going to be. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqRJoopW4IoHUZZcHhbc_9YNvN3G2FZ1sWjKCqSvsfeEnUc7feUlkodoIUZwEJoQ6wtgEvH5v6wumHqxtP-HObsZ0GLF2k9rJacNrkVHjWvS8avv-7efmtRHSi_bqZ1v41TgMzJmvIW8/s1600/P1450427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqRJoopW4IoHUZZcHhbc_9YNvN3G2FZ1sWjKCqSvsfeEnUc7feUlkodoIUZwEJoQ6wtgEvH5v6wumHqxtP-HObsZ0GLF2k9rJacNrkVHjWvS8avv-7efmtRHSi_bqZ1v41TgMzJmvIW8/s320/P1450427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainshelter goes up</td></tr>
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The last parts to be added are the roof panels, and hey presto! One complete rainshelter! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HchMeI1cRi-lXaM1huwKERyjqQcoZtGul6-L6LTDFOxG01D0sI_aglaRjobRHojBPRX8k3TSwbM5QCUa-kPdtUn6AK5Rnfnn3dT2LIQgSLv9XCLdfRzLeyoiDeQDa4wOABtWIkCvba8/s1600/P1450829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HchMeI1cRi-lXaM1huwKERyjqQcoZtGul6-L6LTDFOxG01D0sI_aglaRjobRHojBPRX8k3TSwbM5QCUa-kPdtUn6AK5Rnfnn3dT2LIQgSLv9XCLdfRzLeyoiDeQDa4wOABtWIkCvba8/s320/P1450829.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta dah!</td></tr>
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Now to get the other nine done...... <br />
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<br />Melanie Stonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02568751094017488370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7849113059147526529.post-11599123638227326182016-04-27T14:38:00.001+01:002021-11-14T21:49:16.422+00:00We are go!We are excited to confirm that the first of many rainshelters for the RainDrop Experiment is in the ground.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyggRecPJkyZr3UQVElUGCp781nhXjY5YLuPOw4MlAGXXnSyP6tIcuF4o9DbXPrPwjsAS1VG00ZDz3KAn5ioaGUA0h_iKjZB1-rj-ePWiudEFFaQpXTcd443b-CxK079ZOicq5gt29YZK3/s1600/20160420+-+edited.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyggRecPJkyZr3UQVElUGCp781nhXjY5YLuPOw4MlAGXXnSyP6tIcuF4o9DbXPrPwjsAS1VG00ZDz3KAn5ioaGUA0h_iKjZB1-rj-ePWiudEFFaQpXTcd443b-CxK079ZOicq5gt29YZK3/s320/20160420+-+edited.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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After years of planning; from identifying a gap in the UK's long-term experiment (LTE) platform back in 2008, to a change in location from Parsonage Down to Wytham Woods, we are thrilled to see installation underway.<br />
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This is no mean feat and is only possible due to the fantastic partnerships that have been forged between the <a href="http://www.ecologicalcontinuitytrust.org/" target="_blank">Ecological Continuity Trust</a>, <a href="https://www.plants.ox.ac.uk/people/andrew-hector" target="_blank">Oxford University</a>, the <a href="http://www.open.ac.uk/people/djgg2" target="_blank">Open University</a> and the Patsy Wood Trust. Construction will require the assembly of in excess of 10,000 individual components, a process that is being overseen by PhD student Melanie Stone, Dr. Kadmiel Maseyk and Professor David Gowing (all from the Open University).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5zejHFbNIGG4wFNrlrhvIe1WJqTi5xzMyK67YLZVJPca7kd5xpkl3jexaak4RypoQ00tU3BAGM2zjMCjCX7B8KAuEP9WLvNOxf0ZTwWbQYkZfIdxYPaZMnKejZhT0UQ9wL6Apao0dhPi/s1600/2016-04-11+13.09.06.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5zejHFbNIGG4wFNrlrhvIe1WJqTi5xzMyK67YLZVJPca7kd5xpkl3jexaak4RypoQ00tU3BAGM2zjMCjCX7B8KAuEP9WLvNOxf0ZTwWbQYkZfIdxYPaZMnKejZhT0UQ9wL6Apao0dhPi/s320/2016-04-11+13.09.06.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Construction underway on site</td></tr>
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This is a really exciting project that will enable researchers to look at the effects of future climate change on semi-natural calcareous grassland. By using a combination of rainshelters and solar-powered irrigation systems, the experiment will investigate how changes in the rainfall regime will affect the grassland community.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIZSNxs-0EN83_amS9JnjDdqfDyBs1QQYGT6CwaJqoPuNSDB-fD7YGQKXEhIz-a-bMF7lNTnk58vl19Y6oukl1DF8pSxfl9KEuTlvBC6ChZzK0eU1Xn5n1MyLPHuo6lt3XNsJI7DY6X8y/s1600/ECT+Pilot+rainout+shelter+-+Cropped.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIZSNxs-0EN83_amS9JnjDdqfDyBs1QQYGT6CwaJqoPuNSDB-fD7YGQKXEhIz-a-bMF7lNTnk58vl19Y6oukl1DF8pSxfl9KEuTlvBC6ChZzK0eU1Xn5n1MyLPHuo6lt3XNsJI7DY6X8y/s320/ECT+Pilot+rainout+shelter+-+Cropped.JPG" width="296" /></a></div>
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The two main treatments to be applied to plots are reduced rainfall (-50% on ambient levels) and increased rainfall (+50% on ambient levels). These will sit alongside control plots that receive ambient levels of rainfall and have no equipment installed, and procedural control plots which have rainshelters installed but which allow the rain to fall through to the ground beneath, and are designed to monitor any non-target environmental effects of the installed equipment.<br />
<br />RainDrop is intended as a new national research platform; within each experimental block there are
currently four free plots to allow for further expansion of the
experiment.
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Jessica Bayshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12040861226480550821noreply@blogger.com0