Morecambe Bay
Case Study A
Bird species included in model
Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Red knot (Calidris canutus)
Environmental issues simulated
Shellfishery management and extreme weather changing habitat area, availability time, food quality and energy requirements
Recommendations from modelling
Reduction in cockle population size potentially reducing Oystercatcher survival.
More information
West, A. and Stillman, R., 2010. A single year study to determine the capacity of Morecambe Bay European marine site to support oystercatcher, using shellfish resource modelling techniques, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth.
Funding
Natural England
Case Study B
Bird species included in model
Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Environmental issues simulated
Shellfish food requirements of oystercatchers
Recommendations from modelling
More cockle and mussel food needs to be available when temperature is lower as the birds need to expend additional energy to maintain their body temperature and the rate at which they can consume food from terrestrial habitats can be reduced.
More information
Stillman, R. A., Goss-Custard, J. D. & Morris, S. E (in press) Assessing the shellfish food requirements of oystercatcher in Morecambe Bay. Natural England Report. 77pp.
Funding
Natural England
Case Study C
Bird species included in model
Red knot (Calidris canutus)
Environmental issues simulated
Shellfish food requirements of red knot
Recommendations from modelling
The food supply of red knot included in the model, derived from intertidal invertebrate surveys, underestimates the amount of food available to the birds in the real system.
More information
Stillman, R. A., Goss-Custard, J. D. & Morris, S. E (in press) Assessing the shellfish food requirements of knot in Morecambe Bay. Natural England Report. 102 pp.
Funding
Natural England