Bahía de Cádiz

Bahía de Cádiz

by | Oct 3, 2019

Bahía de Cadíz

Bird species included in model

Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Common redshank (Tringa totanus), Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus), Little stint (Calidris minuta), Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Environmental issues simulated

Salina abandonment, aquaculture intensification, changing habitat area

Recomendations from modelling

Abandonment of traditional salinas and intensification of aquaculture does not greatly effect shorebird survival as other feeding habitat available.

More information

Stillman, R.A., Caldow, R.W.G., le V. dit Durell, S.E.A., West, A.D., McGrorty, S., Goss-Custard, J.D., Pérez-Hurtado, A., Castro, M., Estrella, S., Masero, J.A., Rodríguez-Pascual, F.H., Triplet, P., Loquet, N., Desprez, M., Fritz, H., Clausen, P., Ebbinge, B., Norris, K. and Mattison, E., 2005. Coastal bird diversity. Maintaining migratory coastal bird diversity: management through individual-based predictive population modelling, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset.

Funding

European Commission. Project number: EVK2-2000-00612

Bridgwater Bay

Bridgwater Bay

by | Sep 27, 2019

Bridgwater Bay

Bird species included in model

Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Common redshank (Tringa totanus), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Red knot (Calidris canutus), Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

Environmental issues simulated

Nuclear power station developing a warm-water outflow affecting food availability

Recommendations from modelling

Warm-water outflow from nunclear power station, by reducing prey abundance, could reduce survival of Red Knot, but other birds were not predicted to be affected.

More information

Garcia, C., Stillman, R. A., Forster, R. & Bremner, J. (2011) Investigations of the links between intertidal macrofauna and their avian predators in Bridgwater Bay with an Individual-Based Model. Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science Report TR161, pp 65.

Funding

EDF, NNB, Genco

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Bay

by | Sep 23, 2019

Cardiff Bay

Bird species included in model

Common redshank (Tringa totanus)

Environmental issues simulated

Barrage result in a change of habitat area and availability time, and food density / quality. Mitigation through new lagoon.

Recommendations from modelling

Habitat loss reduces redshank survival, but mitigation by creation of higher shore level habitat of 10% of area lost can offset this.

More information

Goss-Custard, J. D., Burton, N. H. K., Clark, N. A., Ferns, P. N., McGrorty, S., Reading, C. J., Rehfisch, M. M., Stillman, R. A., Townend, I., West, A. D. & Worral, D. H. (2006) Test of a behaviour-based individual-based model: increased winter mortality in a shorebird following habitat loss. Ecological Applications, 16, 2215-2222.

Funding

Centre for Ecology and Hydrology

Colne Estuary

Colne Estuary

by | Sep 22, 2019

Colne Estuary

Bird species included in model

Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Common redshank (Tringa totanus), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)

Environmental issues simulated

Pacific oyster reef development and removal, changing habitat area and food density / quality

Recommendations from modelling

Pacific oyster reefs can provide important feeding habitat for shorebirds, especially in sites with lower food availablity in other habitats.

More information

Herbert, R.J.H., Davies, C.J., Bowgen, K.M., Hatton, J. and Stillman, R.A., 2018. The importance of nonnative Pacific oyster reefs as supplementary feeding areas for coastal birds on estuary mudflats. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 28(6): 1294-1307.

Funding

Natural England 

Dungarvan Harbour

Dungarvan Harbour

by | Sep 18, 2019

Dungarvan Harbour

Bird species included in model

Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Common redshank (Tringa totanus), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Red knot (Calidris canutus), Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Sanderling (Calidris alba)

Environmental issues simulated

Effects on birds of habitat loss and disturbance due to oyster cultivation.

Recomendations from modelling

Current extent of oyster cultivation not predicted to be affecting survival of priority bird species. Increases in extent of oyster cultivation likely to push system closer to the point at which a predicted effect on the birds would occur.

More information

Stillman, R. A., Biermann, L. K. & Morris, S. E. (2023) Intertidal oyster cultivation and shorebirds in Dungarvan Harbour: predictions from an individual-based model. BU Global Environmental Solutions report BUG2889 to WS Atkins Ireland Limited. 74 pp.

Funding

WS Atkins Ireland Limited