Severn Estuary
Severn Estuary
Case Study A
Bird species included in model
Black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Common redshank (Tringa totanus), Common snipe (Gallinago gallinago), Dunlin (Calidris alpina), Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), Grey plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Red knot (Calidris canutus), Ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula), Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Environmental issues simulated
Tidal power barrage development changing habitat area, availability time and food quality
Recommendations from modelling
Tidal barrages which reduce availability of higher quality feeding habitat have greatest impact on number of shorebirds that can be supported.
More information
Bournemouth University, 2010. Severn tidal power – Sea topic paper. Waterbirds. Annex 3 – Waterbird Individual based modelling., Poole, Dorset, Bournemouth University.
Funding
Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd, Black and Veatch Limited, Department for Energy and Climate Change
Case Study B
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
Unspecified driver and sea-level rise changing habitat area and habitat availability time
Recommendations from modelling
Habitat loss and sea-level rise can reduce shorebird survival, but effects vary between species.
More information
Bowgen, K.M., 2016. Predicting the effect of environmental change on wading birds: insights from individual-based models. PhD thesis, Bournemouth University in collaboration with HR Wallingford.
Funding
Bournemouth University and HR Wallingford