#ClimateEnquiry

#ClimateEnquiry was a project in 2023 run by us and supported by the British Ecological Society. Find out more below.

What is #ClimateEnquiry?

A free learning experience for all to find out about the effects of climate change on wildlife and explore nature-based solutions to climate change. #ClimateEnquiry will run two live online broadcasts and support you with the opportunity to take part in local wildlife investigations. The project is run by the Field Studies Council and supported by the British Ecological Society.

When is #ClimateEnquiry?

Part 1 – What’s Going On – took place on Wednesday 15 February 2023: Catch up with the broadcast here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/UpE6fbmH_sw?feature=share&t=47 and answers from our guest speaker here.

Part 2 – Over To You – took place on Wednesday 5 April 2023: Catch up with the broadcast here:

https://youtu.be/n5rjLit7Pqk

What should you expect from #ClimateEnquiry?

Each live broadcast will be approximately 45 minutes long. The broadcast will visit a selection of the Field Studies Council locations across the UK to look at the impacts of climate change on biodiversity. There will be demonstrations on how you can help citizen science projects by recording data in your area.

Who should join us for #ClimateEnquiry?

Anyone with an interest in the world around us! You may be a student of biology, geography or environmental science but equally anyone who wants to learn more about the impacts of climate change and the benefits nature-based solutions can have on climate, biodiversity and people #ClimateEnquiry is for you!

Get started on you #ClimateEnquiry journey now by watching the broadcasts.

Find out about the impacts of climate change, and some of the nature-based solutions that are helping to mitigate these impacts, at some of the Field Studies Council Locations around the UK.

Blanket bog at Loweswater source Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Peatlands

Field Studies Council Blencathra and Field Studies Council Castle Head are in the Lake District. This National Park in the northwest of England is well known for its peatlands. Peat is a layer of soil that is made up of partially decomposed organic matter. The organic matter is mostly made up of plant material, which rots where conditions are waterlogged and oxygen deficient with high acidity and nutrient deficiency. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature explain more about ‘What’s so special about peatlands?’ in this leaflet.

Peat is a great carbon store and well managed peatlands can also remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The Lake District National Park have used satellite data to map carbon storage in the area. But changes in climate, such as hotter drier summers could lead to peat drying out and releasing carbon into the atmosphere. The Cumbria Wildlife Trust are one of the organisations restoring the peatlands in the Lake District – find out more here.

Image: Blanket bog at Loweswater. Source: Cumbria Wildlife Trust

Wet woodlands

Could wet woodlands, once common across the UK, be another good nature-based solution to mitigate against the impacts of climate change and protect biodiversity? One area that this is being researched is Slapton Ley in Devon.

Field Studies Council Slapton Ley is located nearby the largest natural lake in southwest England, also known as Slapton Ley and declared a National Nature Reserve in 1993. Owing to the climate and variety of habitats, Slapton Ley is hugely biodiverse.

Observations of temperature and rainfall started at our Slapton Ley centre in April 1960 and trends of changes in climate have been analysed by Prof Tim Burt, Field Studies Council President, in 2001 and more recently at the Annual Slapton Research Seminar 2022. There are concerns that changes in sea level and increased storm frequency, as a result of climate change, will impact the coastline and have knock on effects to the biodiversity of the area as the freshwater lake could increase in salinity with any breach to the shingle bar. Large storm events in 2001, 2014 and 2018 have already reduced the crest of the shingle bar.

Image: Torcross homes battered by waves during a storm in 2016. Source: Field Studies Council

Chalk streams

Field Studies Council Amersham, in Buckinghamshire, is lucky to be able to use local chalk streams – River Chess, River Wye and River Misbourne – in their selection of fieldwork sites. Chalk streams are extremely rare, there are only 260 true chalk streams in the world and 224 of them are in England. The Chilterns Chalk Stream Project explains how chalk streams work and the threats that they face.

How do chalk streams work?

The impact of climate change and increased demand for water due to population change means we need to protect our chalk streams. Within the supply area for Affinity Water the are 10% of England’s chalk streams and they have launched Save Our Streams to raise awareness about chalk streams and what people can do to protect them. They have also been working on restoration projects on the River Misbourne.

Image: River Chess, Chesham. Source: Field Studies Council

emigrapsus_takanoi1 credit Essex Wildlife Trust

Non-native species

Field Studies Council Flatford Mill is in Suffolk on the banks of the River Stour and in close proximity to the east coast. In this coastal environment one impact of climate change that is being monitored is the presence of invasive species such as the brush-clawed shore crab (Hemigrapsus takanoi) and Asian shore crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus). These species originate from rocky shores surrounding the northwest Pacific Ocean and introduction to UK waters is likely to impact biodiversity. The non-native species are more tolerant to changes in temperature range than native species and may outcompete native crab species for food and shelter.

Invasive Species Northern Ireland provides a great ID guide if you want to look for these invasive species in your area. If you do discover a non-native species make sure you report it, you can do this through iRecord.

Image: Brush-clawed shore crab. Source: Essex Wildlife Trust

Find out what our fantastic locations have to offer:

How is climate change affecting biodiversity where you live?
Do some research to find out.

#ClimateEnquiry is supported by the British Ecological Society