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Posts by Skywalker: |
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Skywalker Member Joined: 11 Oct 2003 No. of posts: 6  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Nov 2004
Topic: Natrix - the longest!
Superb snake Robert thanks for the post - it warms the heart. I saw a 6" grass snake, unfortunately dead - presumed a victim of off-roaders, way back before I become involved in conservation on Cliffe Marshes in the 1080's (Lee will inevitably tell me off for not logging the record - but this is probably the bottom of KRAGs' list right now). This sort of thing makes me stop being a cold hearted 'bottom line' conservationist for a while and brings back the wonder - thanks. Simon (KRAG) |
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Skywalker Member Joined: 11 Oct 2003 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Nov 2004
Topic: Natrix - the longest!
I meant 1980's of course! Simon (KRAG) |
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Skywalker Member Joined: 11 Oct 2003 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Nov 2004
Topic: Call to save English ÆrainforestÆ
Tell me about it - the shrill carder (or F*****g shrill carder bee) is a species of bare ground/early successional habitats. in other words it is characteristic of sites where an successional/ephemeral habitat mix is available or maintained. In the Thames Gateway we curently have ephemeral habitats coming out of our ears - 'cos its full of sites that have been abandoned by previous uses. These are not analogous to rainforest as they are not in any form of equilibrium (dynamic or otherwise) - they are just well recorded and have temporary 'cor blimey' habitat diversity. This bombus and it's close relatives and part of a set of 'normally' rare species you would expect to find where bare earth and early successional habitats are extant ( with other factors managed) and is by definition not close to a sustainable in any givien specific geographical location but is sustanable at larger landscape scale. Herps and other characteristic species are a bit different because their habitats work on longer timescales and exist only with greater terrestrial connectivity. The carder bee is in fact a 'classic' Levins metapopulation model species in that it's survivorship is detemined by the avavlibitly of disperse (in landscape terms at a scale relevant to the species) suitable habitat parcels. When - O - when will we get to an ethos applying metapopulation/sensible spatial ecological theory (applied at relevant scales) to on the ground conservation from our lead organisations? i've had a bad decade - can you tell? (PS. excuse speeling and double letter faux pas - I'm a tad dislexic) Simon (KRAG) |
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Skywalker Member Joined: 11 Oct 2003 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 11 Oct 2003
Topic: Wasp Spider
Argiope is common accross the Inner Thames Marshes at Dartford, Crayford, Erith, Rainham, Wennington and Aveley (the RSPB's Rainham reserve) and I'm told elswhere on the grazing marshes in the Thames Estuary. Simon (KRAG) |
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Skywalker Member Joined: 11 Oct 2003 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 10 Nov 2003
Topic: Translocating Adder
As discussed, they should get someone involved who understands this stuff. Simon  Simon (KRAG) |
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Skywalker Member Joined: 11 Oct 2003 No. of posts: 6 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 10 Nov 2003
Topic: Glow-worm numbers!!! please help
Jon Nothing on refugia for you but at a site in Kent where I worked as warden for a number of years there were always large numbers of Lampyris. local recordes got all 'goose pimply' about the numbers and it seemed that they were most pleased about the locations on site whose aspect facilitated moist warm conditions. I don't want to make a story out of nothing but it seems to me that the gradient of temp' v humidity we use under refugia could do well for lampyris also. One question, what was the geology of the donor site and where any records taken of the other environentsal foctors there, these appear crucial to lamphris colony success and sustainability, at least in terms of adults. Although as I understand it knowledge of the larval ecology of this species is very subjective at best and so the translocation may have achieved very little in the conservation of this species. Another thing that occurs to me is to check which species they were as if if was Phosphaenus there will be a bit more interest in what may have been found. See the 'UK Glow Worm Survey Home Page' for some more info and help.  Simon (KRAG) |
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