1 in 5 Research Challenges

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What are the opportunities to maintain and enhance marine ecosystem resilience?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

To inform our understanding of and advice on building resilient marine ecosystems. Interpreting exitsing data sets to provide strategic overview, for example spatial maps, of key opportunities to maintain or improve resilience of marine ecosystems in Welsh waters. This is an area of action coming out of Area Statements, see marine planning and ecosystem resilience themes.

Keywords (discipline, other): Marine
Coastal Margins
Ecosystem resilience
Biodiversity
Climate change

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: n/a    External Partner: Y   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: n/a n/a    Email Address:     Phone: NA

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 What are the potential and actual effects of “Challenge Events”, for example mountain marathons, on upland habitats and species?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Challenge events such as mountain marathons could cause direct impacts such as erosion, soil compaction and indirect impacts such as disturbance, displacement, changes in land management, ancillary effects such as greenhouse gas emissions. But the nature, extent and significance of any impact is poorly understood. This information is required to inform our advice on the planning of these events to ensure avoidance and mitigation of any negative impact on natural resources.

Keywords (discipline, other): Mountains, moorland, and heath
Coastal Margins
Ecosystem resilience
Biodiversity

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: n/a    External Partner: Y   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: n/a n/a    Email Address:     Phone: NA

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 What are the potential options for nature based solutions or providing mitigation where coastal process have been modified, for example by coastal defences?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Aid identification of areas of focus.

Keywords (discipline, other): Coastal margins
Marine
Ecosystem resilience
Biodiversity
Climate change

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: n/a    External Partner: Y   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: n/a n/a    Email Address:     Phone: NA

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 What are the predicted impacts of climate change on river and lake water temperature in Wales?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Keywords (discipline, other): Freshwater
Climate change

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: n/a    External Partner: Y   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: n/a n/a    Email Address:     Phone: NA

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 What are the predicted impacts of climate change, in terms of magnitude and frequency, on river flow droughts and flood events?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Keywords (discipline, other): Freshwater
Climate change

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: n/a    External Partner: Y   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: n/a n/a    Email Address:     Phone: NA

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 What are the productivity and survival rates of seabirds at Welsh colonies?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Set up ringing and resighting for seabird species as well as camera traps for productivity and diet at seabird colonies. This could include the following species: Atlantic puffin, black-legged kittiwake, common guillemot, lesser black-backed gull, razorbill, shag cormorant, tern species, gulls.
Next steps and progress: Collaboration with Academia and NGOs.

Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, productivity, survival rates, seabirds, camera traps, diet, Atlantic puffin, black-legged kittiwake, common guillemot, lesser black-backed gull, razorbill, shag cormorant, tern species, gulls.

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: Yes    External Partner: Yes   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: Kirsten Ramsay    Email Address: kirsten.ramsay@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk    Phone: NA

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 What are the quantities of inorganic fertiliser being spread to grassland in Wales?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

The data is very limited on how much inorganic fertiliser is spread to land in Wales. The current figures are for UK wide. Having organic and inorganic fertiliser figures will show much fertilisers are being applied to grassland

Keywords (discipline, other): Enclosed farmland
Ecosystem resilience

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: n/a    External Partner: Y   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: n/a n/a    Email Address:     Phone: NA

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 What are the reasons for the decline of specific species and benthic habitats across the Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network in Wales?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Monitoring has shown a decline in the health of various habitats and species in Welsh Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Work is needed to identify the causes of these declines. This will include the following: maerl and herring around Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC), sponges in the Menai Strait and Conwy Bay SAC, Modiolus modiolus (horse mussel) beds in the Pen Llyn a’r Sarnau (PLAS) SAC, sandbank infaunal diversity across the MPA Network, pink sea fan Eunicella verrucosa in the Skomer Marine Conservation Zone. This will allow effective management measures to be identified that will improve our understanding of the ways to improve the condition of MPA features, improving the resilience of marine ecosystems across Wales. Suggested level of research: Various

Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, decline, species, benthic habitats, Marine Protected Areas, MPAs, monitoring, delcine, maerl, herring, marine special area of conservation

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: Yes    External Partner: Yes   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: Dr Kirsten Ramsay    Email Address: kirsten.ramsay@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk    Phone: NA

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 What are the reasons for the decline of specific species and benthic habitats across the Marine Protected Area network in Wales?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Monitoring has shown a decline in the health of various habitats and species in Welsh Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Work is needed to identify the causes of these declines. This will include the following: maerl and herring around Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC), sponges in the Menai Strait and Conwy Bay SAC, Modiolus modiolus (horse mussel) beds in the Pen Llyn a’r Sarnau (PLAS) SAC, sandbank infaunal diversity across the MPA Network, pink sea fan Eunicella verrucosa in the Skomer Marine Conservation Zone. This will allow effective management measures to be identified that will improve our understanding of the ways to improve the condition of MPA features, improving the resilience of marine ecosystems across Wales.
Next steps and progress: Being progressed as part of a Nature Networks project with current collaborations with Universities. However, further research work is needed into sensitivities and reasons for decline of these species and habitats that cannot be addressed within current programme (ideally PhDs but also shorter term research projects).

Keywords (discipline, other): Marine sciences, decline, species, benthic habitats, Marine Protected Area, MPAs, maerl, herring, Special Area of Conservation, SAC, sponges, Menai Strait, Conwy Bay, Modiolus modiolus beds, sandbank, marine ecosystem

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/marine-biodiversity-collaborative-research-priorities/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: Yes    External Partner: Yes   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: Kirsten Ramsay    Email Address: kirsten.ramsay@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk    Phone: NA

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 What are the recent population trends in uncommon grassland invertebrates, including section 7 priority species?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Diversity is a basic measure of sustainable management of natural resources. Past declines in grassland invertebrates are documented, but recent trends less well understood

Keywords (discipline, other): Semi-natural grassland
Ecosystem resilience
Biodiversity

Website/URL links: https://naturalresources.wales/evidence-and-data/research-and-reports/state-of-natural-resources-report-sonarr-for-wales-2020/evidence-needs-table/?lang=en

Looking for collaborators: n/a    External Partner: Y   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name: n/a n/a    Email Address:     Phone: NA

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