1 in 5 Research Challenges

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What is the predicted impact of flooding and sea level rise on agricultural soils?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

To help inform future sustainable land use and management pratices

Keywords (discipline, other): Land use, flooding, impact, sustainable land use, land management, sea level, soil, salinity, model, agriculture

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: No    External Partner: Yes   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name:     Email Address:     Phone: NA

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 What is the presence and extent of genetic materials in soils for potential future biomedical resources and disease control?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Plant and animal diseases are predicted to change due to climate change. To assess the full extent of the provisioning service provided by soils.

Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Woodland
Mountains, moorland, and heath
Coastal margins
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland

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 is the presence, extent and concentrations of plastic and microplastics in soils? How does this affect the ecosystem services provided by soils?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

To assess the impact on soil ecosystem services and well-being

Keywords (discipline, other): Land use and soil
Enclosed farmland
Waste
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 is the proportion and condition of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWs) that have been restored, or are under restoration, throughout Wales?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

A commitment to PAWS restoration is contained within Welsh Government’s Woodlands for Wales strategy, but information on the proportion and condition of PAWS under restoration is sparse, particularly outside the Welsh Government Woodland Estate. This evidence would help inform future assessments of resilience and support policy and operational management decisions.

Keywords (discipline, other): Woodland
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 is the public perception of value of coastal habitats, particularly for dunes and shingle as coastal defence structures and social confidence in the utility of nature-based solutions?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Inform policy, land management decisions and communication to aid community understanding of coastal management.

Keywords (discipline, other): Coastal margins
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 is the quantified extent and location of river reaches in Wales that are disconnected from their floodplains?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

Physical modification is the main reason for rivers Welsh rivers failing to achieve Good Ecological Status. Modifications to floodplains have significant impacts on ecosystem health and flood risk. However limited information is available on the extent and specific impacts of these modifications. This information is required to inform ecosystem resilience and restoration opportunities.

Keywords (discipline, other): Freshwater
Urban
Semi-natural grassland
Enclosed farmland
Land use and soil
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 is the rate of carbon sequestration for coastal grasslands and coastal heath?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

This evidence to inform regulating ecosystem service in terms of carbon sequestration. There are no values for coastal grasslands and coastal heath.

Keywords (discipline, other): Coastal margins
Marine
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 is the relative carbon-sequestration benefit of shallow peat and organic soil or rapid forestry and how does this vary according to timescale for multiple crops, and timber afteruse?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

The balance of benefit for carbon sequestration between afforestation or retention of shallow peat and organo-mineral soils is complex and varies depending on assumptions, including timescales, cropping cycles, climate impacts and timber afteruse (Carbon sequestration). Current studies are often contradictory and further theoretical and emirical evidence and review is required to inform policy.

Keywords (discipline, other): Mountains, moorland, and heath
Woodland
Land use and soil
Ecosystem resilience
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 is the sensitivity and longevity of fragile sponge species?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

There is a lack of information on the sensitivity and longevity of sponges, in particular the species that make up the Section 7 fragile sponge and anthozoan communities. This includes mostly branching sponges such as Axinella spp. Homaxinella sp., Raspailia spp. and Stelligera spp. Potentially also other sponges that form large colonies such as Pachymatisma johnstonii and Cliona celata. The evidence need could be widened out to include other species that are common to the fragile sponge and anthozoan community habitat such as Pentapora, certain hydroids and anthozoans. Information in MarESA (Marine Evidence based Sensitivity Assessment) points to a lack of supporting information on longevity and sensitivity of sponges species, this work would help to plug that gap. A better understanding of the sensitivity and longevity of these sponge species would enable more informed decisions on the management of these species. Next steps and progress: Combination of in house and potential collaboration.

Keywords (discipline, other): Sponge species, Longevity, Sensitivity, Fragile sponge communities, Anthozoan communities, MarESA, Species management, In house collaboration

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

Looking for collaborators: No    External Partner: Yes   Organisation: Natural Resources Wales

Contact Details

Name:     Email Address:     Phone:

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 What is the source apportionment of nutrients to Welsh estuarine and coastal waters?

Summary of the Research Question / Evidence Need:

We need to investigate the sources and apportionment of nutrients coming into our estuaries and causing water quality failures there. Modelling is needed to identify those sources. Many of our transitional and coastal waters fail for Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN) and five of our Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and their features are in unfavourable condition due to DIN. Any modelling would need to be able to represent diffuse and point sources, including continuous and intermittent discharges, entering these systems both direct and from the catchment. An additional part of the project would be to add aerial deposition of Nitrogen to the project to look at apportionment in the estuarine and coastal environment.
Next steps and progress: Some water body failures and SAC feature failures to be taken forward by the National Environment Programme; further investigation needed for other water bodies.

Keywords (discipline, other): Marine science, apportionment of nutrients, estuarine, coastal waters, water quality failure, modelling, transitional waters, Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, Special Areas of Conservation, SAC, diffuse source, point source, National Environment Programme

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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