Izzy's UEA Ecology blog

Operophtera brumata Often overlooked as drab, nocturnal butterflies, I think moths are much more interesting than they're given credit for; from micro moths to macro-moths, the variety in these group is astounding. In the British Isles, over 2500 moth species have been recorded, which although impressive, pales in comparison to the estimated 160,000 species globally.  One moth that can be seen flying at this time of year is the Winter moth ( Operophtera brumata ), which I spotted this week in the woodland on the UEA campus. This moth is able to cope with freezing temperatures and flies from late autumn to late January/early February. In this period mating occurs; the females (which have extremely reduced wings) rest on trees and release pheromones to attract the flying males. Once fertilised, eggs are laid on twigs and bark to overwinter. The eggs then hatch in spring into pale green caterpillars to feed on foliage. One notable feature of the caterpillars is the ability to use a si...

This week, I decided to look into a tree that is ubiquitous across the British countryside, and occurs in the woodland around the UEA lake: Common hawthorn. Growing up to around 15m tall, the Hawthorn tree ( Crataegus monogyna), also commonly known as the May tree or Mayblossom, is a deciduous tree native to the UK. The leaves of the Hawthorn tree are simple with serrated lobes, and around 6cm long, turning yellow in the autumn before dropping off. Hawthorn bark is a dull brown-grey. Its white (occasionally pink) flowers grow in clusters and are approximately 1cm across, with 5 petals. The flowers are hermaphroditic, meaning they have both male a female parts. After pollination, the flowers develop into red fruits known as haws. These appear berry-like but are structurally pomes - simple fleshy fruits with most the flesh from a receptacle around the ovary.  Hawthorn blossom This species is widespread across the UK, and is classified as 'least concern' by the IUCN. It grows well...

Fungi is certainly one area of ecology I have extremely limited knowledge on, so it has been interesting to take a guide out of the library and learn more about species and identification. One species I found growing on a tree stump behind the university hospital is Auricularia auricular-judae , or the Wood Ear fungus.  I found this example of Wood Ear fungus in a small strip of mixed woodland, with nearby tree species including sweet chestnut, hazel and silver birch. Elder was also present, which is what this tree stump is likely to be, as this fungus is found primarily on elder, feeding by saprotrophic nutrition. Wood Ear is found across the world, in temperate deciduous forests. This example is growing gregariously (in groups), although it is often solitary. In the UK, Wood Ear fungus is very common, but less frequently found in the North. The taxonomy of the Wood Ear The family Auriculariaceae contains mostly jelly fungi with gelatinous fruiting bodies in ear or brack...

Conservation grazing is a management technique that can be used in a variety of habitats, from heathland and grassland to woodland. Different species of grazers are appropriate for different sites, depending on the existing habitat and conservation aims. The desired outcome of conservation grazing is typically to increase plant diversity and shift the plant community from grasses to herbs and wildflowers. Grazing species and breeds should be chosen considering their feeding preferences, physiology and behaviour. Typically, the grazers chosen are native breeds, as they are usually hardy and can tolerate a varied diet which is sometimes low in nutrients. Multiple species are often used together as their selective eating creates a varied habitat structure. The effect of conservation grazing on the environment mimics the grazing of ancient animals including bison, tarpan (Eurasian wild horse) and auroch (wild cattle). Wild extant species such as beavers and red and roe deer can also be use...