For the attention of Andy Horton
Dear Andy,
Just a query you may be able to help with. I am involved with a small society called the Southampton Natural History Society. Every year we produce a small report of wildlife sightings collected by members and others. I am currently trying to get such records passed on to relevant recording societies and individual recorders as it seems a waste that local records stop at our report.
Since many records involve coastal/wildlife wildlife, does the BMLSS accept national records or know of a national recording scheme where our records would be of some conservation benefit? If so I'd be very interested to hear about such a scheme? At present, individual recorders seem to phase in and out of existence and its very difficult to keep track!
I have also just sent for one of your newsletters as I am myself a keen naturalist interested in marine life- particularly in fish & cetaceans, molluscs and algae.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Best wishes,
John Poland
EMail:jpp197@hotmail.com
Hello John,
Shorewatch Biological Recording 2000
I am glad to have received your message. It gives me the opportunity to summarise the British Marine Life Study Society methods of recording wildlife discoveries.
The first thing to say is that they are designed to supplement official recording schemes like the largely terrestrial national scheme using Recorder 2000 & the marine version MARLIN. Web site URLs and contact details are included at the bottom of this message.
These national schemes are not quite ready for input as far as I know. Our schemes may be able to integrate with the national recording, but I am not sure how easy this will be until they publish the details.
Exceptional Discoveries of all British marine life
There are two ways of notifying isolated exceptional discoveries.
The first is a very simple method of sending an EMail to Shorewatch
Biological Recording at:
Glaucus@hotmail.com
The records then undergo a few checks to make sure they are authentic
and if they are of sufficient interest they will be posted on the Marine
Life news web page at:
new2000w.htm
(for the year 2000)
and will also be included in the monthly electronic bulletin called
TORPEDO.
For details of how to subscribe to the free bulletin, please go to:
Torpedo2.htm
The records are also likely to be published in our paper publications,
the
Shorewatch
newsletter and the journal Glaucus.
Watch1.htm
Glaucus.htm
Some details of the records we like to receive and hints on information
can be found at:
watch2.htm
The information asked for is optional and with notable discoveries we usually cannot get too many details. Important information includes, the date of the record, prevalence, how identified, and the name of the recorder and how to contact him or her for more information.
There is another method, which enables the recorder to publish the record without any editing by myself.
This is the facility on the
Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Smart Group
Group Home: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Glaucus
List-Post: <EMail:glaucus@smartgroups.com>
List-Subscribe: EMail:glaucus-subscribe@smartgroups.com
By joining the group and full details of how to do this are at:
sg-bmw.htm
you are then permitted to post messages of any discoveries, whether notable or not, and any other queries, for the interest of other group members. The group contains members with varying degrees of expertise in marine wildlife and they may be able to help with tricky identifications. It is even possible to post pictures if you are a full member of the Smart Group. These can help with identifications.
The following shark was identified within 2 hours
(an then it only took so long because I was off-form with an unfamiliar
and rare deep water species) with the picture at:
http://www.smartgroups.com/pictures/openalbum.cfm?GID=225938&AlbumID=316345&Sort=DateUploaded&Dir=desc
The picture was circulated for identification purposes and we quickly came up with the correct answer. Many of the correct replies came from abroad.
The same thing happened to identify a nemertean
(ribbon-) worm. However, in this case it was a Spanish enquiry resolved
by an English expert.
There is also a Document Vault with a list of further information sources on the Internet.
Notable records, and lists from Field Trips etc.
The British Marine Life Study Society also provide facilities for recording and filing for general access, records of habitats and the organisms found there with a concentration on intertidal life. These are the most important records and the ones I find more interesting.
Our Report Forms can be found at:
Report-5.htm
There is another group Seasearch not under our auspices for subtidal recording by divers. And the Sea Watch Foundation for cetacean reports. Also a new group ORCA for sea mammals.
Sending in these records be dealt with in the second message to follow
in a day or two.
Further Information Sources
I think there is a plethora of information sources, and these have been selected because they are the official recording schemes, and /or particularly interesting:
MARLIN (Marine Life Information Network)
http://www.marlin.ac.uk/
Official
Marine Nature Conservation Review (JNCC) Report Forms
http://www.jncc.gov.uk/marine/mainfs.asp?page=/mit/recfrm.htm
Biomar
Information Page (with links to their
web page)
Biomar.htm
This is the BMLSS web page, but it links to the BIOMAR
page.
Marine Nature Conservation
Review Survey Database
(MERMAID)
http://www.jncc.gov.uk/mermaid
Recorder
2000
http://www.nbn.org.uk/projects/rec2000/tour/tour.htm
The last page, I have not had a look at yet. It all seems a bit complicated. I hope this reply is not too complex.
Basically, if you send us the records, we can put them on our files and make them available to the public through the British Marine Life Study Society web site and the Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Smart Group (eforum). The eforum has a search facility, which means it needs the scientific names to be spelt correctly.
With the British Marine Life Study Society web site you have to search
by phyla, or major taxa and then scan down through the links to find what
you want. However, the following search engine can help:
Profusion
http://www.profusion.com
The British Marine Life Study Society web site will be listed with
the major search engines, and any records submitted can be extracted this
way (hopefully) by scientific names, location, etc.
The
British Marine Life Study Society Index page:
Index.html
can also be used.
The Glaucus journal (before the Internet) also has an index system.
The TORPEDO Bulletin contains important Links, and even more are included on the GATEWAY (LINKS) pages of the British Marine Life Study Society web site.
Cheers
Andy Horton
British Marine Life Study Society
EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com
(EMail messages are not monitored by third parties.)
Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Smart Group (commenced 1
August 2000)
Group Home: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Glaucus
Hello,
Notable records, and lists from Field Trips etc.
The British Marine Life Study Society also provide facilities for recording and filing for general access, records of habitats and the organisms found there with a concentration on intertidal life. These are the most important records and the ones I find more interesting.
Our Shorewatch Biological Recording Report
Forms can be found at:
Report-5.htm
These are very much for optional use and were designed for both completion for paper storage and they can be filled in electronically using Netscape Composer or Microsoft Front Page Express (both free) or any web design program.
The paper storage is a bit of a problem and is not advised at the moment. I do not like to turn Reports down, so if you send them, keep a copy for yourself, and if you have a choice, fill the form in electronically, or compile the records on a spreadsheet.
Best way to Compile the Records on a Spreadsheet
It still worth looking at the forms as they should give some idea of the information required. The most important information to include for an individual organism is:
Common Name or Organism (optional)
Prevalence (numbers or ACFOR
system)
Scientific Name (essential)
Location (including 6 figure grid reference)
Name of Recorder (essential)
EMail or other contact details of the Recorder
(essential)
However, you should also keep your own further records in case you receive any queries. Sometimes, the recorder will be asked by a researcher what source he used to identify a particular organism.
For an example of how the finished records will appear on Smart Groups Database, go to:
Shorewatch Biological Recording
Fishes
& Sharks
http://www.smartgroups.com/database/viewtable.cfm?GID=225938&sgTableId=58020
| Common
Name/Frequency |
Scientific Name | Location | Date | Recorder | |
| 3-Spined Stickleback (abundant) | Gasterosteus aculeatus | Widewater Lagoon (TQ 202 043) | All year | Andy Horton (Shoreham-by-Sea) | Glaucus@hotmail.com |
| Bonito (one) | Sarda sarda | Winchelsea, East Sussex | 16 August 2000 | Andy Horton on behalf of Jimper Sutton | EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com |
| Electric Ray (one) | Torpedo nobiliana | 8 miles north of Lossiemouth in the Moray Firth (Scotland) at a depth of 100 metres | 17 July 2000 | Andy Horton on behalf of Witek Mojsiewicz | EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com |
| Guinean Amberjack (one) | Seriola carpenteri | East of Herm Island at a fishing mark called Noir Pute about 1.5 miles from Belvoir bay | 7 September 2000 (amended 19 September 2000) | Richard Lord (entered by Andy Horton) on behalf of angler George Staples | EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com |
| Red Band Fish (one) | Cepola rubescens | Angle Bay area of Milford Haven near Thorne Island, Pembrokeshire | August 2000 | Andy Horton (from the Fishing Board Forum) | EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com |
| Saddled Bream (one) | Oblada melanura | St Austell Bay, Cornwall (angler) | 16 August 2000 | Len Nevell Sea Angling Reports | 113650,2104@compuserve.com |
| Sunfish (one) | Mola mola | Off Trevose Head, Cornwall | 6 August 2000 | Andy Horton on behalf of Dr Kim Prochazka | EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com |
| Worm Pipefish (one) | Nerophis lumbriciformis | Worthing Pier; West Sussex | 29 August 2000 | Andy Horton (Shoreham-by-Sea) | Glaucus@hotmail.com |
In order to view this file you will have to be a member of the
Marine Wildlife
of the North-east Atlantic Smart Group
Group Home: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Glaucus
If the system is working properly it should be possible for Group Members
to go to the web page Database and to enter their own records individually.
If the taxa has not been included under the Shorewatch Biological database
files, it is actually possible to create a new folder yourself and even
specify the field names. However, it is probably best to send a message
in first to the Group Manager (which happens to be me at the moment) at:
owner-glaucus@smartgroups.com
or Glaucus@hotmail.com
Entering Bulk Records
If you look at the file above you will see it is in a spreadsheet format. This means if you can match the field names on your own spreadsheet it is possible to upload bulk records straight into the existing files. Please enquire for technical specifications of how to do it. It requires converting to a *.csv (comma delimited) which means that it is best to avoid using commas in your spreadsheet to save some tedious work converting the files.
Recording by Habitats
As far as the Shorewatch Recording Scheme is concerned, this mean intertidal sites, or areas of vegetated shingle above the high water mark.
The full method is still under development, but should be available before next spring.
An experimental file has been created in the Smart Groups Document Vault at:
Kingston
Beach Rockpooling Report
http://www.smartgroups.com/vault/glaucus/Shorewatch/Kingston2.htm
Wind Force 1, Wind Direction 30th South, 31st north changing to south. Sunny.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Frequency | Comments |
| Beadlet Anemone | Actinia equina | Frequent
(10+) |
No large specimens were seen. |
| Snakelocks Anemone | Anemonia viridis | One | The same specimen as seen before, but by the 31st it had disappeared. |
| Eel | Anguilla anguilla | One | Under boulder. About 35 cm. |
| Edible Crab | Cancer pagurus | Occasional
(about 5) |
Undersized, c. 50 mm broad crabs buried in sand under rocks. |
| Shore Crab | Carcinus maenas | Common
(100+) |
Large ones (20+) but only the small ones made the numbers up. |
| 5-Bearded Rockling | Ciliata mustela | One | Large one, at least 25 cm long under a boulder. |
| Corkwing Wrasse (juv.) | Crenilabrus melops | Frequent
(20 +) |
Usually common at this time of year. Small to 35 mm. |
| Short-legged
Spider Crab |
Eurynome aspera | One | Occasionally found, not always present and never more than frequent. |
| Squat Lobster | Galathea squamifera | Very frequent
(50+) |
Only very small ones under rocks. |
| Rock
Goby
(juveniles) |
Gobius paganellus | Very Common
(500+) |
In shallow pools and under rocks. Frequently 2 year old specimens (approaching full size). |
| Netted Dogwhelk | Hinia reticulata | Common
(100+) |
Only two noticed, but it is inconceivable that there were not hundreds under the sand. |
| Ballan Wrasse (juv.) | Labrus bergylta | One | Green specimen, about 40 mm. |
| Blenny
(juveniles) |
Lipophrys pholis | Very frequent
(50+) |
Surprisingly few after they were very common earlier this year. |
| Long-legged
Spider Crab |
Macropodia rostrata | Common
(200+) |
At and below Chart Datum. |
| Plumose Anemone | Metridium senile | Absent | Usually only found in spring on this beach. |
| Dogwhelk | NucelLapillus | Not known | Not searched for. Certainly not
common.
Only started to reappear in the last 3 years. |
| Oyster | Ostrea edulis | Very frequent
(50+) |
Only started to reappear intertidally in the last 5 years, apart from the occasional one. Small as the large ones are usually removed. |
| Hermit Crab | Pagurus bernhardus | Very Frequent
(50+) |
In Periwinkle shells mostly, at least 70% of them, the others in Netted Dogwhelk shells. |
| Prawn | Palaemon serratus | Abundant
(1000+) |
First net full got
supper second provided breakfast the following day. Thousands of small
ones as well.
Palaemon elegans probably present as well. |
| Butterfish | Pholis gunnellus | Two | Probably more, as I did not look in their habitats, under rocks at mid-tide level. Juveniles to about 80 mm are usual so a specimen under a boulder at about 160 mm was unusual. |
| Hairy Crab | Pilumnus hirtellus | Occasional
(about 5 seen) |
Sometimes absent altogether on this beach. |
| Long-clawed
Porcelain Crab |
Pisidia longicornis | Common
(100+) |
Underside of rocks and boulders |
| Common Goby | Pomatoschistus microps | Abundant
(1000+) |
Most were juveniles |
| Broad-clawed
Porcelain Crab |
Porcellana platycheles | Occasional | None seen, but I did not look for them. |
| Sea Anemone | Sagartia troglodytes | Frequent
(25 +) |
Deposited sand obscured this species. |
| Bullhead
(Alternative local name: Clobberhead) |
Taurulus bubalis | Very frequent
(50+) |
Always frequently to be found on this shore on the low springs, but it can be common and less numbers than expected. |
The table of macro-species on this page has been created in Microsoft
Excel and exported to a hypertext file.
Ideally the page should include a scale map and photographs of the
habitats, with grid references and other useful information. The best bet
it is to upload these pages to your own web site. Then you can put the
link in on the Smart Groups Document Vault, which will have several effects:
1) Enable Group Members &/or visitors (optional) to find
the site
2) Inform Group Members (optional) that the page exists
3) If (2) option to inform Group members is taken up, the Search
Messages function will be able the researcher to find the message.
This is creative biological recording and ideally, all British rockpool
locations could be linked from the master rockpooling page:
Rockpool.htm#Rockpooling
Venues
or a new page (under construction) at:
regional.htm
Another idea (ideas are easy, it is implementing them that is hard)
is just to record the club's observations on a web page as they occur.
e.g.
Adur
Valley Nature Notes 2000:
adur-6.htm
or for rockpool notes at:
Kingston.htm
If it becomes popular, you can even start your own Smart Group for your
own local wildlife or news.
e.g.
The Smart Groups ADUR VALLEY eFORUM is at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adur/
This is the first draft of my thoughts. It may not be as clearly written
as I would like. Please send a personal message for any clarifications
to:
Glaucus@hotmail.com
What has prompted a few tentative methods of storing information is that we had lots of biological records on bits of paper waiting to get lost, or waiting for the official recording schemes, and I thought it useful to devise some sort of filing system to put them in, until somebody comes up with a national recording scheme that works, and is simple to input.
Very Simple Way
A very simple way to store biological records is just to make a computer electronic file (hypertext or spreadsheet) and upload it to a web site. Make a Homepage and an index and if the records include marine records I can put the links in from my web site. Then inform the Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Smart Group of its location. The explanation of its location should include sufficient keywords for the Search Messages will enable visitors to locate the file.
Publishing is our main Occupation
Realising we have not got the resources to implement and maintain a biological recording scheme, the main work of the British Marine Life Study Society is publication of Glaucus, Shorewatch, Torpedo, the web site, the CD-ROM (not out yet), and managing the Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Smart Group.
Still, Shorewatch Biological Recording by habitat and location is an idea I would like to see developed nationally.
There is another group Seasearch not under our auspices for subtidal
recording by divers.
I do not have the contact details at present.
And the Sea
Watch Foundation <http://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/>
for cetacean reports. Also a new group ORCA
for sea mammals <http://www.orcaweb.org>.
Cheers
Andy Horton
British Marine
Life Study Society
EMail:Glaucus@hotmail.com
(EMail messages are not monitored by third parties.)
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