By James Gallagher
Health and science reporter, BBC News

Is diet in pregnancy affecting school ability?

Mild iodine deficiency during pregnancy could be dimming the intellect of some babies born in the UK, say researchers.

Their study of 1,000 families, published in the Lancet, showed lower IQs and reading scores in primary school pupils whose mother had had too little iodine while pregnant.

Academics advise women of child-bearing age to maintain iodine in their diets by eating dairy products and fish.

Women were warned not to take seaweed pills, as they contain too much iodine.

Iodine is essential for the development of the brain as it is needed to build some of the body’s hormones. A severe deficiency is the leading cause of preventable brain damage in the world.

It was mainly thought of as a problem in developing countries, yet previous studies have also suggested that some women in the UK are mildly deficient. The impact of low-level deficiency was, however, previously unknown.

Common

Researchers at Surrey and Bristol Universities looked at iodine levels in urine samples taken from pregnant women in south-west England.

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Dr Sarah Bath: “Good sources of iodine are fish, milk and dairy products”

The study showed that iodine deficiency was common – affecting two-thirds of women.

Their children went on to have slightly lower IQs at the age of eight and worse reading ability aged nine.

Dr Sarah Bath told the BBC: “We saw a three-point IQ difference between children who were born to mothers with low iodine in early pregnancy and children who were born to mothers above the cut-off.”

The researchers said this “may prevent a child reaching their full potential” and was an “important public health issue”.

Their advice, published on the British Dietetic Association website, recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women need 250 micrograms per day and other adults need 150mcg.

Portion size

Average iodine per portion (mcg)

Source: The British Dietetic Association

Cow’s milk

200ml

50-80*

Organic cow’s milk

200ml

30-65*

Yoghurt

150mg

50-100*

Eggs

1 egg (50g)

20

Cheese

40g

15

White fish

100g

115

Oily fish

100g

50

Shellfish

100g

90

Meat

100g

10

Poultry

100g

10

Nuts

25g

5

Bread

1 slice (36g)

5

Fruit and veg

1 portion (80g)

3

*Depending on season – iodine levels higher in winter

Prof Margaret Rayman said: “Our advice is to make sure they have enough iodine intake, and take additional iodine in safely, probably from food – dairy products, fish.”

But she pointed out that iodine levels in organic milk are 42% lower than in regular milk, adding that if pregnant women are drinking organic milk, “they need to drink more of it”.

Dr Bath warned against using kelp or seaweed supplements, as they are packed with so much iodine it could cause problems.

A large number of pregnancies are unplanned, so the advice is to all women of child-bearing age.

Salt

It had been thought that the UK had dealt with its iodine problem decades ago by “lucky accident”. Changes to dairy farming meant cows’ milk contained more iodine and at the same time the government was encouraging people to drink more milk.

Other countries – including the US, Denmark and the Netherlands – added iodine to salt so that bread and processed foods became a major source of iodine.

However, the researchers argue it is too soon for the UK to consider a similar measure, as iodine deficiency across the country has yet to be assessed.

Dr Mark Vanderpump, a consultant physician at the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, argues in favor of adding iodine to salt.

However, he said this would provoke fierce debate similar to arguments about adding fluoride to water in order to protect teeth.

In the meantime, he warned pregnant women against suddenly starting to take supplements.

“If you take a supplement during pregnancy, the thyroid gets stunned and goes down. Taking a supplement during pregnancy may not be the best thing to do.”

A Department of Health representative said a healthy balanced diet should be enough for women but: “We keep track of emerging research, such as today’s report.

“The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition is currently considering the issue of iodine deficiency in the UK. There are currently no plans for fortification of salt with iodine.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22607161#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Aquamarine Power is currently testing its second full-scale wave machine, known as the Oyster 800, at the European Marine Energy center in Orkney

Ministers have approved plans for the world’s largest commercial wave farm.

Full consent has been given for a 40MW farm off the north-west coast of Lewis – enough to power nearly 30,000 homes.

Wave energy firm Aquamarine Power said it would begin installing its Oyster devices in the next few years, once grid infrastructure is put in place.

Energy giant SSE said last week it would not be able to commission work on a Western Isles subsea electricity cable before 2017.

Aquamarine said it planned “ultimately” to deploy between 40 and 50 devices along the coast at Lag na Greine, near Fivepenny Borve.

The project will be carried out by Aquamarine subsidiary Lewis Wave Power Limited.

Last year, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) gave planning permission for an onshore hydroelectric power plant which will be connected to the Oyster farm.

Aquamarine Power plans to build between 40 and 50 Oyster devices, after grid infrastructure is put in place

But last week SSE said it would not be able to commission work on an interconnector, which would transmit power generated by renewable projects on the Western Isles to customers on the mainland, before 2017.

Previously it had been suggested the £705m cable could be laid in 2015 and then 2016.

SSE said it has already spent £5m developing options for the interconnector.

Aquamarine is currently testing its second full scale wave machine, known as the Oyster 800, at the European Marine Energy center in Orkney, and is now producing electrical power to the grid.

‘Significant milestone’

Chief executive Martin McAdam described the granting of planning permission for the farm as a “significant milestone” for the company.

He added: “The goal of our industry is to become commercial, and to do this we need two things – reliable technologies and a route to market.

“Our engineers are currently working hard on getting the technology right and we now have a site where we can install our first small farm, with a larger-scale commercial build out in the years ahead.”

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An animation has shown how the wave-powered pumps would work

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar leader Angus Campbell said it was excellent news for the Outer Hebrides.

He added: “It is vital that developing technology like that of Aquamarine Power is retained in Scotland but, for that, we need to extend our electricity grid into the areas of best resource.

“Aquamarine Power’s announcement adds further weight to the call for our transmission owner, SSE, to move quickly on construction of this link for which there is so much consented demand,” he added.

In a separate development, Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has announced that Scotland will be the first part of the UK to have a dedicated fund to help with the development of the wave energy sector.

Dedicated fund

Mr Ewing said the £18m Marine Renewables Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), which was launched last year, is now to be used to provide support for the wave energy industry.

Continue reading the main story

Western Isles interconnector

Under the renewable energy plans, electricity would be “exported” to the mainland.

Part of the necessary grid infrastructure includes an 80km stretch of subsea electricity cable.

Energy giant SSE said last week it would not be able to commission work on this interconnector before 2017.

Renewable energy’s weakest link?

Speaking at the All Energy Conference in Aberdeen, he revealed projects would be able to apply for cash from next month.

Funding is expected to be awarded this summer.

He said: “All previous marine energy funding schemes have been open to both wave and tidal projects.

“We are proposing something very different here in Scotland, making us the first in the UK.”

Mr Ewing said the fact that three leading tidal energy projects in Scottish waters had recently secured financial support from other sources – a European Commission fund and a UK government scheme – gave the Scottish government “the prospect do something different with the MRCF”.

He added: “Scotland needs both wave and tidal stream technologies to help decarbonise our electricity system, increase energy security and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels.”

Lang Banks, director of environmental charity WWF Scotland, hailed the move as a “very welcome and timely boost for the wave power industry in Scotland”.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-22611317#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

By Ella Davies
Reporter, BBC Nature

A stocktake of UK nature suggests 60% of animal and plant species studied have declined in the past 50 years.

The State of Nature report, compiled by 25 wildlife organisations – from the RSPB to the British Lichen Society – collates assessments of 3,148 species.

Conservationists hope it will offer clues to the fate of the UK’s 59,000 species.

Beetles and wildlfowers are among the most vulnerable species.

According to the document, reasons for the decline are “many and varied” but include rising temperatures and habitat degradation.

Species requiring specific habitats have fared particularly poorly compared to the generalists able to adapt to the country’s changing environment.

• Turtle doves have declined by 93% since 1970
• Hedgehogs have declined by around a third since the millennium
• The small tortoiseshell butterfly has declined in abundance by 77% in the last ten years
• Natterjack toad numbers have changed little since 1990
• The early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) and the tormentil mining bee (Andrena tarsata) have shown strong declines in range since 1970
• The population size of the V-moth is estimated to be less than 1% of what it was in the 1960s
• Corn cleavers has undergone one of the most dramatic declines of any plant species
• harbor seals have declined by 31% in Scottish waters since 1996
• There is only a single bastard gumwood tree left in the whole world

“This ground-breaking report is a stark warning – but it is also a sign of hope,” said naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who launches the report today.

“We have in this country a network of passionate conservation groups supported by millions of people who love wildlife,” he said.

“The experts have come together today to highlight the amazing nature we have around us and to ensure that it remains here for generations to come.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, Sir David said there was no single answer to the question of how people could help stem the decline in Britain’s wildlife.

But he added: “What you have to do to help bats differs from what you have to do to help frogs or butterflies or pond life. Yet each one of these has an organisation which is knowledgeable and willing to help anybody who wants to know how to support these species that they’re concerned about.”

Conservationists encourage the public to get involved in monitoring projects and take practical actions to protect their wildlife through conscientious gardening and land management.

The organisations rely upon data collected by the public in annual surveys such as the RSPB Bird Garden Birdwatch and Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count plus dedicated monitoring by volunteer enthusiasts.

The State of Nature report pulls together individual reports published in recent years charting the fortunes of bees, birds, moths and mammals in the UK and analyzes material from ongoing studies.

But the data still only covers 5% of the UK’s estimated 59,000 native species.

While the report reveals noticeable gaps in some data, particularly for invertebrates, fungi and marine species, Dr Fiona Burns, a lead author of the report, hopes future editions will involve more experts.

The charity Plantlife contributed data on the UK’s flora, including rare corn cleavers

“By including those people and including their expertise, even though we’ve not got as much information about fungi or other groups, we can promote the importance of these groups in UK flora and fauna,” she said.

“[The knowledge gaps] highlight that there are big biases in what we study, what we monitor. If we want to get an idea of the health of the eco-systems and our biodiversity we need to redress that balance.”

In the past, threatened animals and plants considered “priority species” have been included on government Biodiversity Action Plans to formalise and target conservation actions to halt and reverse declines.

The State of Nature report outlines a new “watchlist indicator” which charts how populations of these species have fared in the last 50 years and the overall trend is a 77% decline, despite successes for some including bitterns and adonis blue butterflies.

A further 6,225 UK species have been assessed according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List criteria, 12% of which are considered under threat of extinction. The highest number of threatened species are found within the flowering plants but bees, flies, moths and butterflies each have more than 200 listed.

Conservationists say that a definitive list of the UK’s most endangered species is hard to provide because of the difficulties involved in comparing such different species – each with particular needs and issues.

But as an overview of the problems, Dr Burns highlights species from 10 of the UK’s diverse groups.

Turtle doves have declined by 93% since 1970 and their plight is echoed by many other farmland birds. Agri-environment schemes to restore seed-rich habitats have been introduced to try to halt declines.

Hedgehogs have declined by around a third since the millennium. Intensive agriculture and urban development have fragmented habitats and gardeners are now being encouraged to make space for the mammals.

The small tortoiseshell butterfly, a once-common species found in gardens, has declined in abundance by 77% in the last ten years. Recent cold, wet summers and a lack of habitat are thought to be to blame.

Despite intensive conservation efforts natterjack toad numbers have changed little since 1990, with less than 50 breeding populations in mainland Britain.

Losses of European eel have been so great that it is considered at extremely high risk of extinction globally. Conservation projects, such as the one in the River Thames, aim to reverse the damage done by pollution, over-fishing and habitat loss.

Both the early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) and the tormentil mining bee (Andrena tarsata) have shown strong declines in range since 1970. Both have suffered from a loss of wildflowers, the latter dependent on heathland which is recognized as a nationally vulnerable habitat.

The population size of the V-moth is estimated to be less than 1% of what it was in the 1960s due to habitat loss and degradation. The moths’ caterpillars feed on currant and gooseberry leaves, leading to speculation that our move away from growing our own fruit could be contributing to the crash.

Corn cleavers, a flower found in arable fields, has undergone one of the most dramatic declines of any plant species and now only survives at the Rothamsted research station.

Common or harbor seals have declined by 31% in Scottish waters since 1996. The reasons for the drop in numbers are described as “mysterious” because their close cousins gray seals have not been affected in the same way.

There is only a single bastard gumwood tree left in the whole world located on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean: a UK Overseas Territory. Efforts are currently being made to cultivate seedlings in order to restore the population.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/22609000

Sites in southern Africa preserve a rich record of early human culture

Abrupt climate change in Africa helped trigger technological and cultural advances in early modern humans, according to new research.

Archaeologists had long noted that the complexity displayed by human groups moved in fits and starts.

But there has been a debate about the causes of this stop-start pattern.

Analysis of marine sediments suggest a close link between changes in human behavior and changes in the southern African climate.

The research by a British, Swiss and Spanish team is published in the journal Nature Communications.

The marine sediment core drilled off the coast of South Africa provides a record of climate variability over the last 100,000 years.

Co-author Martin Ziegler, from Cardiff University, said: “We found that South Africa experienced rapid climate transitions toward wetter conditions at times when the Northern Hemisphere experienced extremely cold conditions.”

These large Northern Hemisphere cooling events have previously been linked to a change in the Atlantic Ocean circulation that led to the reduced transport of warm water to high latitudes.

The southern African climate responded in the opposite direction, with increasing rainfall associated with a southward shift of the tropical monsoon belt.

Prof Ian Hall, also from Cardiff, explained: “When the timing of these rapidly occurring wet pulses was compared with the archaeological datasets, we found remarkable coincidences.

“The occurrence of several major Middle Stone Age [tool] industries fell tightly together with the onset of periods with increased rainfall.”

“Similarly, the disappearance of the industries appears to coincide with the transition to drier climatic conditions.”

The archaeological record in southern Africa is vital for understanding the development of modern behavior in humans, because it contains some of the oldest evidence for symbolism and personal adornments.

“Climate-driven pulses in southern Africa and more widely were probably fundamental to the origin of key elements of modern human behavior in Africa, and to the subsequent dispersal of Homo sapiens from its ancestral homeland,” the scientists wrote in Nature Communications.

Prof Chris Stringer, from London’s Natural History Museum, who was also an author on the paper, said: “The quality of the southern African data allowed us to make these correlations between climate and behavioral change.

“But it will require comparable data from other areas before we can say whether this region was uniquely important in the development of modern human culture.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22630912#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

The flight from Phoenix to Dallas is expected to take about 18 hours

The Solar Impulse solar-powered plane has set off on the second leg of its trans-American journey.

It took off at 04:47 local time (12:47 BST) from Phoenix, Arizona on Wednesday, bound for Dallas, Texas.

The craft will also stop over in St Louis and Washington DC before heading to New York in early July.

It has the same wingspan as an Airbus A340 but at a weight of just 1.6 tonnes, its backers hope to show off the capabilities of renewable energy.

By comparison, a fully laden A340 weighs about 370 tonnes.

Continue reading the main story

The Solar Impulse HB-SIA

• Wingspan – 63m (208ft)
• Weight – 1,600kg (3,500lb)
• Covered with 11,628 solar cells
• Carries 400kg (900lb) of lithium-ion batteries
• Maximum cruising altitude of 8,500m (28,000ft)

The Across America bid is the first cross-continental flight of a solar-powered plane.

It is the last showpiece with the prototype aircraft before the Solar Impulse co-founders and pilots, Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg, attempt a trans-oceanic flight and an eventual around-the-world flight in 2015.

Solar Impulse already holds records for the first night flight of a solar-powered craft in 2010, the first international flight in 2011, and first inter-continental flight in 2012.

The plane’s wing and stabiliser are covered with nearly 12,000 solar cells, which drive its four propellers and charge the plane’s 400kg of lithium-ion batteries for night-time flying.

The plane completed its first leg, between San Francisco and Phoenix in early May, in a flight lasting 18 hours.

The two Swiss pilots will alternate on different legs of the journey; Wednesday’s flight, due to last about 18 hours, is being piloted by Andre Borschberg.

The Across America bid coincides with the pair’s Clean Generation Initiative, an effort to encourage policy-makers and businesses to develop and adopt sustainable energy technologies.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22624702#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

By Helen Briggs
BBC News

The feet are home to a whole community of fungi

We all have nearly 200 different types of fungi colonising our feet, scientists have discovered.

Fungi live all over the human body, but their favorite spots are the heel, under toenails and between the toes, according to a US study.

A new map of the body’s fungal diversity could help combat skin conditions such as athlete’s foot, researchers report in Nature journal.

Harmless fungi live naturally on skin but cause infection if they multiply.

In the first study of its kind, a US team catalogd the different groups of fungi living on the body in healthy adults.

Continue reading the main story

Fungal skin infections

• Fungal infections are common and include athlete’s foot, ringworm and yeast infections
• Athlete’s foot, also called Tinea pedis, is a very common fungal infection of the foot, causing peeling, redness, itching, burning, and sometimes blisters and sores
• Fungal nail infections affect about three in every 100 people in the UK
• The most common symptom of a fungal nail infection is the nail becoming thickened and discolored. it can turn white, black, yellow or green.

A team led by the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, sequenced the DNA of fungi living on the skin at 14 different body areas in 10 healthy adults.

Samples were taken from the ear canal, between the eyebrows, the back of the head, behind the ear, the heel, toenails, between the toes, forearm, back, groin, nostrils, chest, palm, and the crook of the elbow.

The data reveal that fungal richness varies across the body. The most complex fungal habitat is the heel, home to about 80 types of fungi. The researchers found about 60 types in toenail clippings and 40 types in swabs between the toes.

Other favored fungal hotspots include the palm, forearm and inside the elbow. These had moderate levels of fungi, with each location supporting 18 to 32 types.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

The bottom line is your feet are teeming with fungal diversity, so wear your flip flops in locker rooms if you don’t want to mix your foot fungi with someone else’s fungi”

End Quote
Dr Julia Segre
National Institutes of Health, US

In contrast, the head and the trunk harbored fewer varieties of fungi – just two to 10 each.

“The data from our study gives us a baseline about normal individuals that we never had before,” said lead researcher Dr Julia Segre.

“The bottom line is your feet are teeming with fungal diversity, so wear your flip flops in locker rooms if you don’t want to mix your foot fungi with someone else’s fungi.”

Tremendous diversity

The study defines the normal populations of fungi across the skin, which provides a framework for investigating fungal skin conditions.

In 20% of volunteers, the researchers observed problems consistent with fungal infections.

An imbalance of microbes may provide an opportunity for harmful microbes to flourish and establish disease, they believe.

Commenting on the study, fungal expert Dr Paul Dyer of Nottingham University, said fungi could normally co-exist quite happily on the body without causing any harm, except in people with poor immune systems.

“It illustrates the tremendous diversity of fungi that grow on the human body,” he told BBC News. “This is much higher than we previously knew.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22622689#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Margate Main Sands was one of eight areas in Thanet, Kent, to receive a Blue Flag award

More than 50 English beaches have met tough new EU standards to receive Blue Flag awards, recognising their high standards and water quality.

Thanet in Kent won eight awards, while the Isle of Wight, Bournemouth and Poole in Dorset, and Torbay in Devon each received four awards.

Campaign group Keep Britain Tidy runs the awards scheme in England.

The 55-beach total is down from 79 in 2012, but this year beaches were subject to much tougher standards.

They had to meet the new “excellent” standard required under the new EU Bathing Waters Directive.

Beaches also had to advise users where they could obtain real-time information on discharges from nearby combined sewage overflows if it could temporarily affect the quality of bathing water.

Other well-known beaches awarded Blue Flags this year included Central Beach in Skegness, Lincolnshire; Lowestoft South Claremont in Suffolk; Martello Bay at Clacton-on-Sea in Essex; and Whitby in North Yorkshire.

A further 133 beaches in England were rated clean enough to be awarded Seaside Awards – formerly known as Quality Coast Awards – by Keep Britain Tidy.

The Isle of Wight won the most awards nationwide, with a total of four Blue Flags and 13 Seaside Awards.

Richard McIlwain, Keep Britain Tidy operations director, said: “vacationmakers and day trippers want to visit clean, safe beaches and the sight of the Blue Flag or Seaside Award flying gives them the reassurance that they will.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-22614601#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

By Mark Kinver
Environment reporter, BBC News

Last year’s poor summer hit UK fruit growers, especially orchard owners, very hard

UK fruit growers could enjoy a much improved harvest of apples and pears this year, after 2012′s growing season saw a dismal outcome, experts believe.

Environmental consultancy ADAS UK says the recent cold weather, a key part of a successful fruit harvest, could see fruit-filled branches in the autumn.

Poor weather conditions during 2012 saw British fruit yields down by up to 50%.

However, the prolonged cold weather this year has not helped cereal growers, who face another tough year.

An assessment by ADAS suggested that the growing season was about eight weeks late, but the recent warming has seen it reduce this deficit to about three to four weeks.

“We are hopeful of a good harvest this year as long as this reasonable weather keeps up during flowering,” said ADAS horticultural consultant Chris Creed.

The return of cold weather in some parts of the country, which have experienced ground frost, is not likely to jeopardise this, he said.

Crunch time

But he said that there would be concern if there was air frost (when the air temperature 1.25m above the ground fell to 0C (32F) or below).

“We don’t want an air frost, and we certainly do not want it falling beneath -2C,” he told BBC News.

“Kent, Worcestershire and Herefordshire are probably through this period now, so the crop should be set.

Apple harvests are dependent on pollinators, such as hoverflies

“I would have thought they have got away with it because I do not remember hearing of any serious air frost in the past 14 days.”

Apple trees are generally in blossom for about 14 days, during which time the flowers are pollinated – primarily by wild bees and hoverflies.

Most varieties will not produce any apples unless they are pollinated, and pollinated with pollen from a different variety of apple tree so it is important that the trees are in flower at the same time.

Mr Creed said that a bumper harvest depended on a number of natural milestones being achieved over the course of 12 months.

“We are looking for a good autumn that initiates plenty of flowers, so we want a sunny, dry autumn, and then we want a nice cold period during the winter,” he said.

“We have had plenty of cold this season. Then we want a good fortnight [during the spring] with no air frost when the blossom is out, it’s pretty simple really.

He added that conditions last year were “absolutely diabolical” while apple trees were in flower.

“And during the summer we would like some proper growing weather,” Mr Creed said.

“Proper growing weather during May is some showers and warm nights, ideally double figure nights above 10C, and no drought during June, July and August.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22575545#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

By Ella Davies
Reporter, BBC Nature

A “stocktake” of UK nature suggests 60% of animal and plant species have declined in the past 50 years – and one in 10 could end up disappearing.

For the first time, 25 wildlife organisations – from the RSPB to the British Lichen Society – have collated assessments of 3,148 species.

The State of Nature report offers clues to the fate of the UK’s 59,000 species.

Among those seeing the largest falls in numbers are turtle doves, water voles, red squirrels and hedgehogs.

The reasons for the decline are said to be “many and varied” but include rising temperatures and habitat degradation.

Species requiring specific habitats have fared particularly poorly compared to the generalists able to adapt to the country’s changing environment.

“This report shows that our species are in trouble, with many declining at a worrying rate,” said naturalist Sir David Attenborough who launched the report.

“However, we have in this country a network of passionate conservation groups supported by millions of people who love wildlife. The experts have come together today to highlight the amazing nature we have around us and to ensure that it remains here for generations to come.”

Individual reports published in recent years that chart the fortunes of our bees, birds, moths and mammals have been assembled and analyzed alongside ongoing studies of bats, beetles and more.

The data – collected by dedicated volunteer enthusiasts through myriad surveys – are staggering, but the report still only covers 5% of the UK’s estimated 59,000 native species.

There are noticeable gaps, particularly for invertebrates, fungi and marine species, but the coalition of expertise from mosses to marine conservation is groundbreaking and Dr Fiona Burns, a lead author of the report, hopes future editions will include even more groups.

The charity Plantlife contributed data on the UK’s flora, including rare corn cleavers

“By including those people and including their expertise, even though we’ve not got as much information about fungi or other groups, we can promote the importance of these groups in UK flora and fauna,” she said.

“[The knowledge gaps] highlight that there are big biases in what we study, what we monitor. If we want to get an idea of the health of the eco-systems and our biodiversity we need to redress that balance.”

In the past, threatened animals and plants considered “priority species” have been included on government Biodiversity Action Plans to formalise and target conservation actions to halt and reverse declines.

The State of Nature report outlines a new “watchlist indicator” which charts how populations of these species have fared in the last 50 years and the overall trend is a 77% decline, despite successes for some including bitterns and adonis blue butterflies.

Conservationists say that a definitive list of the UK’s most endangered species is hard to provide because of the difficulties involved in comparing such different species – each with particular needs and issues.

But as an overview of the problems, Dr Burns highlights the following species from across 10 of the UK’s diverse groups:

Turtle doves have declined by 93% since 1970 and their plight is echoed by many other farmland birds. Agri-environment schemes to restore seed-rich habitats have been introduced to try to halt declines.

Hedgehogs have declined by around a third since the millennium. Intensive agriculture and urban development have fragmented habitats and gardeners are now being encouraged to make space for the mammals.

The small tortoiseshell butterfly, a once-common species found in gardens, has declined in abundance by 77% in the last ten years. Recent cold, wet summers and a lack of habitat are thought to be to blame.

Despite intensive conservation efforts natterjack toad numbers have changed little since 1990, with less than 50 breeding populations in mainland Britain.

Losses of European eel have been so great that it is considered at extremely high risk of extinction globally. Conservation projects, such as the one in the River Thames, aim to reverse the damage done by pollution, over-fishing and habitat loss.

Both the early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) and the tormentil mining bee (Andrena tarsata) have shown strong declines in range since 1970. Both have suffered from a loss of wildflowers, the latter dependent on heathland which is recognized as a nationally vulnerable habitat.

The population size of the V-moth is estimated to be less than 1% of what it was in the 1960s due to habitat loss and degradation. The moths’ caterpillars feed on currant and gooseberry leaves, leading to speculation that our move away from growing our own fruit could be contributing to the crash.

Corn cleavers, a flower found in arable fields, has undergone one of the most dramatic declines of any plant species and now only survives at the Rothamsted research station.

Common or harbor seals have declined by 31% in Scottish waters since 1996. The reasons for the drop in numbers are described as “mysterious” because their close cousins gray seals have not been affected in the same way.

There is only a single bastard gumwood tree left in the whole world located on the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean: a UK Overseas Territory. Efforts are currently being made to cultivate seedlings in order to restore the population.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/22609000

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News

The expectation is that the second sample will confirm the earlier rock analysis

Nasa’s Curiosity rover has drilled a second rock sample to deliver to its onboard laboratories.

The powder was taken from the interior of a target dubbed “Cumberland” by the science team.

This rock is about 2.75m from the site where the rover acquired its first drill sample in February.

Analysis conducted on this earlier powder revealed details of a past environment that would have been favorable to microbial life.

Curiosity’s instruments determined the rock to have been laid down billions of years ago in a benign water setting, possibly a lake, and to retain markers for key chemical and energy conditions required for biology.

The new Cumberland sample, which will be delivered to the rover’s Sam and Chemin labs in the coming days, is expected to confirm this assessment.

Curiosity has now spent 280 Martian days in the planet’s equatorial Gale Crater.

Continue reading the main story

Take a trip to Mars

• Explore the Red Planet with Nasa’s robot

For most of this period, the robot has been investigating a small depression called Yellowknife Bay. The location is about 500m east of Curiosity’s August 2012 touchdown point.

The mission team is keen to get the robot moving towards the main mission destination – the foothills of the big mountain that dominates the crater floor.

It will likely take many months to get to Aeolus Mons (also known as Mount Sharp).

When Curiosity does set out on this big drive, it will stop briefly to re-examine some rocks it saw on the way into Yellowknife Bay.

This outcrop, referred to as Shaler, is a classic example of cross-stratification, a rock structure built in a turbulent flow of water.

The panoramic landscapes featured on this page were assembled by Ken Kremer and Marco Di Lorenzo from pictures sent back by Curiosity’s navigation cameras.

This mosaic incorporating images from the robot’s navcams shows the robotic arm moving downwards to acquire the new drill sample from the rock called Cumberland

The rover has now drilled two sample holes in Yellowknife Bay. Soon, it will begin the months’ long journey to the foothills of Aeolus Mons, also known as Mount Sharp

Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22612819#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa