a review of freshwater ecology in the uk professor rick battarbee (uc, london) professor alan...

A REVIEW OF FRESHWATER ECOLOGY IN THE UK

Professor Rick Battarbee (UC, London)Professor Alan Hildrew (QM, London)Professor Alan Jenkins (CEH)Dr Iwan Jones (CEH)Dr Stephen Maberly (CEH)Professor Steve Ormerod (Cardiff)Dr Paul Raven (EA)Dr Nigel Willby (Stirling)

Co-ordinated by the Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) and the NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH)


Professor Rick Battarbee (UC, London)Professor Alan Hildrew (QM, London)Professor Alan Jenkins (CEH)Dr Iwan Jones (CEH)Dr Stephen Maberly (CEH)Professor Steve Ormerod (Cardiff)Dr Paul Raven (EA)Dr Nigel Willby (Stirling)

1) Evidence for a decline in specialist freshwater staff and consequences for UK science capacity and leadership


1) Until the late 1970s, the UK was considered to be at the forefront of research in freshwater ecology and limnology.

2) Since the late 1970s there has been a reversal in this position, such that research activity has declined in the UK in absolute terms, and relatively compared with N. America, Japan, Australia/New Zealand and other parts of Europe.

3) Indicators show a fall in publications and in the number of scientists, to the extent that there is increasing concern regarding our ability to provide the scientific understanding required to meet the scale of the problems we face.

Taking stock 1: the NERC institutes.

• Freshwater Biological Association (FBA) and its research successors (NERC IFE, parts of ITE, CEH) have represented the largest single group of freshwater ecologists in the UK

• Previous annual reports and current CEH data-base record staff strength accurately

• Staff were identified as freshwater ecologists, along with their research interests (e.g. lakes or rivers), using professional judgement based on publications

0

20

40

60

80

100

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

?

Nu

mb

er o

f st

aff

Total number of scientific staff working in FBA/IFE/IFE/CEH primarily studying lakes or rivers. The estimate for 2010 is a best-guess.

Strength at the NERC institutes…

0

20

40

60

80

100

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

2010

?

Nu

mb

er o

f st

aff

Total number of scientific staff working in FBA/IFE/IFE/CEH primarily studying lakes or rivers. The estimate for 2010 is a best-guess.

Strength at the NERC institutes…

47% of peak numbers (lake ecologists)

or 69% of peak numbers (river ecologists)

Further decline anticipated

Taking stock 2: university staff in freshwater ecology.

• Searched all papers in major, whole-organism freshwater journals* between 1999-2004 using ®ISI Web of Knowledge;

• Listed all freshwater papers published by each individual;

• Excluded fellows (e.g. R. J. Flower, UCL; I. P. Vaughan, Cardiff);

• Excluded recent recruits yet to publish from UK addresses (e.g. Suzanne McGowan, Nottingham; Neil Anderson, Loughborough);

• Carried out identical search for 1981-1986.

*Freshwater Biology, Limnology & Oceanography, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Archiv für Hydrobiologie, Hydrobiologia, Journal of the North American Benthological Society, Aquatic Conservation

Professorial staff in UK universities actively publishing in freshwater biology, 1999-2004

Location Research interests N recent papers (1999-2004)

Battarbee RW† UC London Palaeolimnology 25

Hildrew AG† QMU London Stream ecology 30

Moss B† Liverpool Limnology 37

Ormerod SJ† Cardiff Stream/wetland ecology 44

Huntingford FA† Glasgow Fish behaviour 33

Metcalfe NB† Glasgow Fish behaviour 51

Laybourn-Parry J† Nottingham Lake meiofauna 28

Petts GE† Birmingham Geomorphology 30

Gurnell AM† KC London Geomorphology/hydrology 36

Cowx IG† Hull Fish management 33

†Already active by 1981-1986

Professorial staff in UK universities actively publishing in freshwater biology, 1999-2004

Location Research interests N recent papers (1999-2004)

Battarbee RW† UC London Palaeolimnology 25

Hildrew AG† QMU London Stream ecology 30

Moss B† Liverpool Limnology 37

Ormerod SJ† Cardiff Stream/wetland ecology 44

Huntingford FA† Glasgow Fish behaviour 33

Metcalfe NB† Glasgow Fish behaviour 51

Laybourn-Parry J† Nottingham Lake meiofauna 28

Petts GE† Birmingham Geomorphology 30

Gurnell AM† KC London Geomorphology/hydrology 36

Cowx IG† Hull Fish management 33

Staff at other grades in: Location N recent papers (1999-2004)

Fisheries Griffiths SW Cardiff 20

Smith C Leicester 31 (?)

Lucas MC Durham 24

Meiofauna Rundle SD Plymouth 19

Schmid-Araya JM QMU London 13

Robertson AL Surrey 10 (?)

River macroinvertebrates Milner AM† Birmingham 18

Lancaster J Edinburgh 10

Ledger M Birmingham 7

Gee JHR† Aberystwyth 5

Young MR Aberdeen 12

Dobson M MMU 13

Woodward G QMU London 11 (?)

Wotton RS† UC London 12

Academics at other grades actively publishing in freshwater biology, 1999-2004…

Location N researchers

Birmingham 3

Glasgow 3

Queen Mary 3

University College 3

Cardiff 2

Kings College 2

Leicester 2

Loughborough 2

Thirteen others 1

Total 33

Academics at all grades actively publishing in freshwater biology, 1999-2004 by institution

Research interest N researchers

Stream invertebrates 8

Fish ecology and behaviour

6

Pond invertebrates 5

Limnology 3

Meoifauna 3

Macrophytes 3

Stream ecology 2

Geomorphology 2

Palaeolimnology 1

Total 33

Academics at all grades actively publishing in freshwater biology, 1999-2004 by research interest

Staff Institution Staff Institution

Reynoldson T. B. Bangor Young JO Liverpool

Happey-Wood CM Bangor Eaton JW Liverpool

Brook A J Buckingham Clymo RS London

Edington JM Cardiff Green J London

Benson-Evans K Cardiff Duncan A London

Edwards RW Cardiff Denny P London

Learner MA Cardiff Wade M Loughborough

Bailey RG Chelsea McLachlan A. J. Newcastle

Bark AW Chelsea Adams J Newcastle

Whitton BA Durham Morris R Nottingham

Bowler K Durham Holdich DM Nottingham

Savage AA Keele Gower A Plymouth

Badcock RM Keele Andrew T.E. Royal Holloway

Jones RI Lancaster Sleigh MA Southampton

Bullock JA Leicester Thomas JD Sussex

Moody J Leicester Townsend CR UEA

Oldham RS Leicester Polytechnic Lawton JH York

Full-time university faculty members publishing in freshwater biological fields* during the period 1981-1986 but no longer active.




















34 staff losses since 1981-1986 through death, retirement, movement, inactivity…




















Represents 59% loss from a pool of 58 active staff in 1981-1986

Balanced by 16 gains – i.e. only 47% of losses replaced

Strength is now 56% of that in 1981-1986

Remarkably consistent with trends in NERC (47- 69%)

Taking stock 3: Evidence from productivity

Figure 1. Papers in Freshwater Biology (1971-2003) and four other key journals* (1980-1996).

*Limnology & Oceanography; Archiv für Hydrobiologie, Canadian Journal of Aquatic Sciences, Hydrobiologia

Figure 2. UK output of published papers in five leading freshwater ecology journals between 1980 and 1996 (upper panel), and between 1971-2003 in Freshwater Biology (lower panel).

Percentage of papers from all UK sources in Freshwater Biology

0102030405060708090

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Percentage of papers from Europe in Freshwater Biology

05

1015202530354045

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Ratio of European:UK papers in Freshwater Biology

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

• Loss and redistribution of activity. • Changing focus in biology departments:

emphasis on health and molecular biology.

• Movement of ecology into schools of geography (e.g. UCL, Birmingham): gain in holism and physical science; decline in biological understanding?

• Local influences rather than strategic thinking: appointments reflect local criteria rather than UK strategic neede.g. RAE; ‘weight of numbers’.

• Under-funding:435 NERC “freshwater ecology” grants from 1991-2005, but only 41 to individuals publishing in major freshwater journals; Majority gained by engineers and physical scientists;Limited targeted support from other funders

• Poor leadership and weak influence:

We fail to influence science spending, appointments, research trends, other science activity (e.g. physical and molecular developments).

Why such a decline?

Four simple examples

• Water Framework Directive: Managing and regulating the eco-hydromorphology interfaceDiagnosing, restoring and maintaining ‘Good ecological status’

• Habitats Directive:Understanding species’ requirements and limitse.g. Anisus vorticulus

• Climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation:Invasive species, disease vectors, biodiversity loss…

• Recruitment and training:Major skills deficit for government agencies, consultants, NGOs, educators…

And the consequences… ?

a review of freshwater ecology in the uk professor rick battarbee (uc, london) professor alan...

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