Codes: B - BA - BB - BC - BM - BF - BU
Site types that use this protocol: Terrestrial

It is recognised that different organisms are likely to 'filter' the environment in different ways and that, to provide relevant data, an environmental monitoring programme should, ideally, focus on a range of organisms, eg endotherms as well as ectotherms, and organisms with different generation times (Whittaker 1990). These are many wild, breeding vertebrates in the UK which could be included in this range of organisms and whose populations are likely to be affected by changes in climate, land use and pollution. 

View Vertebrate protocol introduction [PDF]

The Vertebrates protocol covers bats, birds, frogs and grazing animals (principally rabbits and deer).

Bats

Code: BA

There are 15 species of bat, the only flying mammal, which are considered native to Britain where they are ubiquitous predators of insects.  Bats are known to be sensitive to changes in the environment, their numbers having declined significantly during the present century through a combination of loss of habitats, roost sites and food supply, and by increased frequency of disturbance.  Bats are therefore believed to be useful indicators of environmental change.

Species are mapped and their behaviour recorded on transects.

View BA protocol [PDF]

Birds

Codes: BI - BB - BC - BM

Observations of the devastating effects of agricultural pesticides on bird populations during the late 1950s and 1960s strengthened the view that only objective, regular and scientific monitoring of birds can give an insight into the changing situation of different species.  It was also realised that such monitoring can also reflect perturbations affecting the wider environment.  Birds are relatively easy to observe and are thus good subjects for a monitoring programme.  Moreover, the large number of bird species, over 200, which breed in the United Kingdom have different feeding patterns and occupy many different habitats, making it likely that at least some species will react to particular environmental changes of whatever type.  It is well recognised that bird populations are affected by many man-induced factors in addition to pesticides and other agro-chemicals.  Land use changes such as drainage and afforestation affect both nesting sites and food availability. Birds are also affected by variations in climate and in particular by periods of severe weather, either in the UK, for species over-wintering here, or in other countries for migratory species.

The Birds protocol (top level: BI) consists of the following:

  • Breeding Bird Survey (BB) - see below
  • Common Birds Census (BC) - superceded by BB
  • Moorland Birds (BM) - superceded by BB

View Bird Recording protocol introduction [PDF]
 

Breeding Birds Survey

Code: BB

Observations of the devastating effects of agricultural pesticides on bird populations during the late 1950s and 1960s strengthened the view that only objective, regular and scientific monitoring of birds can give an insight into the changing situation of different species.  It was also realised that such monitoring can also reflect perturbations affecting the wider environment.  Birds are relatively easy to observe and are thus good subjects for a monitoring programme.  Moreover, the large number of bird species, over 200, which breed in the United Kingdom have different feeding patterns and occupy many different habitats, making it likely that at least some species will react to particular environmental changes of whatever type.  It is well recognised that bird populations are affected by many man-induced factors in addition to pesticides and other agro-chemicals.  Land use changes such as drainage and afforestation affect both nesting sites and food availability. Birds are also affected by variations in climate and in particular by periods of severe weather, either in the UK, for species over-wintering here, or in other countries for migratory species.

View BB protocol [PDF]

For details of the now superceded BC and BM protocols, see:

View BC protocol [PDF]
View BM protocol [PDF]

Bird recording protocol - additional related documentation:

Frogs

Code: BF

The common frog (Rana temporaria) has been selected for inclusion in the ECN programme as an example of a ubiquitous predatory amphibian.  Adult frogs feed mainly on insects, slugs and snails but also eat woodlice and the larvae of moths and butterflies.  During the breeding season, frogs live in shallow ponds and ditches, but spend much time on land during the rest of the year.  The frog population is therefore affected by conditions on land as well as in the shallow water bodies in which they breed, including agricultural drainage, modification of breeding sites, acidification of fresh waters and pollution by fertilizers and from other sources.  It is difficult to monitor populations of adult frogs, but a rough approximation of frog colony size in a pond can be obtained by monitoring spawn masses.  Since frogs usually spawn in shallow water they are therefore usually reasonably accessible for monitoring purposes.

Spawn development and the pond environment are monitored.

View BF protocol [PDF]

Rabbits and Deer (or other grazers)

Code: BU

Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and deer (red (Cervus elaphus) and roe (Capreolus capreolus)) are the most common wild herbivores in the United Kingdom where they have a considerable effect on vegetation structure and on plant diversity over very large areas of both grassland and woodland. There are several examples of ecosystems in which these animals are the principal determinants of plant composition and structure, and therefore of habitat for other organisms. Whilst it is important to know whether numbers of either or both of these herbivores have changed appreciably, there are no practicable methods of making direct measures of their population size, and an index method based on dropping counts is therefore used to estimate relative abundance. The proposed recording method is expected to detect changes similar to those which have occurred in the past, such as the dramatic fall and slow recovery of rabbit numbers following the introduction of myxomatosis.

The protocol involves making dropping counts on transects.

View BU protocol [PDF]