State of Nature report - RSPB

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Steve Knell Coastal “In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.” Rachel Carson, from Our Ever-Changing Shore
COASTAL Wrapped in a narrow ribbon around the UK, our coastal habitats are diverse and fragile. They include saltmarshes, coastal lagoons, mudflats, dunes, shingle, beaches, soft and hard rock cliffs and slopes, and the amazing machair habitat of north and west Scotland. Many blur the boundaries between coastal and inland habitats. For instance, coastal grazing marshes could be considered farmland, but also hold brackish ditches and sea walls that support special communities of wildlife. The UK holds internationally important populations of many coastal species, such as the sea-aster colletes bee, a species found only in coastal areas around the North Sea. Some are endemics, found nowhere else in the world, such as the dune helleborine, which exists in just a handful of northern sites, and the even rarer Lindisfarne helleborine, named after its only known location. Many other specialist plants, invertebrates and birds depend on rare and vulnerable coastal habitats. David Chapman (NHPA/Photoshot) We discuss the fortunes of the UK’s seabirds in the marine section of this report, but it is important to remember that they flock in huge numbers to our offshore islands, beaches and sea cliffs to breed in spring and summer. These “seabird cities” are some of the most impressive wildlife spectacles in the world. Our islands’ identity is closely bound to the sea, and our coastline is an important part of our heritage. A trip to the seaside is a national pastime, and the sights, sounds and smells of the coast are loved by people everywhere. Yellow horned poppy The UK’s coastline includes some of our most diverse and varied habitats, supporting many hundreds of specialist plants and animals that can be found nowhere else. Of the 682 coastal species for which we have trends, 60% have declined and 29% have declined strongly. 13% of coastal flowering plant species are regarded as threatened with extinction in the UK. Habitats such as saltmarsh support internationally important bird and invertebrate populations. Huge areas of coastal habitat have been lost or damaged in recent history, due to coastal development, cliff stabilisation and changes to agricultural practices. STATE OF NATURE 2013 41
Page 3 and 4: STATE OF NATURE Foreword by Sir Dav
Page 5 and 6: UPLAND STATE OF NATURE 2013 29
Page 7 and 8: Although robust data are in short s
Page 9 and 10: ought species back from the brink o
Page 11 and 12: Wasps (175) All (5%) Moths (676) La
Page 13 and 14: MEASURING THE STATE OF NATURE Measu
Page 15 and 16: Although the evidence for the wides
Page 17 and 18: FARMLAND Farmland makes up around 7
Page 19 and 20: Why is farmland wildlife changing?
Page 21 and 22: Brown hares have benefited from hab
Page 23 and 24: lowland semi-natural grassland and
Page 25 and 26: Why is lowland semi-natural grassla
Page 27 and 28: Common lizard Steve Knell All six o
Page 29 and 30: UPLAND The UK’s uplands are the h
Page 31 and 32: o single factor is responsible for
Page 33 and 34: Golden eagles and other animals are
Page 35 and 36: WOODLAND Much of Britain was once c
Page 37 and 38: Why is woodland wildlife changing?
Page 39: Increased grazing pressure from dee
Page 43 and 44: Why is coastal wildlife changing? T
Page 45 and 46: Genevieve Leaper Sea thrift on a cl
Page 47 and 48: FRESHWATER AND WETLANDS Freshwater
Page 49 and 50: Why is freshwater and wetland wildl
Page 51 and 52: Common frog Mark Sisson Freshwater
Page 53 and 54: URBAN There are many different ways
Page 55 and 56: Why is urban wildlife changing? A s
Page 57 and 58: The renovation or demolition of old
Page 59 and 60: URBAN Derelict, disused and unloved
Page 61 and 62: MARINE he UK is truly a maritime na
Page 63 and 64: hanges in the temperature, circulat
Page 65 and 66: Harbour seals have declined by near
Page 67 and 68: UK OVERSEAS TERRITORIES The UK has
Page 69 and 70: Just one individual of St Helena’
Page 71 and 72: EXTINCTIONS AND COLONISATIONS You w
Page 73 and 74: Little egret Ernie Janes The little
Page 75 and 76: CONSERVATION HEROES Picture the sce
Page 77 and 78: Climate change Climate change is al
Page 79 and 80: A: In some datasets, both total cha
Page 81 and 82: Watchlist indicator Between 1995 an
Page 83 and 84: 11: Fuller RM (1987) Biological Con
Page 85 and 86: in urban area: implications for nat
Page 87 and 88: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Acknowledgements T
Page 89 and 90: Conchological Society of Great Brit
Page 92:
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State of Nature report - RSPB

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