Kidney patients’ lives could be saved by international change to donor policies

Newcastle University

 

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Mr Samuel Tingle, Newcastle University, UK

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Credit: Newcastle University, UK

Thousands of kidney disease patients’ lives could be saved around the world each year if countries adopted the UK's rules on organ donation, new research has revealed.

In most countries, organ donation from donors without a heartbeat can only take place if the donor dies within one hour of removing their life sustaining treatment. In the United Kingdom, kidneys can still be donated up to three hours after withdrawing this support.

Now, in a study published today in JAMA Network, scientists at Newcastle University, UK, have shown the quality of donor kidneys is unaffected by the time between withdrawing life support and the donor dying.

Experts are now calling on international organ donation organisations to consider changing their policies to help increase the number of organs available.

Time to death rules

Most countries have strict time to death rules and if the donor has not died within one hour after their life support is removed, the donation team leave, and the organs are not used for transplant.

However, in the UK teams wait a minimum of three hours, and scientists have found that to wait a few extra hours is beneficial to helping save as many lives as possible.

Based on current trends in the United States, if this country alone adopted the three hour rule, this could mean an extra 1,000 kidney transplants in America per year, and many more across the globe.

Samuel Tingle, Clinical Research Fellow at Newcastle University, who led the study, said: “Our study debunks the idea that a one hour time to death is crucial for maintaining the health of organs.

“What we show is that a longer time to death does not impact the quality or success of kidneys, but it does increase the number of kidneys donated. This offers benefits for patients on the waiting list, potential organ donors and donor families.

“Increasing the number of kidneys internationally could have a huge impact on transplant waiting lists, saving many more lives. Getting patients off dialysis also massively improves their quality of life.

“Raising the number of kidneys which are successfully donated from consented donors also makes sure we are respecting the wishes of donors and their families wherever possible.”

The research is a statistical analysis of data from the UK Transplant Registry. Researchers used anonymised information from 7,183 kidney transplant recipients between 2013 and 2021.

It is the largest study ever to focus specifically on time to death policies with kidney donation. Previous research, led by the same Newcastle team, has shown that longer time to death waiting times did not damage livers or pancreases.

‘Wonderfully simple change’

Mr Tingle, also an Honorary Clinical Research Fellow at The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We believe that organ donation organisations internationally should implement the UK policy of waiting a minimum of three hours after removing life support from potential donors.

“This is a wonderfully simple change that could be made worldwide to safely increase the number of kidneys available for transplant.”

The study was led by Newcastle University and involved Cambridge University, University of Wisconsin, Guy’s Hospital and NHS Blood and Transplant. It was supported by funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Blood and Transplant Research Unit in Organ Donation and Transplantation, the MRC and Wellcome.

Further research, in collaboration with NHS Blood and Transplant, will look at whether the time to death wait can be increased to more than three hours and still maintain the quality of the organ.

Dale Gardiner, associate medical director for deceased organ donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "The UK has been a world-leader in this type of organ donation for over a decade.

“It is a privilege to share this expertise with the world so that more lives can be saved through the gift of organ donation."

Reference: Donor time to death and kidney transplant outcomes in a setting of a 3-hour minimum wait policy. Sam J. Tingle et al. JAMA Network. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.43353

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Journal

JAMA Network Open

DOI

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.43353 

Method of Research

Meta-analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Donor time to death and kidney transplant outcomes in a setting of a 3-hour minimum wait policy

Article Publication Date

14-Nov-2024

 

Deciphering the anomalous properties of water

University of Barcelona team presents an innovative theoretical study to explain the unusual properties of water

University of Barcelona

 

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The paper is featured on the cover of The Journal of Chemical Physics.

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Credit: The Journal of Chemical Physics

Water, a molecule essential for life, has unusual properties — known as anomalies — that define its behaviour. However, there are still many enigmas about the molecular mechanisms that would explain the anomalies that make the water molecule unique. Deciphering and reproducing this particular behaviour of water in different temperature ranges is still a major challenge for the scientific community. Now, a study presents a new theoretical model capable of overcoming the limitations of previous methodologies to understand how water behaves in extreme conditions. The paper, featured on the cover of The Journal of Chemical Physics, is led by Giancarlo Franzese and Luis Enrique Coronas, from the Faculty of Physics and the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of the University of Barcelona (IN2UB).

The study not only broadens our understanding of the physics of water, but also has implications for technology, biology and biomedicine, in particular for addressing the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the development of advanced biotechnologies.

The CVF model: better understanding the physics of wáter

The study, which results from the doctoral thesis that Luis E. Coronas presented in 2023 at the Faculty of Physics of the UB, shows a new theoretical model that responds to the acronym CVF (the initials of the surnames of the researchers Luis E. Coronas, Oriol Vilanova and Giancarlo Franzese). The new CVF model is reliable, efficient, scalable and transferable, and incorporates ab initio quantum calculations that accurately reproduce the thermodynamic properties of water under different conditions.

By applying the new theoretical framework, the study reveals that “there is a critical point between two liquid forms of water, and this critical point is the origin of the anomalies that make water unique and essential for life, as well as for many technological applications”, says Professor Giancarlo Franzese, from the Statistical Physics Section of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics.

“Although this conclusion has already been reached in other water models, none of them have the specific characteristics of the model we have developed in this study”, says Franzese.

Some current models to explain water anomalies cannot adequately reproduce the thermodynamic properties of water, such as its compressibility and heat capacity.

“However, the CVF model does this because it incorporates results from initial quantum calculations of interactions between molecules. These interactions, known as many-body problems, go beyond classical physics and are due to the fact that water molecules share electrons in a way that is difficult to measure experimentally”, says Franzese.

According to the study, “fluctuations in density, energy and entropy in water are regulated by these quantum interactions, with effects ranging from the nanometre to the macroscopic scale”, says researcher Luis E. Coronas.

“For example — Coronas continues —, water regulates the exchange of energy and molecules, as well as the state of aggregation of proteins and nucleic acids in cells. Defects in these processes are suspected to cause serious diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Understanding how water fluctuations contribute to these processes could therefore be key to finding treatments for these diseases”.

Fostering the development of new biotechnologies

The CVF model also offers new advantages that allow calculations to be performed where other models fail, either because they are computationally too heavy or because they deviate significantly from experimental results.

In the field of technological development, some laboratories are developing biotechnologies to replace muscles (mechanical actuators) that take advantage of the quantum interactions of water; water-based memristors to create memory devices (with a capacity millions of times greater than current ones), or the application of graphene sponges that separate water from impurities thanks to fluctuations in the density of water in nanopores.

There are also implications for understanding the physics of water. “This model can reproduce the properties of liquid water at virtually all temperatures and pressures found on our planet, although it deviates at extreme conditions reached in laboratories”, say the experts. “This shows that effects not included in the model — nuclear quantum effects — are also important at these extreme pressures and temperatures. Thus, the limitations of the model guide us where to improve in order to arrive at a definitive formulation of the model”, they conclude.
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Journal

The Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI

10.1063/5.0219313 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Phase behavior of metastable water from large-scale simulations of a quantitatively accurate model near ambient conditions: The liquid–liquid critical point

Rice WaTER Institute and Yokogawa partner on autonomous water treatment

Partnership aims to integrate automation and modular treatment solutions

Rice University

 

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CAPTION: Eric Willman, executive director of the Rice WaTER Institute and the Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT) (from left); Kevin McMillen, chief executive and global vice president of Yokogawa Corporation of America; Qilin Li, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice and co-director of the NEWT Center; Pedro Alvarez, Rice’s George R. Brown Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and Steve Hayden, industry director of Yokogawa Corporation of America.

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Credit: (Credit: Yokogawa Corporation of America)

HOUSTON – (Nov. 14, 2024) – The Water Technologies Entrepreneurship and Research (WaTER) Institute at Rice University and Yokogawa Corporation of America, a provider of industrial automation and test and measurement solutions, announced today a new partnership in support of modular autonomous water treatment and reuse processes.

The agreement will leverage the complementary expertise and unique capabilities of both partners, officials said. The WaTER Institute has researched and developed modular treatment solutions, while Yokogawa is implementing system control and automation. The integration of these approaches sets the stage for more widespread adoption of autonomous water treatment processes.

“The agreement is mutually beneficial, providing Rice students with opportunities to engage in educational and research initiatives driven by real-world needs,” said Eric Willman, executive director of the WaTER Institute. “This practical experience will enhance their knowledge and skills, equipping them with the ability to shape a better future through entrepreneurship, research and advocacy.”

Rice and Yokogawa plan to develop a consortium of organizations and institutions based on a shared commitment to implement safe, secure and sustainable water solutions in support of the United Nations’ sustainable development goal to “ensure available and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” Prospective partners would provide experience and practical insights on economic assessment, community outreach, market research, laboratory analysis, industry approvals, manufacturing and commercialization.

“Partnering with Rice will provide us with access to real-time operational data for analysis,” said Steve Hayden, industry director of Yokogawa Corporation of America. “The open, transparent market insights and technology validation will enable us to expeditiously bring the benefits of the technology to the industry. In addition, partnering in workforce development will provide Rice students with placement opportunities in a range of organizations.”

The partnership is guided by the vision of bringing together a diverse coalition of collaborators, shaping a framework for the consortium and establishing guiding principles and priority tasks for the first year of operations, including determining funding sources, selecting a leadership team and securing executive sponsorship.

Launched earlier this year, the Rice WaTER Institute leads cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research and technological innovation focusing on three key areas: public health, energy transitions and resilient infrastructure.

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This news release can be found online at news.rice.edu.

Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.

About Rice:

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of architecture, business, continuing studies, engineering and computing, humanities, music, natural sciences and social sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. Internationally, the university maintains the Rice Global Paris Center, a hub for innovative collaboration, research and inspired teaching located in the heart of Paris. With 4,776 undergraduates and 4,104 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 7 for best-run colleges by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by the Wall Street Journal and is included on Forbes’ exclusive list of “New Ivies.”

About Yokogawa:

Yokogawa provides advanced solutions in the areas of measurement, control and information to customers across a broad range of industries, including energy, chemicals, materials, pharmaceuticals and food. Yokogawa addresses customer issues regarding the optimization of production, assets and the supply chain with the effective application of digital technologies, enabling the transition to autonomous operations.

Founded in Tokyo in 1915, Yokogawa continues to work toward a sustainable society through its 17,000-plus employees in a global network of 126 companies spanning 60 countries. For more information, visit www.yokogawa.com.

 

How can we reduce adolescent pregnancies in low- and middle-income countries?

New study from the University of Bergen (Norway) and the University of Zambia published Nov. 14, 2024

The University of Bergen

Many young girls in low- and middle-income countries become pregnant early, which can be dangerous for them and for their babies. Studies show that girls who stay in school are less likely to get pregnant at a young age. Financial support can encourage girls to stay in school and delay pregnancy and marriage in some settings. However, a new large study from Zambia found that two years of financial support combined with comprehensive sexuality education and community dialogue meetings, moderately reduced births during the support period, but not after the financial support ended. As a result, the overall effect on births before age 18 was limited over the 4.5 years study period even though more girls completed junior secondary school. Longer-term efforts to make high school more affordable are likely to be important to keep girls in school and more clearly reduce adolescent pregnancies in low- and middle-income countries.

The study, to be published in eClinicalmedicine on 14th November, randomized 157 rural Zambian schools into three groups: one received economic support, another received economic support plus sexuality education and community dialogue, and the third served as a control group. The study included 5000 girls about to finish primary school (average age 14). Researchers from the University of Zambia, University of Bergen, Chr. Michelsen Institute, and the Norwegian School of Economics conducted the trial.

Previous research shows that poverty is a major reason why girls drop out of school and get pregnant early. Other reasons include social pressure to have children, and lack of knowledge about and access to birth control. The limited effects of the studied support package probably reflect that the support period was too short and many families could not afford school fees after the financial support ended. Most participants were around 16 and still at risk of early pregnancy. If the support had continued until they finished secondary school or turned 18, fewer girls may have gotten pregnant before 18. Also, better access to health services and contraceptives for young people is probably needed to reduce teenage pregnancies more effectively.

According to Professor Ingvild Sandøy, at the University of Bergen in Norway, the study is in line with previous research indicating that short-term poverty-reducing measures such as cash transfers should be combined with other initiatives to achieve substantial reductions in teenage pregnancies in low- and middle-income countries. Professor Patrick Musonda from the University of Zambia adds that Zambia’s recent removal of secondary school fees is a good initiative. It will likely keep children in school longer and help prevent many young girls from getting pregnant.

The funding for the study came from the Research Council of Norway, and the Swedish International Development Agency (through the Swedish Embassy in Zambia).

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Journal

Clinical Medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102934 

Method of Research

Randomized controlled/clinical trial

Subject of Research

People

Article Publication Date

14-Nov-2024

 

When sun protection begets malnutrition: vitamin D deficiency in Japanese women

Development of a low-cost, easy-to-use tool for assessing the lack of essential nutrients

Osaka Metropolitan University

 

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ViDDPreS is a low-cost tool for indicating vitamin D deficiency.

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Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University

Vitamin D, an essential nutrient, is naturally produced through sun exposure and certain foods. However, excessive sunburn prevention measures are causing a severe problem of vitamin D deficiency, particularly among young women in Japan.

Since vitamin D deficiency is also related to pregnancy-induced hypertension and low birth weight in children, it is important to quickly identify those at high risk and provide appropriate health guidance. However, the method currently established for measuring serum vitamin D levels is expensive and invasive; therefore, there is a need for the development of simpler risk assessment tools.

Thus, a research group led by Professor Akiko Kuwabara at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology conducted a cross-sectional survey of 583 Japanese women aged 18 to 40 who were affiliated with a university specializing in nutrition. The survey items were age, residential area, time of blood collection, current medical history, medication status, smoking status, drinking status, frequency of exercise, sun exposure habits and conditions, frequency of fish intake, and vitamin D supplement use.

The dietary survey was conducted using the self-administered dietary history questionnaire (DHQ), and the average and cumulative ultraviolet irradiation dose for the 30 days prior to blood collection in each region was calculated. As a result, the team was able to develop a non-invasive, low-cost tool for assessing the risk of vitamin D deficiency in young women called ViDDPreS (Vitamin D Deficiency Predicting Scoring).

“The ViDDPreS developed in this study can identify populations in need of intervention at a low cost and estimate the factors of vitamin D deficiency,” stated Professor Kuwabara. “In addition, the use of vitamin D supplements is likely to have a beneficial effect in people deficient in this essential nutrient, so it is hoped that the use of ViDDPreS will lead to the appropriate use of supplements.”

The findings were published in Public Health Nutrition.

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Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

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Journal

Public Health Nutrition

DOI

10.1017/S1368980024001708 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Development of a predictive scoring system for vitamin D deficiency ‘Vitamin D Deficiency Predicting Scoring (ViDDPreS)’ based on the vitamin D status in young Japanese women: a nationwide cross-sectional study

 

​​​​​​​Urgent need to enable more farmers and contractors to revive England’s network of hedgerows

Agri--environment schemes have improved the hedges' structural condition but not overall length

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

 

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A managed hedge.

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Credit: UKCEH

A new comprehensive survey has highlighted an urgent need to enable more farmers and contractors to revive England’s hedgerows to meet national restoration targets. While agri-environment schemes (AES) have improved the condition of these iconic landscape features, the overall length of hedgerows remains unchanged.

Hedgerows act as field boundaries, protect livestock, support biodiversity and help mitigate climate change. However, around half of these important habitats were lost in the post-war years due to agricultural intensification. In the 2007 Countryside Survey, fewer than 50% of remaining hedgerows were judged to be in good structural condition.

The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology repeated the hedgerow survey across England in a new project for Natural England. Defra has set a target to create or restore 45,000 miles of hedgerow by 2050.

UKCEH used the data to review the effectiveness of the agri-environment schemes (AES) for hedgerows and carried out a questionnaire of around 400 farmers and contractors to gain a better understanding about their hedge management practices.

Key findings

The England hedgerow survey shows that, overall, agri-environment schemes have had a positive impact on hedge condition, and that more recent schemes are supporting more restoration and planting of new hedges.

Findings of the UKCEH report, An evaluation of Agri-Environment Scheme impact on hedgerows in England, include:

• There was no statistically significant change in the overall length of managed hedgerows in England between 2007 and 2023, which is estimated to have remained at around 400,000km.
• The proportion of hedgerows in good structural condition increased from 43% to 55% between 2007 and 2023. For hedgerows under AES the figure rose to 63.5%, compared to 46.8% for those outside such schemes.
• Hedgerow height generally increased between 2007 and 2023 with the majority of hedges now taller than two metres, rather than in the one to two metre category. Hedges under AES were slightly taller than those outside schemes.
• Many hedges have deteriorated in recent years due a lack of ongoing maintenance, resulting in gappy hedges or lines of trees.
• The diversity of plant species at the base of hedgerows has not improved.

Biodiversity and climate benefits

Defra aims to create or restore 30,000 miles of hedgerow by 2037 and 45,000 miles by 2050. However, the Climate Change Committee recommends that the national hedgerow network should be increased by 40% by 2050, while Natural England’s long-term aspiration is a 60% increase in hedgerow extent to support thriving plants and wildlife.

Dr Lisa Norton, the UKCEH agro-ecologist who led the hedgerows study, says: “There are signs that agri-environment schemes are having a positive effect on the condition of England’s hedgerows. However, efforts to meet national targets for lengths of managed hedges are falling short.

“To meet national targets, we urgently need to increase participation in these schemes among farmers and landowners through better incentives and advice so they can rejuvenate our network of hedgerows.”

Dr Norton emphasises that increased planting and better management, including laying and coppicing, would maximise hedges’ ability to capture and store carbon, helping us reach net zero. It would also provide more habitat for insects, nesting birds and small mammals, supporting ecosystem services such as pollination and natural pest control, as well as enhance our landscapes.

In addition to AES funding, many non-governmental organisations such as the Woodland Trust provide funding and support for hedgerow and tree planting.

Farmers’ feedback

UKCEH’s survey revealed that farmers are keen to maintain their hedges both to protect livestock and improve local wildlife. However, they highlighted the need for adequate funds for planting, establishment, and ongoing management of hedges.

Agricultural contractors reported that agri-environment schemes had been designed without their input and said there had been numerous issues with managing hedgerows in line with the schemes’ regulations, affecting their businesses. They also highlighted the potential advantages of investing in farmer and contractor training in hedgerow management.

The results of UKCEH’s survey and study will be used to shape future policies and strategies aimed at increasing the quantity and quality of hedges across England. The report and a summary are available on the Defra website.

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Media enquiries

For interviews and further information, please contact Simon Williams, Media Relations Officer at UKCEH, via simwil@ceh.ac.uk or +44 (0)7920 295384.

Notes to Editors

Surveyors recorded the lengths, locations and attribute, such as height, width and management, of all hedgerows in the English Countryside Survey squares. Plots sampling species and additional hedgerow attributes in both the woody component and the area below and adjacent to hedgerows were recorded for both randomly sampled hedgerows and for hedgerows under agri-environment scheme options in squares.

UKCEH’s questionnaire complemented a separate survey of farmers, commissioned by CPRE, which showed strong support for government plans to increase our hedgerow networks but highlighted a lack of funding is by far the biggest obstacle to planting and maintaining hedgerows.

About the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) 

The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) is a leading independent research institute dedicated to understanding and transforming how we interact with the natural world.

With over 600 researchers, we tackle the urgent environmental challenges of our time, such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

Our evidence-based insights empower governments, businesses, and communities to make informed decisions, shaping a future where both nature and people thrive.

www.ceh.ac.uk / @UK_CEH /  LinkedIn: UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now, It's just a spring clean for the May queen

New study reveals half a century of change on Britain’s iconic limestone pavements

Fifty years of change on iconic limestone pavements has revealed mixed fortunes for one of the most distinctive landscapes in the UK

Lancaster University

 

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Limestone pavement in the Yorkshire Dales

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Credit: Professor Carly Stevens

Fifty years of change on iconic limestone pavements has revealed mixed fortunes for one of the most distinctive landscapes in the UK.

The landscapes - which will be familiar to visitors to the Yorkshire Dales and fans of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows film – have, in many places, seen reductions of specialist species and more common less desirable species become more abundant. 

However, it is not all bad news as the picture is very mixed across the UK’s areas of limestone pavement with some areas increasing in plant biodiversity.

The findings, which reveal large changes since the 1970s, are from the first national assessment in half a century of plants and vegetation in Britain’s rare and iconic limestone pavements, which was conducted by Carly Stevens, Professor of Plant Ecology at Lancaster University.

An internationally important habitat, Britain’s limestone pavements are predominantly found in the northern English counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, as well as in North Wales and Scotland.

Plants, such as ferns and herbaceous species more commonly found in woodland, heathlands and grasslands, grow within the deep gaps and cracks in limestone pavements known as grikes, often creating a hidden world that you cannot see until you stand directly above them. 

In the early 1980s laws were introduced to protect limestone pavement from quarrying, and many areas are now covered by nature reserve status. 

However, despite being a rare and treasured landscape feature, and habitat to many specialised plants and wildlife, Britain’s limestone pavements have undergone few scientific studies. 

To help address this, Professor Stevens repeated a limestone pavement survey undertaken by two scientists (Stephen Ward and David Evans) in the early 1970s. 

Professor Stevens used the same methods to replicate the 1970s study as best as possible, surveying areas of limestone pavement totalling 3157 hectares across five years between 2017 and 2022.  

Her study, which is published in the academic journal Functional Ecology, recorded 313 plant species across UK limestone pavements – an additional 29 species on the number recorded in the 1970s. 

And some pavements saw the number of plant species living there, or species richness, increase. 

However, despite many areas falling under the protection of nature reserves, some less desirable species, such as thistles, nettles and bracken, have increased in abundance across different limestone pavements in the UK. And Professor Stevens also found that important specialist species, such as primrose, lily of the valley, elder flower trees and hairy violet, have declined in abundance across UK limestone pavements.

However, these declines were not uniform and some of these species did see increases in some areas – adding to a complex, but important picture that will be invaluable information for conservationists. 

“Limestone pavements have undergone large changes in the number and types of plants that live in these rare and spectacular habitats,” said Professor Stevens. “Limestone pavements are a habitat of high conservation value and they are protected for their unusual geology and the plants and animals that live in them. 

“But if we are to conserve them for future generations, it’s important to understand why these changes have occurred.” 

A major factor appearing to affect some limestone pavements is tree cover. Professor Stevens undertook aerial photography comparisons with historical aerial images for all the limestone pavements in England to compare how the number and size of trees had changed.

She found that some pavements had seen their area shaded by trees increase by more than 50%. Despite this the number of pavements without trees also increased, showing there’s a very mixed picture across different areas – often depending on the number of trees in the surrounding area. 

Pavements where the numbers of trees and shrubs increased have commonly seen reductions in plant biodiversity. Professor Stevens believes this is probably due to trees and shrubs blocking off the light for smaller plants in among the grikes.  Those pavements most affected by tree cover are found in Lancashire and Cumbria.

Those pavements that have low or moderate tree cover are more likely to have seen increases in species richness – though not necessarily with desirable specialist species. 

Professor Stevens found many open pavements were impacted by grazing of animals, though there have been changes in the 50 years between surveys. 

“Grazing pressure has declined in a lot of areas since the 1970s as a result of agricultural policy but there are still some pavements that are overgrazed,” said Professor Stevens. “Grazing can be an important tool in the management of limestone habitats but it needs to be carefully considered as overgrazing can result in a loss of biodiversity. Similarly, under-grazing can result in scrub and tree encroachment, which we see can also affect diversity and species composition as light levels are reduced.” 

The survey will help to inform the future management of limestone pavements, an area that is still developing and will benefit from the survey results and additional data. 

“At this stage we don't actually know what optimal management looks like for limestone pavements,” said Professor Stevens. “This survey provides vital data to help further understanding on what the current picture is for limestone pavement vegetation. However, we still need more research to help improve our knowledge on what the threats are to habitat and the potential for restoring damaged limestone pavements.” 

The study is outlined in the paper 'Large changes in vegetation composition seen over the last 50 years in British limestone pavements'.

ENDS 

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Journal

Functional Ecology

DOI

10.1111/1365-2435.14684 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Large changes in vegetation composition seen over the last 50 years in British limestone pavements

Article Publication Date

14-Nov-2024