Stories on springtails

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Dr Dawn Scott has recently launched “Springtails” (https://www.brighton.ac.uk/springtails), a University of Brighton study linked with BBC Springwatch, to investigate how feeding wildlife in gardens effects interactions between animals (foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, cats and dogs)

If you have any observations, videos, photos or stories of interactions you have seen (with or without the presence of food) between foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, cats and/or dogs in your garden please could you add them to our data based via the website by following the link “share your story”

Send the weblink to anyone you know who might have also have observations and encourage them to put them on the website. https://www.brighton.ac.uk/springtail

Springwatch starts Monday 29th May at 8pm BBC2 and will feature researchers from UOB

BBC Springwatch on garden animals

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University of Brighton mammalian biologist is calling on the public for ‘animal stories from the garden’ for research and a special feature for BBC Two’s forthcoming Springwatch series.

Dr Dawn Scott and her team are studying interactions between foxes, hedgehogs, badgers, cats and dogs in the presence or absence of food in people’s gardens.

Dr Scott, Principal Lecturer in the university’s School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, said: “Many people support wildlife in their gardens by providing food for them. However, we don’t yet fully understand how providing food can affect the interactions between wildlife.

“It is not always known what animals actually end up eating this extra food or if the animals compete to get access to it. Foxes and hedgehogs have been seen to feed from the same bowl but we have also seen animals come into conflict over the food provided.

“The project will be focused on interactions between foxes, badgers and hedgehogs, but we are also interested in interactions between the same species, i.e. fox and another fox, and also between pets.”

Findings from the research will feature in BBCs Two’s Springwatch which is scheduled to air from 29 May to 15 June.

 

Read More →

Quorum Technologies Electron Microscopy prize

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If you are currently in your final year and using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in your project you are eligible for consideration for this years Quorum Technologies Electron Microscopy prize 2016-17, for final year undergraduate projects.

There is a £200 project prize this year, which will be awarded in recognition of the most commendable undergraduate final year project utilising microscopy.

To enter please send a copy of your project to Dr Jonathan Salvage either by email or as a paper copy marked for Dr Salvage’s attention to the school office, by Friday 9 June (latest).

Good luck!

Calling all artists

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Artists are being asked to submit ideas for a £30,000 piece of public art at the University of Brighton.

The university is partnering the Brighton Digital Festival and Brighton & Hove City Council to commission the work for the Huxley Building on the university’s Moulsecoomb campus in Brighton.

The work will be displayed in the foyer at Huxley, home to the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, teaching pharmacy, chemistry, biology, biomedical science and ecology.

Scientists there research causes and mechanisms of disease, new ways to treat them, better and more individualised ways to deliver these treatments, how people age, novel methods to remediate environmental damage, the effects of trace pollutants on aquatic life and to understand the lifestyle of mammals in an urban setting. The teaching spaces in the building are used to deliver degree programmes.

The co-commission is open to professional artists with £2m public liability insurance. They should consider the university’s Mission Statement and strategic plan https://www.brighton.ac.uk/practical-wisdom/index.aspx, the function and identity of the building and the necessity of engaging a wider public, connecting the university with the local community.

The university is committed to interdisciplinary engagement with complex contemporary challenges. The selection committee will welcome proposals that are consistent with the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary engagement with complex contemporary challenges.

Proposals which include a digital element or where digital practice is a key component of the work’s development are welcomed. And proposals that explore how the arts, sciences and technology can combine to engage with complex challenges are also encouraged. Read More →

Ways to Wellbeing

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1. THE BIG CHILL
Wednesday May 10th in Cockcroft 327 12 – 3Come along, enjoy some rest, relaxation and therapeutic activities, healthy snack and a chance to sit quietly or have a chat and gain some tips on stress management from your SSGT Charlotte Morris and advice on revision and exam techniques from Academic Skills Tutor Fiona Ponikwer.

We look forward to seeing you there!

2. TODAY! FIVE WAYS TO WELLBEING
SSGTs will be on hand with information, freebies, activities and special guests today May 9th 12 – 2

3. WELLBEING WORKSHOPS
Develop your bounce! Become more resilient to stress – Wednesday 24th May, 1:30 – 3, Mithras G6

For more information / to book: https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/studentnewsandevents/2016/10/07/wellbeing-workshops/

4. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS drop in
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

Your SSGT Charlotte Morris will be available on Wednesday 10th May at Huxley reception 10 – 12:30 to share resources and answer any questions you have about mental health – PLUS ENJOY A FREE MASSAGE! 

There will be extra availability for confidential one to one appointments with Charlotte until the end of the month: to make an appointment to discuss any aspect of stress, wellbeing, mental health or anything at all which is affecting you / your studies, please email ssgtpabs@brighton.ac.uk

For more wellbeing information and tips like my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pabsstudentsupport/

You can also gain support and advice from Student Services: studentservices@brighton.ac.uk and the Student Union.

Research insight

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Asa White, Doctoral Researcher within our school, gets to call wading around in the Bourne Rivulet work!

Asa’s is researching how an invisible chemical may be affecting invertebrate and fish life. It has three main elements.

  • using electric fishing surveys around three watercress farms over two years to ascertain whether discharges are having a population-level impact on fish communities
  • at the same sites, surveying habitat suitability for salmonids in terms of the physical habitat and prey species abundances
  • running laboratory ecotoxicology experiments to study the effects of PEITC on fish. The aim of the research is to understand what effect, if any, watercress farming is having on fish populations. Should a negative impact be uncovered, then mitigation strategies to lessen the impacts could be developed to ensure that fish populations in chalk stream headwaters flourish.

Read his story in this article published on the Wild Trout Trust website.