The sediment core and the noisy geese



Sediment core collection from large naturally vegetated pond near Ellington, Northumberland.

Having spent much time up at Druridge Bay over the past few years I have come to view the region with peaceful tranquility, looking forward to escaping the busy streets of Newcastle for a days sampling. As you visit a place on a regular basis it is the little seasonal changes you notice, most prominently for me the sounds. Spring is filled with the bleating of lambs, late summer with the ceaseless engines of combined harvesters, but more often than not an eerie silence fills the air.

 

Sampling last week I spotted the usual signs of 'silent' wildlife which surround the ponds; otter prints leading from a nearby beck along with dear tracks both entering into the tall rushes of a large vegetated pond (what they do in there is anyone's guess). But last week the silence was torn apart by squadrons of Brent Geese announcing their return from Scandinavia with a chorus of honking to rival rush hour New York. Spending the day collecting sediment cores with your arm elbow deep in gloop and listening to the ceaseless racket of these migratory birds you can't help but be reminded of how invaluable the network of ponds and wetlands along Druridge Bay are to a vast array of wildlife.

 

Such habitats are often under threat from planners and developers as the ecosystem services they provide hold little direct monetary value.  Yet through the EU carbon market our research places a direct value on the amount of carbon stored within these systems.  While small aquatic habitats are not yet recognised in carbon credit schemes, it is hoped our research will inform government policy and help to further preserve these invaluable networks of aquatic habitats. 

 

A squadron of Brent Geese