News
24/08/10: MRRG scientific divers clock up over 700 dives since the Modiolus restoration project started
24/01/10: I Modiolus Researchers' Meeting concluded
1/12/09: Pilot cultch deployment a success!
18/07/09: MRRG staff back from the Isle of Man
22/01/09: BBC Northern Ireland covers the Modiolus Restoration Plan launch at Portaferry
22/01/09: Modiolus Restoration Plan officially launched (QUB Press Release)
After 3 years mapping and studying Strangford Lough´s remaining Modiolus modiolus beds, the MRRG is proud to present the Modiolus Restoration Research Project: Final Results and Recommendations report.
Carried out between February 2008 and February 2011 the project was delivered by three academic, six research and two technical staff. Field surveys involved deployment of 276 Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) drops and over 448 dives. A major pilot restoration study involving the creation of an artificial Modiolus modiolus reef east of Island Taggart was also undertaken. The first of its kind in Northern Ireland, the artificial Modiolus modiolus reef has proven a successful restoration strategy as M. modiolus spat recruitment and faunal biodiversity increased significantly just one year after construction.
The Modiolus Restoration Research Project final report describes in detail the current condition of the Modiolus modiolus beds and their associated faunal communities as well as explaining the results of the pilot restoration studies tested. A total protection zone including all remaining M. modiolus beds is proposed while projections for habitat recovery and recommendations for future restoration work are also given.
Dr. Dai Roberts and Jose María Fariñas attendend the 13th International Shellfish Restoration Conference in November 2010. The conference focusd on restoration of shellfish population and degraded coastal ecosystems worldwide and this year it was held in historic Charleston, South Carolina, USA. This was an extraodinary opportunity for the MRRG to present their advances in the current efforts to restore the Modiolus reefs of Strangford Lough. Jose Maria presented results from his PhD thesis in his oral presentation "Restoration of biogenic reefs of Modiolus modiolus: the potential for enhancing recruitment using hatchery produced seed" while Dai gave an overall update on the project and the results obtained so far. Two posters were also presented (ICSR 2010 website for more information and conference abstracts)
Leonardo Da Vinci grant holders Oihane Erdaide and Rebeca Pajuelo from Spain and IAESTE student Petra Resetar from Croatia finished their work placements at Queen's University Marine Laboratory in Portaferry. They were mostly involved in the Modiolus population structure and faunal diversity studies carried out by the MRRG, as well as getting hands on experience in equipment deployment, scientific diving supervision and how to make good cups of tea and coffee. They have worked extremely hard for the past months and we were all very sad to see them leaving. Thanks very much for all your help girls!
The first Modiolus modiolus researchers' meeting took place in Exploris Aquarium last January 19th. Organized by the Modiolus Restoration Research Group the meeting provided an opportunity for researchers to discuss the past, present and future of the horse mussel reefs in British and Irish waters. The meeting consisted of one day presentations followed by a day of SCUBA diving or ROV work on the M. modiolus beds of Strangford Lough. A wide variety of topics were covered during the presentations, from the current efforts carried out by the Northern Irish Government (DARD and DOE) and Queen's University Belfast to restore the M. modiolus reefs of Strangford Lough to the use of remote sensing techniques to locate and map M. modiolus reefs off the Welsh coast, the exciting discovery of new and extremely rich M. modiolus beds near the Manx coast, the striking reproductive differences between Irish and Scandinavian Modiolus populations or the current status of the horse mussel communities in Scottish sea Loughs among others. Following the presentations audience and guest speakers agreed knowledge sharing and collaboration between the different conservation agencies, researchers and universities currently involved in M. modiolus research are essential to guarantee the future of the horse mussel reefs, one of the richest marine habitats in Europe. The conference schedule is accessible in the downloads section.
The MRRG is extremely thankful to all the guest speakers, chairmen and attendees that travelled to Portaferry for sharing their knowledge, ideas, opinions and experiences, making this I Modiolus Researchers Meeting a reality.
Maps showing the historical and current extent of the horse mussel Modiolus modiolus reefs of Strangford Lough are now available for the first time on the Project Downloads section. These new maps are the result of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and SCUBA diving surveys undertaken during the past 2 years by the MRRG field scientists. Historical maps based on data taken from the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR) are also displayed for comparison purposes.
Quadrat deployed on a Modiolus reef during the Manx surveys in July 2009 (photo courtesy of CCW)
Anne Marie Mahon, marine biologist and scientific diver with the MRRG joined fellow researchers from the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) for a week of scientific diving on the Manx Modiolus reefs.
The MRRG was invited by Dr. Bill Sanderson from CCW to participate in their current monitoring work on the Modiolus reefs located north of the Isle of Man. Although usually involved in the monitoring of Welsh Modiolus beds, CCW is also collaborating with the Isle of Man government in a joint effort to study the horse mussel reefs northwest of the Manx coast.
Co-operation between scientists both sides of the Irish Sea will ultimately help the current efforts to restore the Strangford Lough Modiolus beds, a marine priority habitat requiring protection under the EU Council Directive 92/43/EEC.
The Modiolus Restoration Plan was oficially presented to the media by ministers Sammy Wilson and Michelle Gildernew. The event took place at Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry, Co. Down and it was covered by BBC Newsline Northern Ireland. Watch it online at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsline/content/articles/2009/01/22/horse_mussels_feature.shtml
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7846024.stm (MRP Launch video clip)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7845899.stm (Interview with ministers Michelle Gildernew and Sammy Wilson)
| Queen's work to save Strangford horse mussels |
Queen’s University is working on a three-year study to conserve and restore endangered horse mussel reefs in Strangford Lough. Marine biologists based at the University’s marine research and outreach centre in Portaferry, part of the School of Biological Sciences, will provide scientific and technological research to map and monitor the species and undertake trials to restore it. Horse mussel reefs are important to the marine environment because they are ‘biological engineers’ which improve water quality through filtering it when they feed and also because many other species depend on them for survival. Funded by the Department of Agriculture and the Rural Development and the Department of the Environment, the project follows a multi-agency report in 2004 which said that the beds were in serious decline. DARD, supported by DOE, imposed a temporary ban on fishing in the Lough with mobile gear, from December 2003, which still remains in place. As horse mussels were one of the features used in the conservation designation of Strangford Lough the UK government is obliged to protect them under European directives. Although the horse mussel reef communities in Strangford Lough were once very rich they have declined at an alarming rate in some areas. Horse mussels are important because they provide a hard surface for other species to grow on, in otherwise soft muddy areas. Other organisms also hide and shelter in the crevices and niches of clumps of horse mussels. They create a habitat for around 100 other species. Dr David Roberts, from Queen’s, who is Principal Investigator on the study entitled Modiolus Restoration Research, said it was the first of its kind for the species. He said: “Queen’s has expertise in the restoration of the European native oyster, freshwater pearl mussels and a long history of marine research. The University is therefore ideally positioned to undertake research to develop techniques and recommendations for the restoration of horse mussel reefs in Strangford Lough. “One year into the study we have found that horse mussel reefs as not as widely distributed as they were in the 1970s and that some beds have extremely poor mussel density - less than 25% of what we would consider a good density. “In terms of intervention we have started to culture the animals in the lab at Portaferry. “Mussels are very important to the marine environment as they act as biological 'engineers’ in both freshwater and marine ecosystems. When they feed they filter vast quantities of water thereby improving water quality. A frequently cited example is that of a population of blue mussels which were capable of filtering the entire contents of the Albert Dock in Liverpool in two days. “Horse mussels work in the same way; they also provide habitat for over a hundred other species, serving as a nursery ground for species of commercial importance.” An event to mark the first year of the project is taking place at Exploris in Portaferry today. |
