TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: Benfield Nature Reserve, located in a picturesque valley, U.K. has recently garnered attention for its rich biodiversity, as documented during a survey conducted as part of the City Nature Challenge 2024.
EXPLANATION:
- Scientists and experts meticulously cataloged over 170 invertebrates, reptiles, and wildflowers, underscoring the ecological significance of this pristine habitat.
Rare Species and Conservation Status
- The survey unveiled the presence of six scarce species within the valley, including five nationally scarce spiders such as the elusive Thin Weblet and the vulnerable Mottled Umber moth.
- This discovery underscores the critical role of Benfield Nature Reserve in harboring and safeguarding endangered wildlife.
- Notable sightings also include adders, common lizards, and slowworms, further highlighting the reserve’s ecological diversity.
Controversy Surrounding Development Plans
- Benfield Valley finds itself at the heart of a contentious debate regarding the proposed site for the new King Alfred Leisure Centre.
- Brighton City Council’s shortlist of potential locations includes land within Benfield, sparking condemnation from conservationists and community members alike.
- Concerns over the potential loss of green space have galvanized opposition to the development plans.
Mottled Umber:
- The mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is common throughout much of the Palearctic region.
- The species can be found in western Europe from northern Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, then east to the Caucasus, northern Iran, Russia, Russian Far East, and Ussuri.
- The female of this species is wingless and rather spider-like and can be found on the trunks and stems of its larval food plants.
- She is white or yellow-and-black patched. The male is fully winged (wingspan 40–45 mm) and very variable.
- The ground colour of the forewing is pale yellow or light yellow ochre and suffused dark grey.
- The basal and distal fasciae are dark brown. The basal fascia is bordered on the inner side by a brown cloud; the distal fascia has a brown cloud on the outer edge.
City Nature Challenge:
- The City Nature Challenge was founded by Alison Young and Rebecca Johnson of the California Academy of Sciences and Lila Higgins of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
- The first event took place in 2016, in which Los Angeles competed against San Francisco and won in all three categories (most observations, most species, most participants).
- The City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities across the globe.
- It’s a bioblitz-style competition where cities are in a friendly contest with each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people.
SOURCE: https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24292039.benfield-valley-records-scarce-species-survey/
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