Neil Burns

Scotland's Rural College | SRUC

Decomposing organic matter is central to the recycling of energy and nutrients in all ecosystems. Few studies have investigated the role of animal carrion biomass in ecosystem functioning, and quantitative data on carrion biomass are lacking. The role of carrion inputs in the marine environment specifically, is poorly understood. The grey seal (Hal...

Circulation of saline water is important for maintaining water quality in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) delta because of its vulnerability to the threat of climate change. We applied a numerical model to examine the volume and salt transports within the GBM delta, Bangladesh. To understand the components of salt water intrusion driven by tida...

Understanding life stage connectivity is essential to define appropriate spatial scales for fisheries management and develop effective strategies to reduce undersized bycatch. Despite many studies of population structure and connectivity in marine fish, most management units do not reflect biological populations and protection is rarely given to ju...

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been implemented as a spatial management tool throughout the world in order to meet targets for marine biodiversity conservation. The success of MPAs in achieving biodiversity conservation objectives is strongly dependent on effective management. However, evaluation frameworks for MPA management measures are often...

This report reviews available data for the Loch Eriboll marine environment in the context of the Scottish Government’s aim to protect Priority Marine Features (PMFs) outwith the Marine Protected Area (MPA) network (The Scottish Government 2019). We consolidate the existing data from marine ecosystem surveys conducted in Loch Eriboll from 1970 to 20...

Variation between distinct natural markings of freckled hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri) could allow in‐situ identification of individuals from underwater photography. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the ability of I3S software to assist in discriminating between images of P. forsteri individuals. Our results sh...

We have defined protocol for photo-identification to identify individual Megatrygon microps. 104 identification photographs were taken between 2005 and 2019. Spot patterns on the dorsal surface were used to identify individuals. Unique scarring on 8 re-observed M. microps provided an independent confirmation of pattern stability of up to 761 days....

Gut microbiota have been associated with health, disease and behaviour in several species and are an important link in gut-brain axis communication. Diet plays a key role in affecting the composition of gut microbiota. In horses, high-starch diets alter the hindgut microbiota. High-starch diets are also associated with increased behavioural reactiv...

Understanding spatial distributions of fish species is important to those seeking to manage fisheries and advise on marine developments. Distribution patterns, habitat use, and aggregative behaviour often vary throughout the life cycle and can increase the vulnerability of certain life stages to anthropogenic impacts. Here we investigate distributi...

Additional temporally variable environmental layers used in GAMM models of whiting life stage abundance. Extent of all layers dictated by the limits of available sediment data (longitude = 3°W to 10°W, latitude = 52°N to 59°N). (a) Mean bottom temperature Feb-March 2010 (°C). (b) Mean bottom salinity Feb-March 2010. (c) Mean bottom temperature Feb-...

Method of classifying spatial occupancy patterns using aggregation curves. (a) Example aggregation curve plotting cumulative proportional abundance against the proportional area occupied. (b) Cubic polynomial fitted to the transition phase of the curve. (c) Derived tangent to the curve with a slope of 1 identifying the point at which space use chan...

Geographic areas referred to in the text. Dotted lines indicate the boundaries defining regions used in the analyses. Contains OS data Crown copyright and database right 2018 and the GEBCO_2014 Grid, version 20150318, www.gebco.net. (TIF)

Areas of whiting aggregation at 3 key life stages. Dark blue areas delineate aggregations as defined by the threshold value derived from geostatistical aggregation curves. Contains OS data Crown copyright and database right 2018 and the GEBCO_2014 Grid, version 20150318, www.gebco.net. (TIF)

Whiting length-at-age and length-at-maturity (L50, cm). Age-0 were modelled from October—November surveys and show the length at which the probability a fish being age-0 = 0.5. Below this length, the probability of a fish belonging to this group increases. Age-1 and mature models were constructed from surveys conducted between February and March. T...