Make the Adder Count: population trends from a citizen science survey of UK adders

Gardner, Emma; Julian, A. M.; Monk, Chris; Baker, John E.

doi:10.33256/hj29.1.5770

Cited by 17 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…We initially adopted a standard panel of microsatellite-based summary statistics, including genetic diversity and the standard F IS measure of inbreeding, to allow comparison with published studies of adders in mainland Europe. We also applied the MTAC criterion of a threshold peak count to categorise study sites into small or large, predicted to be at high or low risk of decline respectively [34]. This initial panel of genetic tests generated a similar pattern of results across all the UKAGP study sites, irrespective of size, although there was a modest decrease in mean allele richness in small populations relative to large.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the UK, the MTAC survey demonstrated opposite average population trends between sites with small and large adder populations, the threshold being a mean normalised peak count of 10 adders, below which there was significant decline over time [34]. This provides an approach of demonstrated demographic relevance with which to classify and compare populations according to their likely risk of decline.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 97%

“…mtDNA: number of individuals genotyped for mtDNA; msat: number of samples genotyped for microsatellites at minimum of 6 of 8 loci. size: allocation to MTAC category [34], according to peak springtime time count > 10 = large, � 10 = small.…”

Section: Mitochondrial Dna (Mtdna) Sequencingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is therefore interesting to compare the large, thriving Belgian site, with high levels of relatedness but no loss of heterozygosity, with the well-documented Swedish population of adders with unequivocal evidence for inbreeding depression [14][15][16]. Both sites have been isolated for more than a century by agricultural landscape, are situated some 20km from neighbouring adder populations [15,78], and both would fulfil the MTAC definition of a large population [34]. However, at 1570ha, the Belgian site is significantly larger than its 20ha Swedish counterpart, which provides the likely explanation for the difference in inbreeding.…”

Section: Inbreeding Depression: Size Mattersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A national questionnaire-based investigation survey of adder populations showed that declines were more likely to be reported in small sites with fewer than ten adders, whether based on systematic surveys or anecdotal evidence [31]. The subsequent Make the Adder Count (MTAC) initiative, based on peak springtime adder counts over sequential years, further underscored the increased risk of decline in small populations [34], flagging threats of habitat loss, public disturbance and predation, especially by cats and birds. To these threats should be added the potential risk of disease caused by the release of captive non-native snakes onto adder habitat, especially in view of the recent finding of the causative agent for snake fungal disease (Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola) in UK adders in the wild [35].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Genetic and demographic vulnerability of adder populations: Results of a genetic study in mainland Britain

Ball

Hand²,

Willman

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

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Genetic factors are often overlooked in conservation planning, despite their importance in small isolated populations. We used mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to investigate population genetics of the adder (Vipera berus) in southern Britain, where numbers are declining. We found no evidence for loss of heterozygosity in any of the populations studied. Genetic diversity was comparable across sites, in line with published levels for mainland Europe. However, further analysis revealed a striking level of relatedness. Genetic networks constructed from inferred first degree relationships suggested a high proportion of individuals to be related at a level equivalent to that of half-siblings, with rare inferred full-sib dyads. These patterns of relatedness can be attributed to the high philopatry and low vagility of adders, which creates high local relatedness, in combination with the polyandrous breeding system in the adder, which may offset the risk of inbreeding in closed populations. We suggest that reliance on standard genetic indicators of inbreeding and diversity may underestimate demographic and genetic factors that make adder populations vulnerable to extirpation. We stress the importance of an integrated genetic and demographic approach in the conservation of adders, and other taxa of similar ecology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Mitochondrial Dna (Mtdna) Sequencingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Inbreeding Depression: Size Mattersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic and demographic vulnerability of adder populations: Results of a genetic study in mainland Britain

Ball

Hand²,

Willman

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

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Microclimate‐driven trends in spring‐emergence phenology in a temperate reptile (Vipera berus): Evidence for a potential “climate trap”?

Turner

Maclean

2022

Ecology and Evolution

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Climate change can not only increase the exposure of organisms to higher temperatures but can also drive phenological shifts that alter their susceptibility to conditions at the onset of breeding cycles. Organisms rely on climatic cues to time annual life cycle events, but the extent to which climate change has altered cue reliability remains unclear. Here, we examined the risk of a “climate trap”—a climatically driven desynchronization of the cues that determine life cycle events and fitness later in the season in a temperate reptile, the European adder ( Vipera berus) . During the winter, adders hibernate underground, buffered against subzero temperatures, and re‐emerge in the spring to reproduce. We derived annual spring‐emergence trends between 1983 and 2017 from historical observations in Cornwall, UK, and related these trends to the microclimatic conditions that adders experienced. Using a mechanistic microclimate model, we computed below‐ and near‐ground temperatures to derive accumulated degree‐hour and absolute temperature thresholds that predicted annual spring‐emergence timing. Trends in annual‐emergence timing and subsequent exposure to ground frost were then quantified. We found that adders have advanced their phenology toward earlier emergence. Earlier emergence was associated with increased exposure to ground frost and, contradicting the expected effects of macroclimate warming, increased post‐emergence exposure to ground frost at some locations. The susceptibility of adders to this “climate trap” was related to the rate at which frost risk diminishes relative to advancement in phenology, which depends on the seasonality of climate. We emphasize the need to consider exposure to changing microclimatic conditions when forecasting biological impacts of climate change.

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Improving attitudes towards adders (Vipera berus) and nature connectedness in primary‐age group children

Kelly,

Gardner

et al. 2023

People and Nature

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Adder ( Vipera berus ) populations are experiencing declines in many countries, including the United Kingdom. Perceptions of adders and other venomous snakes are generally negative, making conservation of these species a challenge, and persecution remains within the top five perceived causes for adder declines in the United Kingdom. Improved understanding and attitudes are needed to support current conservation efforts. However, ensuring these positive attitudes continue into the future relies on addressing children's loss of connection to nature, and intervention at this early attitude‐formation stage can be crucial for traditionally ‘unpopular’ species, such as snakes. An adder‐focussed public engagement project, Adders are Amazing !, was carried out in Pembrokeshire, United Kingdom, in 2018–19 to improve understanding and attitudes towards adders using a blended science‐creative arts approach. The project included half‐day primary school‐based workshops to inform 111 pupils aged 8–11 about adder ecology, alongside creative art experiences. Questionnaires were used to measure the children's attitudes towards adders and their nature connectedness both before and after the workshops and these were compared with equivalent questionnaires carried out at a control school (57 pupils) where no workshops were conducted. The project demonstrated that engagement that blends both art and science can significantly change attitudes towards adders without any direct contact with the animals themselves; specifically, participants' scores for ‘Wonder’, ‘Learning Interest’ and ‘Conservation Concern’ increased. The workshops also significantly increased measures of the children's general connectedness to nature (specifically, ‘Enjoyment of Nature’ and ‘Responsibility for Nature’). We recommend conservation bodies focus on, and not shy away from, so‐called ‘unpopular’ species, to promote understanding and acceptance of these species and support their conservation. Blended arts–science initiatives, which can be easily adapted to suit a wide range of species and the artistic practices of local communities, are an effective way to achieve this. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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Make the Adder Count: population trends from a citizen science survey of UK adders

Cited by 17 publications

References 17 publications

Genetic and demographic vulnerability of adder populations: Results of a genetic study in mainland Britain

Genetic and demographic vulnerability of adder populations: Results of a genetic study in mainland Britain

Microclimate‐driven trends in spring‐emergence phenology in a temperate reptile (Vipera berus): Evidence for a potential “climate trap”?

Improving attitudes towards adders (Vipera berus) and nature connectedness in primary‐age group children

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