SEEN 2.4

Dear all,

Thank-you again to those of you who have sent in links. I really need your app of the week and species of the week suggestions.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Judith

SEEN is a day early this week because SUCV needs you!

Tomorrow is their first mini-task on Southampton Common. Meet outside the Union at 1pm tomorrow. SUCV Tom Devine asks that you let him know if you are thinking of attending so that they can make sure they have enough tools (sucv@soton.ac.uk). Wear appropriate clothing.

Another local organisation looking for volunteers is the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, more details here: http://www.hwt.org.uk/pages/about-us2-volunteering-743.html

Joel Parker liked the ladybird app in the last SEEN. He also found a good ladybird guide on the Southampton Natural History Society website (thank-you Joel!): http://sotonnhs.org/docs/LadybirdAll.pdf

The Southampton Natural History Society asked me to tell you all about their upcoming eventshttp://sotonnhs.org/

Some of you came to our joint talk last Spring and took home butterfly survey recording sheets, please remember to pass on the information you have collected. Membership for the society is very reasonable (£6 for the year) and a good addition to your CV

I hope you have all been watching Frozen Planet. It also has an accompanying website –http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mfl7n

Where you can request a free poster by following the OU link (mine is on its way!). There are lots of other interesting links and an audio slide show.

My favourite so far has been the woolly bear caterpillar – http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p006csh6

Not all caterpillars survive the year on year freeze and thaw to make it to adulthoodhttp://jeb.biologists.org/content/214/7/1205 but if they do they have some interesting methods of finding a mate

Hugh Jenkinson (1^st year Biology) sent in this interesting link to a BBC article about conservation triage (thank-you Hugh!) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15691450

Emily Farthing thought you might be interested to learn that the Western black rhino has been declared extinct (thank-you Emily!) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15663982. Mairead McGuirk (3^rd year) also sent in a link about this story (thank-you Mairead!)http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45236688/ns/world_news-world_environment/t/africas-western-black-rhino-declared-extinct/#.TrvvxkPz2sp

Phoebe Cross (2^nd year Biology) recommends that you all check the BBC Nature website regularly (thank-you Phoebe!) http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/news/

Breadfruit – the food of the future?http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203752604576645242121126386.html

Antelope genus on verge of extinction – http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/11/111108-hirolas-extinct-genus-animals-science-africa-antelopes/

Evolution of primate sociality, a new theory – http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/11/humans-social/ – review

Spotty horses were real, not imaginary – http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/was-the-spotted-horse-an-imagina.html?ref=hp – review

Duet of wrens, teamwork is best – http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/wrens-brains-are-wired-for-duets.html?ref=hp – review

Why are there so many different colours of poisonous frogs? Birds

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/why-are-there-so-many-colors-of-.html?ref=hp – review

Leonardo’s tree rule – why is it right? http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/leonardos-formula-explains-why-t.html?ref=hp

Fukushima radiation hotspots – http://www.nature.com/news/fukushima-maps-identify-radiation-hot-spots-1.9355

Are cow magnetic? Maybe, maybe not – http://www.nature.com/news/the-mystery-of-the-magnetic-cows-1.9350

Bees and introduced plants – http://www.nature.com/news/the-pollinator-crisis-what-s-best-for-bees-1.9308

Whiskers were important for the first mammals –http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110125949.htm

Creature-cast- http://creaturecast.org/ – the Dunn lab at Brown University (who investigate how evolution has produced the diversity of life) has animated descriptions of their research, definitely worth a watch.

CT scans of baby woolly mammoths – http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2011/11/05/ct-scans-of-baby-mammoths-reveal-ice-age-mystery/

Inside an ant nest – http://www.alexanderwild.com/Ants/Natural-History/Metamorphosis-Ant-Brood/9403473_WFJC3B#582565705_RMtsP

A snake eats a deer – http://news.discovery.com/adventure/florida-snake-eats-76-pound-deer.html

Bug Count is a free app from the Natural History Museum. It includes a guide to common groups of invertebrates (including the bugs) and also asks you to help collect distribution data about 6 species: the 2-spot ladybird; devil’s coach horse; small tortoiseshell butterfly; green shieldbug; leopard slug; tree bumblebee.

Black rhino (watch the film) – http://www.shortlist.com/cool-stuff/photography/the-flying-rhinos#image-rotator-1

Keep the links coming in! Special request for app and species of the week suggestions.