Objectives:
To encourage biological and physiographical surveys of the Reserve.
To ensure that scientific research relating to the Reserve, by
individuals or institutions, can be pursued.
Factors:
(a) General: It is not envisaged that the County Council will, itself,
take an active part in research or survey work. However, it can
encourage other bodies or persons to undertake scientific work in
relation to the Reserve and the presence of a Nature Reserve in the
vicinity of Edinburgh implies the potential use of the ground for
scientific research. At the present time, no prescriptions ' can be
made as to the form that research work should take. However, the
Management Committee and the Nature Conservancy, who undertook to
advise the County Council in scientific matters relating to the
Reserve, can control research by the issuing of normal permits to
collect samples or specimens.
(b) Surveys: Survey work should concentrate on groups of animals or
plants that are not well known and on physiographic changes in the
Reserve. The results of completed surveys are included as appendices to
this Plan. An intensive survey of the soils of the Reserve is required.
A record of any person applying for a permit to collect for survey work
during the period of this Plan should be added to Appendix 10 of this
Plan and details of results of the survey should be included in later
editions of the Management Plan.
(c) Scientific Research: The details of all research projects that are
started during the period of this Plan, and of permits that are issued
in order to undertake a research project, should be added to Appendix
10 of this Plan. Records of publication of research results or the
location of unpublished reports or theses should also be added to
Appendix 10.
The following research projects are known to be taking place, or to
have taken place on or near the Reserve:
Miss N. J. Allman and Mr. F. Simpson (Geology Dept., University of
Edinburgh) - Studies on the sedimentation and marine organisms of the
Bay (completed - B.Sc. thesis topic).
Dr. J. Dodds and Dr. P. Myerscough (Botany Department, University of
Edinburgh) - Studies on the physiographic changes in the dune system;
on the populations of spring flowering annual plants; and on the
vegetation associated with the transition from teschenite to calcareous
sandy soils (part of the work was undertaken by Dr. J. K. Marshall).
Dr. Roy Watling (Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh) - Studies on the
distribution and rate of growth of fairy rings.
Miss P. J. Watson (Scottish Plant Breeding Station, Roslin, Midlothian)
-Breeding of the grass Poa pratensis for pasture improvement.
(d) Permits: No prescriptions are made in relation to the present
system of issuing permits by the County Clerk, under Bye-Law 14. The
Nature Conservancy and the Scottish Wildlife Trust are asked to submit
their comments on each application and it is the responsibility of the
Management Committee to agree to the issue of a permit. It is a
condition of a wildfowling permit, see Chapter V, section 3(a), that a
return has to be made. Permit holders for research or collecting should
be asked to submit brief details of their work on the Reserve within
some defined period of time after expiry of the permit.
