PhD research co-supervised by BTO devises a framework for how to undertake citizen science effectively and respectively in marginalised communities.

This report summarises results from the first year of Passive Acoustic Monitoring undertaken at Wild Neroche during spring and summer 2025. The intention is to establish a baseline dataset that will inform future assessments of how active management influences biodiversity across the Neroche area. This report summarises results from the first year of Passive Acoustic Monitoring undertaken at Wild Neroche during spring and summer 2025. Wild Neroche is one of four of Forestry England’s Wilder Forests, and is located in south-west England.The intention is to establish a baseline dataset that will inform future assessments of how active management influences biodiversity across the Neroche area. Bird communities were surveyed at 10 sites using autonomous recording devices operating in the audible range. During the initial deployment period, audible recordings were collected continuously during both day and night. The same devices were also operated in ultrasonic mode at nine of these sites to monitor bats, small mammals, and bush-crickets; ultrasonic recordings were restricted to night-time only. Audible recordings were collected on 140 days between April and September, while ultrasonic recordings were obtained on 67 nights between June and August. Devices were placed to survey a range of habitats including mixed deciduous woodland, coniferous woodland, heathland, and mesotrophic grassland. Analysis of ultrasonic data identified 13 species of bat, including the regionally important Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) and Bechstein’s Bat (Myotis bechsteinii), both of which are included on the red list of British Mammals. In addition, three terrestrial small mammal species, four bush-cricket species, and two audible moth species were confirmed. One standout result of the ultrasonic survey was the exceptional number of detections of Hazel Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), with 4,418 triggered recordings across six sites. Dormouse acoustic activity peaked in late July. In total, 73 species of birds were confirmed, including 35 species listed as Amber or Red on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern list. The repeated detection of Goshawk (Astur gentilis) across the survey area is also of particular interest.

Biodiversity scientists are on the cusp of a transformative flood of new data, due to the combination of increasing demands for ecological information, more comprehensive and sophisticated analyses, and astonishing technological developments. This perspective paper identifies a set of recommendations to make the most of these opportunities while addressing the challenges.

The pressing need to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, as articulated by the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, demands a commensurate improvement in how we monitor, report, and act upon changes in the state of nature. This perspectives paper proposes a Biodiversity Monitoring Standards Framework, offering a structured pathway to address the longstanding challenges of fragmentation and inconsistency in biodiversity monitoring.

Data from 17 small migratory bird species tracked on passage between Europe and Africa show they shift altitude markedly when crossing deserts and marine barriers. Birds were found to fly higher over the Sahara than over marine areas, especially during daytime. Wing traits and plumage color influence how birds cross ecological barriers, with darker plumage and shorter wing bones relating to higher Sahara flight in daytime.