Blogs
World Water Week: tackling water and environmental challenges, a win win
By Dr Rachel Helliwell, Director of Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters and the Hydro Nation International Centre (first published in The Herald, 22 August, 2023).
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
Munro soils: citizen science with altitude
By Andrea Britton
Just over a month ago, we launched our citizen science alpine soil biodiversity project “Mountain Heights, Hidden Depths”. Our goal is to collect soil samples from nearly all of Scotland’s Munros so we can create a baseline map of alpine soil biodiversity across Scotland using DNA markers in the soil.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
Damp July eases water scarcity warnings
It may have felt like July was a bit driech. In fact it was, even in Invergowrie on our drier east coast of Scotland.
July here saw the 16th highest rainfall recorded for a July month, with 89.3 mm of the stuff falling (130% of the long-term average), according to our records, which go back to 1954. Some 16.6 mm of that fell on one day – July 31.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
From pine marten poo to pulling together on biodiversity
Liam McAllan has recently joined the Hutton-hosted North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership (NESBiP) as Biodiversity Coordinator. He tells us why we need to pull together for Scotland’s biodiversity.
Did you know that blaeberries can make up to 30% of a pine marten’s summer diet – meaning blue poo? Now you do.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
Does Scotland have a water scarcity problem – and what can we do about it?
We may think of Scotland as a wet country, where summer holidays are more often than not ruined by a downpour and water is abundant. Yet, concerns about water scarcity are increasingly in the headlines.
Low river water levels in mid-August last year (2022), caused the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to issue a water abstraction bans in several river catchments. This temporary ban prevented water use for things like farmland irrigation.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
Hottest June on record at Hutton in Invergowrie
Weather data from The James Hutton Institute in Invergowrie has confirmed June as being the hottest month on record.
The month saw a daily mean air temperature of 15.1ºC at the Hutton’s Invergowrie campus, making it the hottest June since records started at the site in 1954.
Sunsets over Dundee
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
Hutton student wins Scottish Land Commission award
A human geography student at The James Hutton Institute and the University of Aberdeen has won the Scottish Land Commission’s National Student Award for 2023.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
Changing gender roles in Scottish farming – shifting the balance
Lee-Ann Sutherland at The James Hutton Institute
The role of women in Scotland’s agricultural sector is under the spotlight, for good reason. For a long time, there has been a lack of women in leadership posititions in the sector, under representation in leadership roles in farming organisations, cultural barriers and significant unconscious gender bias.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are the views of the author(s), and not an official position of the institute or funder.
