29 Nov Supporting Professional Development: Providing industry support to University of Southampton student research
Over the summer of 2023, BSG Ecology provided industry support to Bitsy Pout, a final year MSc Biodiversity and Conservation student at the University of Southampton. BSG worked with Bitsy and the university to help her design and carry out fieldwork and analysis for her thesis, investigating the correlation between plant and invertebrate diversity and biodiversity net gain scores in grassland habitat.
Bitsy had expressed an interest in biodiversity net gain (BNG) which is a requirement for developers to increase the total habitat value of a development, now widely adopted in local planning policy in England, and soon to become a required under the Environment Act.
Dr Tom Flynn, Principal Ecologist, who led BSG’s support, explained what was provided:
“Prior to developing her specific research question, BSG provided Bitsy with training on grassland ecology, habitat survey, and BNG calculation. This training was based on BSG’s internal training programme for new staff. Following this, we worked with Bitsy and her supervisor at Southampton, Dr Kate Parks, to develop her key research question, and provided in-field training in botanical and invertebrate survey at grassland sites in Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire. These included areas of recently-created habitat at residential and commercial development sites.”
Bitsy then extended her survey to grassland sites in Hampshire and Somerset. Her data analysis revealed a correlation between BNG score and plant species-richness, but not between BNG score and invertebrate species-richness. She concluded with recommendations for extending the research from this pilot study to include more comprehensive invertebrate surveys, and consideration of incorporating rare invertebrate species into BNG calculations.
Bitsy commented that:
“I was so lucky to have the opportunity to work with the lovely people at BSG Ecology from forming the basis of my thesis in January, to helping with plant ID and UK Habitat Classification in the field. I learned so much about the work of an ecologist in just a few days, and I am so excited to start my career in ecology with a company whose ethics align with my own”
Bitsy achieved a distinction in her master’s thesis in November 2023. Congratulations Bitsy on your, hard work and enthusiasm, and your very interesting and relevant research!
Bitsy is due to join BSG Ecology’s Oxford office as a Seasonal Ecologist in February 2024.
If you interested in a career in ecology we have written an article on what we are looking for in early career ecologists, including the skills you could develop to help set yourself apart: What do we look for in Graduate and Early Career Ecologists?
All our current vacancies can be found here: Work For BSG Ecology