Category
Field research platforms
Capabilities
The Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) is an ongoing programme of annual monitoring and periodic surveys of 25 species of seabird that breed regularly in Britain and Ireland. The SMP is co-ordinated by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) and involves 19 partner organisations including UKCEH. SMP provides data on breeding numbers and breeding success of seabirds, both regionally and nationally, to enable their conservation status to be assessed. The Isle of May is about 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) long and 0.5 kilometres (0.3 miles) wide, owned and managed by NatureScot as a national nature reserve, with no permanent residents. IMLOTS is run by UKCEH to provide the most comprehensive study of seabird populations in the UK from a series of study locations on the island. IMLOTS sites are used to study seabird population ecology, trophic interactions, ecotoxicology, disease ecology, behavioural ecology and physiology - to assess the effects of key drivers and causes of seabird population change, such as climate change, fishing, offshore renewable developments, contaminants and parasites.
Lifecycle
The Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP) was established in 1986 by JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation Committee: Government's advisor on wildlife).
Uniqueness
IMLOTS is the most comprehensive survey site in the Seabird Monitoring Programme for Britain and Ireland, and makes important contributions to the evidence base for marine spatial planning.
Partners
IMLOTS is partly funded by the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) as part of the UK Seabird Monitoring Programme. IMLOTS is operated by UKCEH, liaising closely with NatureScot who own and manage the island and its seabird populations, and who licence all research and monitoring work.
Access
The Isle of May is available for use by other research organisations, usually in collaboration with UKCEH: initial enquiries via UKCEH Edinburgh (Francis Daunt). Such projects are subject to permissions provided by the landowners, NatureScot, and any other relevant research licence-awarding bodies. IMLOTS data are available via the UKCEH Environmental Information Data Centre (EIDC).
Location
The Isle of May is located in the outer Firth of Forth, approximately 8 km (5.0 miles) off the east coast of mainland Scotland.
Funding sources
Funding for IMLOTS is provided by: JNCC; UKRI-NERC National Capability UK-SCaPE programme; research project grants; and by the offshore wind farm industry.
Users
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IMLOTS is currently used by UKCEH researchers and collaborating partners.
Scale
Area, city, farm, habitat
Last updated
27 March 2023 13:05
