Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬

Mum, PGR (PhD @RewildScience eDNA river, MRes @PlasticsEnvRes - MPs in Antarctic fish), biodiversity, conservation, sustainability, environment. Own opinions.🐟

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

Obviously the whole story was a lot longer. Thanks to everyone (too many to list) that helped (organisation & out in the field), from supervisory, admin & fieldwork team @UniOfHull @UHI_IBFC @bournemouthuni; @CanalRiverTrust incl Mark & Alice & @NaturalEngland Louise Whatley

[Rewild Research Hull @RewildScience]

In the field last week, kingfishers flashing, mayflies dancing, fish jumping, green woodpeckers laughing...(OK hard work too cf. ALT)! #KnowledgeExchange success from @CanalRiverTrust Diglis Fish Pass evident from local public discussing eDNA and shad with me [@clareycollins]🥰

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

#eDNA sampling in action! This non-invasive, cost-efficient method uses fish DNA in water samples to identify species in large river ecosystems, revealing which fish are present. We collected and filtered eDNA samples on board—a task that requires lots of cleanliness and effort!

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

💐Thanks to @ClareyCollins from @UniOfHull , our eDNA sampling kit was ready to go! Clare, a PhD researcher focused on effective biodiversity monitoring of river rewilding using eDNA modelling, developed these methods into a successful citizen science monitoring project.

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

🛥️Day 2 -The team spent the morning prepping and loading equipment on the boat. Despite a slight delay in delivery of equipment, we started sampling in the afternoon. First day of actual sampling was a success! We scanned 16 km of riverbed and took 8 #eDNA samples on the Severn.

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

Day 3 - Another sunny day! ☀️
Our team continued sampling on the Severn with extra help from the #EnvironmentAgency. The water was calm, and the side scanner ran smoothly. We finished early as we became more efficient with eDNA sampling and worked better together. @EnvAgency

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

📣Exciting finding on Day 4!
Using #GrabSampling, our team discovered suitable and accessible spawning habitat for sturgeons—with gravel and food— right below Diglis Weir, the first barrier for sturgeons going upstream. This confirms the availability of crucial habitat.🎉🎉🎉

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

🍃Exploring the #RiverWye.
The Wye is free from barriers, making it an ideal habitat for sturgeons. Its unspoiled environment is perfect for fish spawning and feeding. Let's protect this vital ecosystem together to ensure a thriving future for sturgeon and other native fish!! 🐟

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

🦆Day 5 on the Wye!
The team's expedition concluded with the final day of sampling on the #Wye, by kayak! We collected 5 eDNA samples. Although we couldn't use the scanner due to the shallow depth, suitable spawning habitats were visibly abundant along many river stretches. 🦫

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

Really happy to be (a little bit!) involved with this project...

[ZSLMarine @ZSLMarine]

🫶Thank you for following along our expedition!
❤️We want to express our gratitude to all our collaborators. Special thanks to @VCU, @ClareyCollins (@UniOfHull), and @EnvAgency . If you’d like to learn more about ZSL’s work on sturgeons, please follow the link to our website. ⬇️

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

@CanalRiverTrust @RewildScience They really do, my kids were teaching me all they learnt afterwards. I was picking up samples Aaron and his volunteers kindly took for me to process in the lab (eDNA) to better understand the shad migration. You have a great team there. 👍

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

Start of the month, but still recovering! #PhDLife

[Rewild Research Hull @RewildScience]

This time of year, most of us have been busy carrying out fieldwork. Here @ClareCowgill (plus many others) helped me collect samples for my river eDNA modelling work. It was gruelling, as fieldwork often is. I'm due to return the favour, with a much easier trip in a few weeks!

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

@jonesgarethp @chris_norgate She definitely liked poison! Her new catchphrase!

[Charlie Trotman @TrotmanCharlie]

Deep cores in the marshes have begun! … and it’s very messy

[Rewild Research Hull @RewildScience]

This wee guy just wandered through our garden in broad daylight! A quick check to make sure it was okay, and it was off! 🦔💚

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

@ParsnipsParsons @RewildScience @josh_NFM Ooh that sounds awesome, you'll have to send me the location, will definitely be heading back!

[Rewild Research Hull @RewildScience]

Weekend with the family for one of our researchers @ClareyCollins, enjoying playing along streams in #DalbyForest in the morning, listening to the kingfishers followed by an afternoon watching skylarks, swallows and swifts above the ⛳ on #BeverleyWestwoodPasture #NatureLove

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

A story that gives hope. But sad Aloka and the local communities have had to go through so much to prevent their government and large corporates destroying our planet. So pleased there are people like Aloka out there. #conservation
https://t.co/0l4HfKeF4u

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

@KatyDukeShark @Pringles @TerraCycle @MYGroupRecycles ReFactory I mean, same excellent group, will maybe contact them directly. Thanks.

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

After some help please @Pringles & @terracycle, I've collected a number of Pringles tubes over the years in the hope a recycling option opened up near us. I'm now under pressure to get rid of these, but still 🚫 close to recycle them? Can I send them somewhere for recycling?

[Clare E. Collins 🌎🌳🌊🐟🧬 @ClareyCollins]

@KatyDukeShark @Pringles @TerraCycle @MYGroupRecycles Ooh, thank you Katy, no, I looked at Reworked, will take a look.

[🇨🇦 Christopher Sturdy 🇨🇦 @cbsturdy]

Frans de Waal (1948–2024) | Science https://t.co/SdU8cm4SHR