Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Welcome to the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability and Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton!
This podcast explores the greatest and most wicked problem that is sustainability, whilst looking at how we are collectively addressing this critical global challenge.
Sustainability needs to be addressed by understanding how the economy, society, culture, politics and environment intersect, and this is the focus that informs each episode of the Meliora podcast.
In each episode, host Professor Simon Kemp and guest hosts are joined by a variety of guests, including academics, students, staff, researchers, alumni, community groups and business leaders.
The aim of the podcast is to shine a light on the vast range of topics surrounding sustainability and to allow listeners to learn about the critical challenges we face, as well as how they can be part of the solution. We also ensure our fantastic students have the opportunity to share their brilliant work with the world.
Podcast host: Professor Simon Kemp, Deputy Director of the Sustainability & Resilience Institute, University of Southampton
Podcast editors: Lily Killner, Sophie Green, Libby Kale, Jack Dinham, Ellie Howell, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton
Podcast communications: Hannah Parish, Alexander Ayerst, Maya Stevens, University of Southampton
Please do get in touch to discuss this podcast and any of the issues we raise by emailing sri@soton.ac.uk
Follow us on instagram and X: @meliorapodcast
Meliora: a podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute
Heidi Wheatley: Invasive non-native species impacts on invertebrate communities
Heidi Wheatley, BSc Environmental Science, joins us to discuss her research project "Invasive non-native species impacts on invertebrate communities".
Abstract
Invasive non-native (INN) plants pose an increasing ecological threat worldwide, creating monocultured plant communities and causing ripple effects across various species. Invertebrates are particularly affected due to habitat and food resource alteration, leading to changes in ecosystem services and trophic cascades. However, not all INN plants exert the same influence, and effects differ depending on species and invasion area, with some offering positive outcomes, particularly in urbanised regions with diminished biodiversity. Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) is an INN plant of concern in some European countries. Although it has spread considerably within the UK, research on its impacts on UK habitats is scant, and it is not yet deemed a species of concern.
This research examined a Canadian goldenrod invasion within a meadow in Southampton, focusing on its impacts on invertebrate abundance. Variability was noted in pollinator, in-vegetation, and ground invertebrate abundance using pitfall traps, beat sheets, and visual observation methods. Findings indicated that goldenrod did not lead to a significant change in overall species abundance. However, some species exhibited marked changes in their abundance distribution. This novel research kickstarts critical data collection on Canadian goldenrod’s potential interactions and impacts on invertebrates in the UK and serves as a precedent for widening research on other known INN plants, not only those already classified as species of concern.
Episode Guest: Heidi Wheatley, BSc Environmental Science
Episode Host: Prof Simon Kemp
Producer & Editor: Ellie Howell
