Biology Trip helps Old Salopian publish paper

An Old Salopian has had a paper published after collecting data on a Shrewsbury School trip. 

Jetty R (G, 2014-19) has had a paper published in the International Journal of High School Research, based on data collected during a Biology Department expedition to Guyana in 2019.

Jetty conducted “A Study of The Effect Of Understorey Foliage Density On Bat Diversity and Abundance In The Guyana Shield Rainforest”. She was kindly given additional data by Operation Wallacea and Dr Burton Lim of the Royal Ontario Museum who runs bat research in Guyana. Her paper examines the effect of understorey foliage density on bat populations, understanding of which may be crucial for conservation of the some 1,400 bat species around the world.

Jetty in Guyana in 2019

With risks posed to their habitats by activities such as logging and forest clearance, understanding their interaction with forest foliage may be vital in protecting these species, as nesting sites and food sources are increasingly threatened by human activity.

The results of this study, although inconclusive, suggest that the removal of understorey on bat populations may be greater than previously thought given that bat species dependence on certain tree species is perhaps indicated in this study.

Jetty is currently in her first year at Oxford where she is studying Biology. The paper can be accessed: https://ijhighschoolresearch.org/vol-3-issue5.html