Skip to main content
Home

Information for:

  • Alumni
  • Applicants
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • Parents
  • Job Vacancies
  • Covid-19
  • Cymraeg
My country:

Main Menu

    • Study Options
      • Study Home
      • Why Study at Bangor?
      • Undergraduate Study
      • Postgraduate Taught Study
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Part-time Courses
      • January Start Courses
      • Degree Apprenticeships
      • Study Abroad
      • Work Experience
    • Study Advice
      • Apply
      • Already Applied?
      • Fees and Finances
      • Scholarships and Bursaries
      • Get Ready for University
    • Explore Bangor
      • Open Days and Visits
      • Virtual Student Experience

    Find a Course

    Order a Prospectus

    • Student Life
      • Student Life Home
      • Bangor and the Area
      • Social Life and Entertainment
      • Accommodation
      • Clubs and Societies
      • Sport
      • Virtual Student Experience
    • Your Experience at Bangor
      • Student Support
      • Skills and Employability
      • Study or Work Abroad
      • Fees and Finances

    Student Profiles

    Student Videos and Vlogs

    • Choose Bangor
      • International Home
      • Why Bangor?
      • Location
      • Accommodation
      • Student Support
      • Contact Us
    • Apply
      • Entry Requirements
      • Tuition Fees and Scholarships
      • How to Apply
      • Already Applied
      • Study Abroad
      • Exchanges

    Country Specific Information

    Join us on a Virtual Open Day

    Bangor University International College

    Covid-19 Information

    • Research
      • Research Home
      • About Our Research
      • Research in our Academic Schools
      • Research Institutes and Centres
      • Research Portal
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Energy
      • Research News
    • Postgraduate Research Opportunities
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Doctoral School
    • Events and Training Opportunities
      • Researcher Development
    • The University
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Strategy 2030
      • Annual Review
      • Our Location
      • Academic Schools and Colleges
      • Services and Facilities
      • University Management and Governance
      • Vice Chancellor’s Office
      • Working with Business
      • Working with the Community
      • Sustainability
      • Contact Us
    • Working for Us
      • Job Vacancies
    • University Management and Governance
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
    • University and the Community
      • Pontio
      • Sports Facilities
      • Conference Facilities
      • Places to Eat and Drink
      • Public Events
      • Widening Access
      • Services to Schools
    • Business Services
      • Business Services Home
    • Collaboration Hub
      • Collaboration Hub
      • Funding for Collaborative Research and Development (R&D) & Innovation
      • Business Facilities and Networks
      • Consultancy, Specialist Expertise and Knowledge
      • Commercialisation and Intellectual Property (IP)
      • Student Placements and Internships in Business & Enterprise
      • Training and Continuing Professional Development
      • Degree Apprenticeships
    • Conferencing and Business Dining
      • Conferencing Facilities
      • Business Dining
    • Contacts
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Get In Touch
    • News
      • Current News
      • Research News
      • Student News
    • Events
      • Events

    • Study Options
      • Study Home
      • Why Study at Bangor?
      • Undergraduate Study
      • Postgraduate Taught Study
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Part-time Courses
      • January Start Courses
      • Degree Apprenticeships
      • Study Abroad
      • Work Experience
    • Study Advice
      • Apply
      • Already Applied?
      • Fees and Finances
      • Scholarships and Bursaries
      • Get Ready for University
    • Explore Bangor
      • Virtual Open Days and Visits
      • Virtual Student Experience

    Find a Course

    Order a Prospectus

    • Student Life
      • Student Life Home
      • Bangor and the Area
      • Social Life and Entertainment
      • Accommodation
      • Clubs and Societies
      • Sport
      • Virtual Student Experience
    • Your Experience at Bangor
      • Student Support
      • Skills and Employability
      • Study or Work Abroad
      • Fees and Finances

    Student Profiles

    Student Videos and Vlogs

    • Choose Bangor
      • International Home
      • Why Bangor?
      • Location
      • Student Support
      • Contact Us
    • Apply
      • Entry Requirements
      • Tuition Fees and Scholarships
      • How to Apply
      • Already Applied
      • Study Abroad
      • Exchanges

    Country Specific Information

    Join us on a Virtual Open Day

    Bangor University International College

    Covid-19 Information

    • Research
      • Research Home
      • About Our Research
      • Research in our Academic Schools
      • Research Institutes and Centres
      • Research Portal
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Energy
      • Research News
    • Postgraduate Research Opportunities
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Doctoral School
    • Events and Training Opportunities
      • Researcher Development
    • The University
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Strategy 2030
      • Annual Review
      • Our Location
      • Academic Schools and Colleges
      • Services and Facilities
      • University Management and Governance
      • Vice Chancellor’s Office
      • Working with Business
      • Working with the Community
      • Sustainability
      • Contact Us
    • Working for Us
      • Job Vacancies
    • University Management and Governance
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
    • University and the Community
      • Pontio
      • Sports Facilities
      • Conference Facilities
      • Places to Eat and Drink
      • Public Events
      • Widening Access
      • Services to Schools
    • Business Services
      • Business Services Home
    • Collaboration Hub
      • Collaboration Hub
      • Funding for Collaborative Research and Development (R&D) & Innovation
      • Business Facilities and Networks
      • Consultancy, Specialist Expertise and Knowledge
      • Commercialisation and Intellectual Property (IP)
      • Student Placements and Internships in Business & Enterprise
      • Training and Continuing Professional Development
      • Degree Apprenticeships
    • Conferencing and Business Dining
      • Conferencing Facilities
      • Business Dining
    • Contacts
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Get In Touch
    • News
      • Current News
      • Research News
      • Student News
    • Events
      • Events

Information for:

  • Alumni
  • Applicants
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • Parents
  • Job Vacancies
  • Covid-19
My country:

Search

Close

Breadcrumb

Share this page:
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Cymraeg

Share this page:
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

The secret life of Lugworms – ‘citizen scientists’ needed to help shed light on the sex-life of this important coastal species

Typical lugworm casts- here on a beach in south wales.Typical lugworm casts- here on a beach in south wales.Love is in the air along our coastlines this autumn and Bangor University is asking people in north Wales to keep an eye out for signs of passion in the lugworm population.

The lugworm – Arenicola marina - is a vital source of food for wader birds and fish, and the species plays an important role in fisheries as a source of bait.

But spending their lives burrowed deep in the sediment, opportunities to find the perfect mate are limited. Instead, the males release sperm which collects in ‘puddles’ on the surface of the sand. When the tide comes in, the sperm is washed down into the burrows of the females and fertilises her eggs.

Very specific environmental conditions are needed to trigger the release of the sperm and the egg at the same time and very little is known about the process.

Now scientists are calling on members of the public to join the project as ‘citizen scientists’ and help to fill in the knowledge gaps.

Dubbed ‘Spermwatch’, the project is part of a wider conservation project called Capturing our Coast, a partnership between universities, conservation and research organisations including Bangor University, Newcastle University, Marine Conservation Society and Earthwatch. Capturing our Coast is a three year programme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Porth Trwyn on Anglesey, a typical Welsh beach where lugworm can be found.Porth Trwyn on Anglesey, a typical Welsh beach where lugworm can be found.Professor Stuart Jenkins, Capturing Our Coast Principal Investigator, Bangor University, School of Ocean Sciences, said: "Anyone who takes a walk at low tide on a sandy beach will be familiar with the coiled casts of lugworms.  This project allows us, through engaging with hundreds of citizen scientists, to get deeper insight into their reproductive life around the UK.  Such simultaneous observations over a broad geographic area simply wouldn’t be possible through any other means.”

Dr Jacqui Pocklington, Project Co-ordinator from Newcastle University said: “This is a great way for people to get involved in scientific research which is directly helping conservation of marine species. Without public involvement, it would take years to gather the kind of information we need so every bit of data the public collects is vital.”  

Megan Evans, Earthwatch Institute said: “Projects such as Capturing our Coast are important, because responsibility for the marine environment belongs to us all, and everyone should have an opportunity to contribute.”

The study starts with a launch event at Llanfairfechan beach on 1st October (between 3pm and 6pm) and there are five set periods over the coming months in which people are asked to collect data. It should take about 45 minutes and is ideal to form part of a beach walk – all you have to do is download an instruction book from http://www.capturingourcoast.co.uk/spermwatch and get recording.

Publication date: 28 September 2016

Home

About Us

Academic Schools and Colleges

  • School of Ocean Sciences
    • Home
    • About the School
      • What is Ocean Science?
      • Our Staff
      • Facilities
      • Research Vessel ‘Prince Madog’
      • Our Location
      • Bangor & the Area
      • Visitor Accommodation
      • Equality and Diversity
      • Virtual Tour
      • Centre for Applied Marine Sciences
      • School Brochure (PDF)
    • Our Staff
    • Undergraduate Study
      • Introduction
      • Order a prospectus
      • University Open Days
      • Offer Holder Days
      • Why Study at Bangor?
      • Accommodation
      • Get ready for University
      • Student Life
      • Scholarships & Bursaries
      • Fees & Finances
      • School Brochure (PDF)
      • Student Profiles
    • Postgraduate Study
      • Modules
      • Why study with us?
      • Register your interest in postgraduate study
      • Fees & Finances
      • Scholarships & Funding
      • Entry requirements
      • Applying to Bangor
      • Accommodation
      • Student Support
      • Student Life
      • Studying at Bangor
      • School Brochure (PDF)
      • Student Profiles
      • Alumni profiles
    • Order a Prospectus
    • School Brochure (PDF)
    • Open Days
    • Our Research
      • Research degrees
      • Our staff
      • Centre for Applied Marine Sciences
    • Centre for Applied Marine Sciences
    • Research Vessel ‘Prince Madog’
    • Alumni
      • Sign-up to SOSA
      • Newsletter
      • Reunions
      • Alumni profiles
    • News
    • Videos
    • Contact us
Home

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn

Bangor University

Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, UK

+44 (0)1248 351151

Contact Us

Visit Us

Maps & Directions

Policy

  • Legal Compliance
  • Modern Slavery Act 2015 Statement
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy and Cookies
Map

Bangor University is a Registered Charity: No. 1141565

© 2020 Bangor University