Page 102 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #02

Q&A

Q BOTANY
Q BIOLOGY
What is an ancient Why do animals

woodland indicator? hiccup?

A Hiccups are at least as intriguing as they
A In England and ancient woodlands usually are inconvenient. These noisy gulps and/or
Wales, a woodland is have a greater abundance belches induced by involuntary contractions
deemed ancient if it of plants that spread of the diaphragm seem to be far from useful
has existed with slowly over the in adults, but there’s evidence that they
continuous tree ground, such as serve to help expel air from the stomach in
cover since at wood anemone, suckling infant mammals. Indeed, we get
least 1600 wood sorrel and hiccups less often as we age. They might
(1750 in ransoms, and have truly ancient evolutionary origins. A
Scotland). The those whose hiccup-like reflex enables tadpoles to divert
distinction seeds fall close water to the gills and air to the lungs as they
may seem to the parent, as transition to air-breathing adults – just as
arbitrary, but do those of the our piscine ancestors would have had to do
acknowledges wild service tree. on the way to conquering the land.
Wood anemones
the fact that older are slow to colonise, These plants, Stuart Blackman
tree-ed landscapes advancing just 1.8m along with
tend to have greater in 100 years. guelder rose,
ecological value. wood spurge
To determine the age of a and small leaved lime, are some
woodland, you can consult historic maps of our most common ancient woodland Hiccups help
and records, or you can get out and look indicators. As well as being slow-growers, tadpoles
at its flora. Newer woodlands tend to be they require long-term, stable woodland to transition.
big on the pioneer species – those with cover to survive and are easy to recognise.
windblown seeds, for instance, while Amy-Jane Beer

It’s no joke: sea
otters learn a lot by Q BEHAVIOUR
clowning around
with stones.

A Sea otters have many ways of their eyes closed.
tugging on our heartstrings. And The behaviour is likely to be
going by a plethora of YouTube linked to the animals’ use of
videos, we can now add juggling rocks to detach prey from the
Wood Anemone: Andrew Mason/FLPA; tadpole: Simon Colmer/NPL; sea otter: Bertie Gregory/NPL
stones to the list. To be fair, it’s seabed and break it open. Otters
more keepy-uppy than juggling, form attachments to certain
albeit keepy-uppy with two or stones – keeping them in an
three stones at a time. The otters armpit when not in use – and
lie on their backs and pat the have been known to retain their
stones into the air, catching them favourite ones throughout their
and rolling them skilfully around lives. Recreational juggling may
their chests and necks. And be a playful way of learning how
very impressive it is, too – best to manipulate these tools.
they can even do it with Stuart Blackman

102 BBC Wildlife February 2018