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Much of the research undertaken in the areas of ecology and behaviour is co-ordinated through the Environmental Management Unit which looks at environmental assessment, particularly ecological evaluation, in relation to land use and agricultural management. Recent work includes assessment of land types on Islay and an environmental impact assessment study associated with shore birds of the Clyde Estuary. Several research themes have been developed, including studies on mating behaviour in wrens and environmental enrichment for captive animals. A stable isotope processing facility is used for a range of tracer and natural abundance applications. These include the use of doubly labelled water (2H218O) to investigate avian energetics, and nutrient cycling in ecosystems (analysis of 13C, 15N) to assess the impact of fish farming on Scottish lochs, and the impact of sewage discharges on estuarine fauna.
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