Grantee: Scottish Association for Marine Science

Duration:  January 2024 – August 2025

Background

The decline of Scotland’s summer snow patches, driven by rising upland temperatures, is a conspicuous example of the local impacts of climate change.  With their loss, Scotland will not only lose an important aesthetic and cultural landscape element, but an entire rare ecosystem will also be lost.

Snow algae, or ‘watermelon snow’, are an unusual group of algae adapted to survive in the harsh, cold conditions of snow.  They have been well documented on other continents including Antarctica, but their presence in Scotland remains almost completely unknown.

Images showing fieldwork sites and microscopic views of the algae strains. Photos 10 and 11 were taken by Naomi Thomas.

The Project

This research project, led by a team of experienced algal physiologists based at the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS), explored and showcased snow algae in Scotland for the first time.  Through both research and outreach, the project enhanced understanding of summer snow habitats in the UK and shared knowledge with stakeholders and communities to ensure future monitoring.

With the help of mountain guides and hillwalkers, the project recorded 47 new observations of red snow across Scotland. Sampling took place across 12 snow patches in upland areas such as the Cairngorms, Ben Nevis, and Glencoe.

Samples were analysed at SAMS within Dr Matthew Davey’s snow algae research group, identifying and recording species and providing a significant update to the only previous dataset from Light and Belcher, 1968.  The results, which are due to be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal,  improve scientific understanding of where and when red snow blooms occur in Scotland.

A selection of samples has been biobanked in the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP) for future preservation and research.

The outreach side of the project aimed to raise awareness of these enigmatic and fragile habitats. An article on the popular UK Hillwalking website prompted multiple people getting in touch with observations of red snow. Collaboration with the American ‘Living Snow Project’ enabled the public to submit sightings through an app, while a series of flyers distributed at mountain visitor centres encouraged further participation.

In the words of Dr Alex Thomson:

“The funding and ongoing support from HIEF have been instrumental in bringing our project to life. Collaborating with HIEF has enabled us to enhance our outreach and public engagement efforts and ensure that our findings on Scotland’s Red Snows reach a wider audience. This partnership has been crucial in raising public awareness of one of Scotland’s least explored ecosystems.”

❄️ Impact Snapshot

🔬 Research & Innovation

• 47 new red snow observations recorded
• 12 snow patches sampled at 7 sites
• 6 strains preserved in the national algae biobank
• 1 scientific paper in preparation

📣 Awareness Raising

• 300+ visitors engaged at public events
• 2,000 information flyers distributed across 8 Highland locations
• 1 university partner engaged (SAMS-UHI) with student projects planned