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Aquatic Surveying and Environmental Data Analyses |
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FAQ's |
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| Q | What legislation addresses the ecological quality of freshwaters? | |
| A | The EU Water Framework Directive came into force in 2000; its purpose is to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwater within Member States. It requires that these waters reach ‘good status’ by 2015 and defines how this should be achieved. Water quality protection is to be achieved through a repeated process of preparing, implementing and reviewing river basin management plans for river basin districts. | |
| Q | Do aquatic macroinvertebrates appear on lists of conservation status? | |
| A |
Aquatic species may appear on several lists of
conservation status; Red Data Book lists, Biodiversity
Action Plan (BAP) priority lists, European Directives
lists, schedules of the Wildlife and Countryside Act
and lists of rare and scarce species.
A single species may appear on several lists, such as Aeshna isosceles the Norfolk Hawker, a dragonfly confined to the Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk. This species appears in the Red List based on 2001 IUCN guidelines as Endangered (Red Data Book Category 1), it is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species and is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 5 section 9. In this example the implications of this latter listing are that it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take any wild individual and prohibits interference with places used for shelter or protection, or intentionally disturbing animals occupying such places. A permit is required in order to handle this species. Other aquatic or wetland invertebrate species with similar levels of protection are listed below: |
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| Common name | Scientific name | |
| White Clawed Crayfish | Austopotamobius pallipes | |
| Fairy Shrimp | Chirocephalus diaphanus | |
| Southern Damselfly | Coenagrion mercuriale | |
| Fen Raft Spider | Dolomedes plantarius | |
| Spangled Diving Beetle | Graphoderus zonatus | |
| Lesser Silver Water Beetle | Hydrochara caraboides | |
| Freshwater Pearl Mussel | Margaritifera margaritifera | |
| Glutinous Snail | Myxas glutinosa | |
| Tadpole Shrimp | Triops cancriformis | |
| Q | What are the consequences of being a priority habitat? | |
| A |
UK BAP priority habitats are semi-natural habitat types
judged to be important for biodiversity conservation
set within a context of broad habitat types.
Using ponds as an example; should a pond meet the criteria to be defined as a priority pond (an example of which is a PSYM Index of Biological Integrity of greater than 75 %) any potential decline in the quality of the pond should be mitigated for and measures taken to enhance the biodiversity in areas where potential exists. The pond must be acknowledged as a significant feature and any development should seek to protect it. Habitat Action Plan (HAP) target 4 seeks to create new pond sites of high quality potential; therefore opportunities for pond creation should be explored. If a pond is to be unavoidably destroyed then compensation should provide an enhanced habitat relative to that to be lost. |
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| Q | Are there standardised monitoring protocols for carrying out freshwater surveys? | |
| A | Survey design is typically customised to suit the needs of each project. Where appropriate survey design utilises standard methodologies, such as RIVPACS, River Habitat Survey, PSYM, National Pond Survey and CPET. | |
| Q | When should a survey for freshwater aquatic macroinvertebrates be carried out? | |
| A |
Ideally lotic habitats (rivers and streams) would be
sampled during a minimum of two seasons; in spring
(March to May) and again in autumn (September to
November). Sampling in more than one season allows for
the natural variation in life cycle of taxa i.e.
animals too small to sample or to specifically identify
or in flight for example.
Permanent lentic habitats (ponds and lakes) should ideally be surveyed during the summer months (June to August). This period coincides with the period of maximum vegetative habitat diversity. |
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| Q | Are the relative impacts of alien species in the aquatic environment known? | |
| A |
The level of impact from various aquatic alien plant
and animal species has been classified; however the
impact of many species is currently unquantifiable.
Examples of species exerting a high level of impact are Australian Stonecrop Crassula helmsii, Water Fern Azolla filiculoides, North American Signal Crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus and the Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Aseda can provide advice regarding the relative impacts and removal, if appropriate, of alien species recorded within a waterbody. |
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| Q | Is Aseda registered in a professional directory of experts? | |
| A |
Aseda are listed on the Institute of Ecology and
Environmental Management (IEEM) commercial expert
directory. Members of this directory have appropriate
Professional Indemnity Insurance; they comply with the
Institute’s Continuing Professional Development
requirements; and adhere to the Institute’s Code
of Professional Conduct.
Aseda has both relevant Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurances for the work carried out. |
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| Q | Does Aseda have a health and safety policy? | |
| A | Yes, this document is available on request. | |
| Q | Does Aseda have an environmental policy? | |
| A | Yes, this document is available on request. | |
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