
These data are held and managed by the Environmental Information Data Centre
For more details and to access the data, go to https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/5700501d-feb4-445d-aa08-81a158e54bac
Edwards, F.K.; Webb, G.; Scarlett, P.; Baker, R.; Vincent, H.; Bowes, M.
Macroinvertebrates of the river Thames catchments UK: taxon data
Cite this dataset as:
Edwards, F.K.; Webb, G.; Scarlett, P.; Baker, R.; Vincent, H.; Bowes, M. (2016). Macroinvertebrates of the river Thames catchments UK: taxon data. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/5700501d-feb4-445d-aa08-81a158e54bac
Download/Access
PLEASE NOTE: By accessing or using this dataset, you agree to the terms of the relevant licence agreement(s). You will ensure that this dataset is cited in any publication that describes research in which the data have been used.
This dataset is made available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
https://doi.org/10.5285/5700501d-feb4-445d-aa08-81a158e54bac
Data comprise species level descriptions of macroinvertebrate communities and habitat descriptions from wadeable rivers of the Thames catchment, in the United Kingdom (UK), sampled over three seasons in the years 2009 - 2010.
Publication date: 2016-09-17
Format
Comma-separated values (CSV)
Spatial information
Study area
Spatial representation type
Tabular (text)
Spatial reference systems
OSGB 1936 / British National Grid
WGS 84
WGS 84
Temporal information
Temporal extent
2009-03-31 to 2010-11-01
Provenance & quality
The waterbodies studied are rivers of the Thames catchment, UK. Dataset comprises eighteen sampling sites, sampling took place in Autumn 2009, Spring 2010 and Autumn 2010. Not all sites were sampled on all occasions (see supporting documentation).
Macroinvertebrates were sampled using a 1mm mesh kick net following the RIvPACS field protocol as described in: Murray-Bligh, J. A. D., Furse, M. T., Jones, F. H., Gunn, R. J. M., Dines, R. A. & Wright, J. F. (1997) Procedure for collecting and analysing macro-invertebrate samples for RIVPACS. Environment Agency and Institute of Freshwater Ecology, Bristol, UK
Site variables (depth, width, substrate cover, macrophyte cover) were also recorded as described in the above document.
Samples were washed into plastic sample bags, labelled and preserved with a 4% formaldehyde solution in the field. In the laboratory, samples were washed through a 500 μm sieve and all macroinvertebrates were picked from the samples and identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, usually species. Valid taxonomic names and unique taxon identification codes were provided in: Davies, C. and Edwards, F.K. (2011) Code list for recording the macroinvertebrates in freshwater in the British Isles. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford.
Data entry was validated by crosschecking data print outs with laboratory sheets.
Map variables were derived for those point locations using the Intelligent River Network (Version 17), which was first described in: Dawson, F.H., Hornby, D.D. and Hilton, J. (2002), A method for the automated extraction of environmental variables to help the classification of rivers in Britain. Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst., 12: 391-403. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.534
Sample identifiers:
Samples are defined by unique combination of the site code and the sample date. A key to site codes is provided by downloading supporting documentation.
Column headings in taxon dataset:
Column Content
A Site code
B Sample date
C Season (A, autumn; S, spring)
D Taxon code as per Davies and Edwards (2011)
E Taxon name as per Davies and Edwards (2011)
F Life stage (L, larva/nymph; P, pupa; A, adult; U, life stage not relevant)
G Abundance in sample
Macroinvertebrates were sampled using a 1mm mesh kick net following the RIvPACS field protocol as described in: Murray-Bligh, J. A. D., Furse, M. T., Jones, F. H., Gunn, R. J. M., Dines, R. A. & Wright, J. F. (1997) Procedure for collecting and analysing macro-invertebrate samples for RIVPACS. Environment Agency and Institute of Freshwater Ecology, Bristol, UK
Site variables (depth, width, substrate cover, macrophyte cover) were also recorded as described in the above document.
Samples were washed into plastic sample bags, labelled and preserved with a 4% formaldehyde solution in the field. In the laboratory, samples were washed through a 500 μm sieve and all macroinvertebrates were picked from the samples and identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, usually species. Valid taxonomic names and unique taxon identification codes were provided in: Davies, C. and Edwards, F.K. (2011) Code list for recording the macroinvertebrates in freshwater in the British Isles. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford.
Data entry was validated by crosschecking data print outs with laboratory sheets.
Map variables were derived for those point locations using the Intelligent River Network (Version 17), which was first described in: Dawson, F.H., Hornby, D.D. and Hilton, J. (2002), A method for the automated extraction of environmental variables to help the classification of rivers in Britain. Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst., 12: 391-403. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.534
Sample identifiers:
Samples are defined by unique combination of the site code and the sample date. A key to site codes is provided by downloading supporting documentation.
Column headings in taxon dataset:
Column Content
A Site code
B Sample date
C Season (A, autumn; S, spring)
D Taxon code as per Davies and Edwards (2011)
E Taxon name as per Davies and Edwards (2011)
F Life stage (L, larva/nymph; P, pupa; A, adult; U, life stage not relevant)
G Abundance in sample
Licensing and constraints
This dataset is made available under the terms of the Open Government Licence
Cite this dataset as:
Edwards, F.K.; Webb, G.; Scarlett, P.; Baker, R.; Vincent, H.; Bowes, M. (2016). Macroinvertebrates of the river Thames catchments UK: taxon data. NERC Environmental Information Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/5700501d-feb4-445d-aa08-81a158e54bac
© UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Correspondence/contact details
Francois Edwards
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford
Wallingford
Oxfordshire
OX10 8BB
UNITED KINGDOM
enquiries@ceh.ac.uk
Wallingford
Oxfordshire
OX10 8BB
UNITED KINGDOM
Authors
Webb, G.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Baker, R.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Vincent, H.
Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Other contacts
Rights holder
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Custodian
NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk
Publisher
NERC Environmental Information Data Centre
info@eidc.ac.uk