Macroinvertebrates of the river Thames catchments UK: taxon data

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

This dataset is included in the following collections

Water quality and biological data from the River Thames and its tributaries (1997 to 2013)