Conservation Monitoring in Freshwater Habitats

About this book

The predicted changes to global weather patterns and increases in the human population will put unprecedented pressure on European freshwater habitats and the species that depend on them. Our success in conserving the ecological value of these habitats will depend greatly on carefully planned conservation management integrated with efficient and reliable monitoring.

Conservation Monitoring in Freshwater Habitats takes an important look at the need for developing clear, site-specific, conservation management goals - something rarely considered in previous publications on freshwater monitoring. The book explores the concept of integrated monitoring for both biological conservation and water quality and provides practical guidance for developing and implementing efficient and reliable monitoring projects. It concludes with a series of case studies covering a range of habitats and species, which illustrate best practice in both decision-making and application.

This timely book will provide a valuable reference for students and researchers in biological and environmental sciences, and for practitioners working in government departments, conservation organisations and ecological consultancies. It will be an essential resource for anyone working towards fulfilling the requirements of both the Water Framework Directive and the EC Habitats Directive.

Contents

List of contributors.- Acknowledgements.- Section 1: Setting the scene. 1. Conservation monitoring in freshwater habitats: an introduction.- 2. Options for planning management.- 3. The Water Framework Directive and the Habitats and Birds Directives.- Section 2: Biological indicators for freshwater habitats. 4. Freshwater mammals as indicators of habitat condition.- 5. Waterbirds as bioindicators of environmental conditions.- 6. Monitoring fish populations in river SACs.- 7. Assessment of aquatic invertebrates.- 8. Riverine plants as biological indicators.- 9. Phytoplankton (toxic algae) as biological indicators.- 10. Monitoring biological invasions in freshwater habitats.- Section 3: Rivers: threats and monitoring issues. 11. Threats to river habitats and associated plants and animals.- 12. The development and application of Mean Trophic Rank (MTR).- 13. Monitoring the Ranunculion habitat on the River Itchen.- 14. Observer variation in river macrophyte surveys.- 15. The implications of observer variation for existing macrophyte recording methods.- 16. Unitisation of protected rivers.- Section 4: River case studies. 17. Monitoring the Ranunculion habitat of the Western Cleddau.- 18. Monitoring of Cryphaea lamyana on the Afon Teifi SSSI/SAC.- 19. Monitoring sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus ammocoetes in SAC rivers.- 20. Monitoring juvenile Atlantic salmon and sea trout in the River Savaran.- 21. Shad monitoring in the Afon Tywi SAC.- 22. Monitoring the effects of acidification and liming on water quality in a boreal stream.- Section 5: Lake and wetland case studies. 23. A baseline for monitoring the freshwater Natura 2000 vegetation of the Teifi pools.- 24. Aquatic plant monitoring in the Broads.- 25. Monitoring stoneworts Chara spp. at Bosherston Lakes.- 26. Monitoring wetland mammals.- 27. Ringed Seals in the Gulf of Bothnia.- Section 6: Integrated surveillance, monitoring and management at Donana Natural Space. 28. An integrated monitoring programme for Donana Natural Space.- 29. Monitoring aquatic ecosystems at Donana Natural Space.- 30. Endangered waterbirds at Donana Natural Space.- 31. Monitoring marsh dynamics through remote sensing.- 32. New technologies for long-term biodiversity monitoring.- Section 7: Appendices. Glossary.- Index.-

Customer Reviews