River Gowy rapid corridor survey July 1995. Ecology South Mersey

This is the River Gowy rapid corridor survey July 1995: Ecology South Mersey report produced by the National Rivers Authority North West Region in 1995. This report looks at the survey carried out by the South Mersey Ecology Team prior to routine deweeding operations on the main River Gowy at the end of July, 1995. The survey covered Flood Defence Stretch References RGOW03 to RGOW16. These stretches were further divided into a series of 43 stretches, each one being approximately 500m in length for ease o f mapping by Ecology. Recommendations for each length have been cross-referenced with the Bill of Quantities where possible, e.g. retention o f margins. In Flood Defence stretch RGOW03, the South West Winter Wetland forms an important habitat for birds. In stretches RGOW04 to RGOW05, the Gowy Meadows and Ditches have been designated a Grade A, Site of Biological Importance, by Cheshire County Council due to the nature of the acidic grassland and diverse ditches. In stretches RGOWIO to RGOW11 the left bank forms Hockenhull Platts, Grade A Site of Biological Importance and County Trust Reserve. In stretches RGOW15 to RGOW16, the area from Mill Farm to the Shropshire Union Canal is a Grade A Site of Biological Importance. These sites are very sensitive and detailed recommendations for working practices can be found in the relevant sections o f the survey.

River Leith fluvial aufit. Final project report

This is the River Leith fluvial audit: Final project report produced by Lancaster University in 1998. Freeze cores extracted from the upper and lower ends of River Leith illustrate that the bed is highly compacted in the downstream reach. Fine material is locally derived from bedrock at depths of only 32 cms into the bed and in one core fine material is 66% of the extracted core. Levels of fines that are believed to be detrimental to fish are put at 20 to 30%. Reduced flow and stream power from water abstraction may lead to a greater infiltration of fine material if gravels are not regularly flushed through with flood flows. Infiltration of fine material can lead to river bed compaction and concretion. A small abstraction may have no effect on the morphology of a river if the reduced discharge is within the normal range of flows experienced. However if the impact on flows is small it is still possible that fine sediment problems will develop progressively and the effects may not be noticed for several years.

Biological survey: River Teign and tributaries with references to the discharge of ball clay wastes

This is the Biological survey of River Teign and tributaries with references to the discharge of ball clay wastes, document produced by South West Water Authority in 1973. This report focuses on on-site assessment of the benthic macro-invertebrates of the lower River Teign, River Bovey, Ugbrooke Stream and Blatchford Brook was undertaken on 19th and 22nd August 1977 to assess the effects of discharges from ball clay mining premises. Inspection of aquatic fauna in the field is of necessity, less extensive than laboratory identification of sorted samples, so that the resulting data underestimates the water quality. This is more pronounced in the Chandler Score than in the Trent Biotic Index which does not take account of species abundance. Chandler should thus be interpreted by the trends described rather than by absolute values calculated.

Ashburn (Dart catchment) fisheries survey 1978

This is the Ashburn (Dart catchment) fisheries survey 1978 report produced by South West Water Authority in 1978. This report focuses on an exploratory survey to determine the population and distribution of all fish species and in particular salmonid species of the Ashburn stream. This survey is primarily intended for future reference on completion of the proposed Flood Alleviation Scheme of the Ashburn where it passes through the centre of Ashburton. Three sections were electro fished using D.C. Current Sections were chosen as easily accessible and through their relation in position to the intended scheme.

Biological survey of the River Teign and tributaries, with reference to the effect of ball clay discharges

This is the Biological survey of the River Teign and tributaries, with reference to the effect of ball clay discharges report produced by South West Water Authority in 1979. A survey of the macroinvertebrate riffle fauna in the Ball Clay mining area of the Bovey Basin, following a period of low rainfall, indicated that the River Bovey and the River Teign between Chudleigh and Teign Bridge, Newton Abbot were of good quality. Further downstream, the R. Teign and the lower reaches of the Ugbrooke Stream were identified as being of doubtful quality with the discharge from ECC Broadway continuing to give cause for concern.

Glossoma intermedium survey. Scotland, April 5th to April 10th 2012

The British Glossomatidae contains seven species, split between the genera Glossosoma, Agapetus and Synagapetus. One species, Glossosoma intermediumhas not been recorded in England since 2003. This was found in a side stream of Hayeswater gill in the Lake District. The main purpose of this survey was to try and locate and record Glossosoma intermedium and was a follow up to a similar survey we carried out in the Glennshee area of Scotland during April 2011. Additionally, as in the 2011 survey it also made sense that while looking for the larvae, pupae and adults of Glossosoma intermediumwe could also record other species of caddisfly (Trichoptera), mayfly (Ephemeroptera) and stonefly (Plecoptera).

Ecology and growth of juvenile California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus (Randall)

ABSTRACT TRANSCRIBED FROM ENGLE'S PH.D. ORAL DEFENSE PAMPHLET: The natural history of juvenile California spiny lobster, Panulirus interruptus (Randall), was investigated, with primary emphasis placed on ascertaining juvenile habitats, determining juvenile growth rates and component growth processes, and evaluating ecological and behavioral phenomena associated with juvenile survival and growth. Habitat surveys of island and mainland localities throughout southern and lower California revealed that small, greenish juveniles typically inhabit crevices or temporary burrows in 0-4m deep, wave-swept rocky habitats covered by dense beds of surf grass, Phyllospadix torreyi S. Watson. Phyllospadix beds were more abundant on gradually sloping rocky mainland beaches than on steeply sloping island shores. Phyllospadix abundance was positively correlated with P. interruptus abundance; however, at Santa Catalina Island, the Phyllospadix habitat was not extensive enough to be the sole lobster nursery. In laboratory tests, puerulus larvae and early juveniles chose Phyllospadix over rubble rocks or broad-bladed kelp, but did not consistently prefer Phyllospadix over reticulate algae. Ecology, growth, and behavior of juvenile P. interruptus inhabiting a discrete Phyllospadix habitat at Bird Rock, Santa Catalina Island, were investigated from October 1974 through December 1976 by means of frequent scuba surveys. Pueruli settled from June to November. Peak recruitment occurred from July to September, when seasonal temperatures were maximal. Settled larvae were approximately one year old. Juvenile growth was determined by size-frequency, single molt increment, mark-recapture, and laboratory culture studies. Carapace length vs. wet weight relationships fit standard power curve equations. Bird Rock juveniles grew from 7 to 32mm CL in 10-11 molts and from 32 to 56mm CL in 5-6 molts during their first and second benthic years, respectively. Growth rates were similar for males and females. Juveniles regenerating more than two limbs grew less per molt than intact lobsters. Long-term growth of laboratory-reared juveniles was 20% less than that of field lobsters. Growth component multiple regression analyses demonstrated that molt increment was directly proportional to premolt size and temperature for age 1+ lobsters. Molt frequency was inversely proportional to size and directly proportional to temperature. Temperature affected age 2+ lobsters similarly, but molt increment was independent of size, and molt frequency declined at a different rate. Juvenile growth rates more than doubled during warm water months compared to cold water months, primarily because of increased molt frequency. Based on results from this study and from previous investigations, it is estimated that P. interruptus males and females become sexually mature by ages 4 and 5 years, respectively, and that legai size is reached by 7 or 8 years of age. Juvenile P. interruptus activity patterns and foraging behavior were similar to those of adults, except that juvenile home ranges were proportionally smaller, and small juveniles were apparently not attracted to distant food. Small mollusks, abundant in Phyllospadix habitats, were the major food items. Size-dependent predation by fish and octopus apparently caused the considerable juvenile mortality observed at Bird Rock. Juveniles approaching 2 years of age gathered in mixed size-class aggregations by day and foraged beyond the grass beds at night. In autumn, these juveniles migrated to deeper habitats, coincident with new puerulus settlement in the Phyllospadix beds. Based on strong inferences from the results, it is proposed that size-dependent predation is the most important factor determining the !ife history strategy of juvenile P. interruptus. Life history tactics promoting rapid growth apparently function dually in reducing the period of high vulnerability to predation and decreasing the time required to reach sexual maturity. The Phyllospadix habitat is an excellent lobster nursery because it provides shelter from predators and possesses abundant food resources for sustaining optimum juvenile growth rates in shallow, warm water.