1 Wetland Assessment, Protected & Invasive Species 23 rd September 2010 Stuart Ireland MIEEM CEnv

2 Content Wetland Assessment Hydro-ecology Protected Species Invasive Species Invasive Species Control Questions & Answers

3 Wetland Assessment What is the purpose of the assessment? Condition assessment? Ecological Impact Assessment? Formal Environmental Impact Assessment? Management? This will help set clear goals for the assessment, and inform the choice of assessment method. Pre-survey Ecological Risk Assessment - what wetland(s) and species may be present – protected and invasive species implications

4 Wetland Survey Specialist surveys –Macrophytes –Macro-invertebrates inc. Crayfish –Fish –Great crested newts –Reptiles –Water vole –Otter Understand trophic indicators and other indicators of water ‘health –Algal blooms –Duckweed spp.

5 Wetland Survey (cont.) Look for obvious signs of pollution: –In the wetland –Entering the wetland through feeder streams Extremes in water colour –White/grey –Green –‘Rainbow’ effect

6 Hydro-ecology The science of water in relation to wetland wildlife habitats How plant & animal communities interact with their supporting soil water, surface water and ground water systems. Used to: –Evaluate wetland systems –Solve wetland management problems –Design new wetlands (inc. SUDS) –Impact Assessments

7 Protected Species (& Sites!) SITES International, European & National Legislation –Ramsar Sites –Special Protection Areas –Special Areas of Conservation –Sites of Special Scientific Interest SPECIES Lower plants (e.g. river jelly lichen) Higher plants (e.g. slender cotton grass) Invertebrates (e.g. lesser silver water beetle) Fish (e.g. allis shad) Amphibians (e.g. great crested newt) Reptiles (e.g. grass snake) Birds (e.g. Cetti’s warbler, kingfisher) Mammals (e.g. Eurasian otter, water vole, bats)

8 Invasive Species Japanese knotweed giant knotweed hybrid knotweed giant hogweed Himalayan balsam water hyacinth water fern water lettuce parrot’s feather floating pennywort fanwort New Zealand pygmyweed curly waterweed Elodea spp. crayfish – red swamp – spiny cheeked – noble – Turkish – signal pumpkinseed bitterling Wels catfish zander

9 Invasive Species Control Plant Species –Herbicide Spray Stem injection –Physical removal –Bio-control e.g. psyllid Aphalara itadori –Reduction in eutrophication (e.g. Himalayan balsam) Animal Species –Trapping –Bio-control Predators (e.g. Eels) Pathogens

10 Questions and (hopefully) answers