Water Framework Directive Marine Plants Task Team Tools Paper ...

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The final metric system works on a sliding scale to enable an accurate EQR value to be calculated for each of the different parameters, an average of these values is then used to establish the final classification status. For the calculation of the EQR value for each of the parameters this requires two slightly different calculations. For species richness, proportion of red species and the ESG ratio, all of which increase in value with increasing EQR, use the following equation: Class Range = CR Class Width = CW EQR Band Range = BR EQR Band width = BW EQR = {(value – lower CR)/(CW) x EQR BW} + lower EQR BR Example using a value for species richness: 34 – this lies between 2035 and with an EQR between 0.40.6) therefore: Score = {(34 – 20)/15 x 0.2} + 0.4 Score = 0.186 + 0.4 = 0.587 For the proportion of green species, proportion of opportunist species and shore description, all of which decrease in value with increasing EQR, use the following equation: Class Range = CR Class Width = CW EQR Band Range = BR EQR Band width = BW EQR = Upper EQR BR {(value – lower CR)/(CW) x EQR BW} Example using a value for the proportion of greens: 29.4 – this lies between 2530 and with an EQR between 0.60.8) Score = 0.8 {(29.4 – 25)/5 x 0.2} Score = 0.8 – 0.176 = 0.624 This scoring system was then applied to the full data set to ensure the calculated quality status matched the predicted quality status. This is necessary to ensure a level of confidence in the metric.
Development of a Reduced Species List Unfortunately, the identification of intertidal seaweed species requires high levels of taxonomic expertise. An alternative means of recording qualitative species data is the implementation of a reduced species list (RSL) whereby the number of species from the RSL is in proportion to the total species richness. The list is composed of species (approximately 70) that contribute most significantly to the overall species composition of rocky shores of a particular type within a geographical area, and this would act as a surrogate to the production of a full species list. The benefits of this approach are the requirement of a lower level of taxonomic experience and familiarisation with fewer algal species. The database was used to establish a reduced species list to be used as a surrogate for total species richness. The definitive quality criterion is the full species richness, the reduced species lists merely acts as a link between the quality status and species richness. If we accept that a rich shore has between 60 and 100 species then we should be able to select a smaller species number, more or less universally present on such shores, which would be in proportion to the full richness. Such a reduced list could be selected to be those species that might be reasonably identified unambiguously by biologists in the agencies that were not seaweed experts. In order to develop such a monitoring tool, species records and site details held within the database were used in conjunction with expert opinion, within the MPTT, to extract the following information: 1. How many species to use for reduced species list. The July 2002 meeting (ahead of database compilation) did not reach a consensus on this with subjective ideas of numbers of desirable species varying from 50 (E. Wells & M. Wilkinson) to 10 (C. Maggs). 2. What is the level of taxonomic resolution deemed to be acceptable for the identification of those species in the RSL. Some species are relatively taxonomically easy to identify such as the fucoids, where as within other genera
Page 1 and 2: Water Framework Directive Marine Pl
Page 3 and 4: dates will result in a larger speci
Page 5 and 6: Figure 2: Sites included within the
Page 7 and 8: fauna and flora and exposed shores
Page 9 and 10: Table 1: Field sampling sheet to re
Page 11 and 12: These different community factors c
Page 13 and 14: All datasets were tested for normal
Page 15: Table 3: Calculation of ‘deshor
Page 19 and 20: certain species are only present on
Page 21 and 22: Figure 11: Map of the UK and Republ
Page 23 and 24: Table 4: Species lists for each of
Page 25 and 26: Table 6: Boundaries values for RSL,
Page 27 and 28: The final metric system works on a
Page 29 and 30: Table 10: Final quality status and
Page 31 and 32: EQR Value EQR Value 1.00 0.80 0.60
Page 33 and 34: EQR Value 1.00 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20

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