Monthly round up of freshwater oriented articles and news

1. Freshwater Matters
Upcoming FBA Training Courses
River InVertebrate Prediction And Classification System (RIVPACS)/River
Invertebrate Classification Tool (RICT) bioassessment training
Date: Wednesday 1 - Thursday 2 October; Tutor: John Davy-Bowker; Cost: £350; FBA member £325;
Location: FBA River Laboratory, Dorset
During this two-day course delegates can expect to gain a thorough theoretical
and practical knowledge of the latest version of the RIVPACS/RICT bioassessment
tool. Delegates will be able to produce biological assessments to similar standards
as used by the regulatory authorities for WFD compliance monitoring. The course
will provide an background to bioassessment, biotic indices, RIVPACS models
and RICT, standardised RIVPACS kick/sweep sampling, collection of time variant
environmental predictor variables, principles of standardised laboratory sample
processing and enumeration to required taxonomic level(s)*, collection of time
invariant environmental predictor variables, manual calculation of observed
biotic index values (examples of major indices currently in use in the UK),
introduction to the latest web based RICT software and RIVPACS IV models,
preparation of data input files, running RICT in classify, predict and compare
modes, interpretation of RICT outputs, quality classes and diagnosis of stress. The
course will include a demonstration of use of the RICT software. If you would like
to the chance to practice using the software yourself, please bring a laptop. John
Davy-Bowker is the Acting Director of the FBA and a knowledgeable freshwater
biologist with considerable research and teaching experience, and part of the team
continuing to develop the RIVPACS/RICT bioassessment tool.
* Please note: this course does not cover invertebrate identification. Some prior knowledge of river
invertebrate sampling and the principles of invertebrate identification would be beneficial.
Freshwater fish: assessment of condition and ageing
Date: Tuesday 14 October; Tutor: Roger Sweeting; Cost: £125; FBA member £100; Location: FBA
Windermere, Cumbria
This course is aimed at fisheries managers, fishermen and naturalists who want
to know more about the fish that they see, catch or handle. Without recourse to
dissection or detailed microscopy it is quite staggering how much we can piece
together about a fish’s well-being and condition, its age and growth, life history
and sexual development. This course aims to provide an insight into the ways of
observing fish for these purposes. Roger Sweeting has spent many years studying
fish health and helping to develop an understanding of how to improve fisheries
for Thames Water, the National Rivers Authority (NRA), the Environment Agency
and the FBA.
September 2014
Freshwater Matters is a monthly electronic bulletin of the most recent
freshwater news from around the world, compiled by the Freshwater Biological
Association (FBA). It includes updates of what is happening at the FBA and ways
to get involved.
Contents
What’s happening at the FBA?
This month’s articles
Stanford research shows value of clams, mussels in cleaning dirty water
Fresh water and fracking
Speed limits could save rarest dragonfly
Growth drives UK flooding problems
Amazon’s biggest fish faces threat of extinction
Warts and all: Bid to save rare natterjack toads in Scotland
Record-setting insect is bigger than your hand
Australians called on to rescue dwindling river life
Experts work to save rare fresh water pearl mussels in North Yorkshire
Much mirth as Sweden ‘mourns’ its oldest eel

2. Fish health, parasites and disease
Date: Wednesday 15 October; Tutor: Roger Sweeting; Cost: £125; FBA member £100; Location: FBA
Windermere, Cumbria
This is an introductory course for people wanting to understand more about the
parasites and diseases of freshwater fish. It will include general principles of
parasitology, fish physiology and some practical dissection and microscope work.
Roger Sweeting has spent many years studying fish health and has a particular
interest in fish parasitology.
Invertebrate identification for biotic assessment (including examination)
Date: Tuesday 21 - Thursday 23 October; Tutors: Mike Dobson & Simon Pawley; Cost: £600; FBA
member £575; Location: FBA Windermere, Cumbria
This three day course covers the identification of the freshwater macroinvertebrate
families used for biotic assessment (BMWP, RICT, WHPT etc.). It is aimed at
professionals with experience of identification, who wish to consolidate their
knowledge. At the end of the course, participants will be examined on their
identification skills and, if the required standard is attained, a certificate of
achievement in family-level invertebrate identification will be awarded. This course
is part of a series of FBA accredited invertebrate identification courses; future
courses will allow participants to demonstrate their skills in taking individual
groups of invertebrates to species level. Mike Dobson is the former Director of the
FBA and now a Principal Consultant for APEM Limited, with extensive experience
of teaching invertebrate identification at all levels. Simon Pawley is on the FBA
staff and has taught on a range of FBA invertebrate identification courses. Mike
and Simon are authors of the FBA publication SP67 Guide to British Freshwater
Macroinvertebrates for Biotic Assessment, a copy of which is included in the
course fee for each participant.
For further details or to book a place on a course, please visit www.fba.org.uk/
fba-training-courses or contact us at events@fba.org.uk or on 015394 42468.
This month’s articles
Stanford research shows value of clams, mussels in cleaning dirty water
Clams and mussels may represent a natural, low cost solution for dealing with
pollutants in waterways according to research published in Environmental Science
and Technology. The researchers subjected species of bivalves to wastewater with
various concentrations of chemicals and found that within 72 hours up to 80% of
pollutants had been removed.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/august/clams-clean-water-081214.html
Fresh water and fracking
Rapidly becoming one of the most contentious issues in the UK, research
published this month in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment examines the
impact of fracking on the environment. The researchers identify the huge amounts
of water needed during the lifetime of a well as a principal concern for wildlife.
http://www.theecologist.org/blogs_and_comments/commentators/2503450/
fracking_us_companies_and_regulators_must_disclose_environmental_data.html
Speed limits could save rarest dragonfly
Each year thousands of Hine’s emerald dragonflies are killed by vehicles in one of
the last strongholds of its population. Now researchers have found that imposing a
35 mph speed limit could help to save what is one of the USA’s rarest dragonflies.
http://news.yahoo.com/speed-limits-could-save-rarest-dragonfly-113135029.html
Growth drives UK flooding problems
A study published this month in Hydrological Sciences suggests that the UK’s
recent problems with flooding may be (in part) self-imposed. Using datasets going
back to 1884, a team of researchers from the University of Southampton have
found that the number of reported major flooding events has increased in parallel
with population growth and building in vulnerable areas.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28871577

3. Amazon’s biggest fish faces threat of extinction
One of the largest freshwater fish in the world, the Arapaima, is rapidly
disappearing from its Brazilian home according to a new study. However, in areas
where there are fishing regulations researchers report that there has been a
marked increase in numbers suggesting that the take up of best management
practice could safeguard the survival of the species whilst benefiting fishermen.
http://news.yahoo.com/amazons-biggest-fish-faces-threat-extinction-041220074.
html
Warts and all: Bid to save rare natterjack toads in Scotland
Researchers in Scotland are photographing the unique pattern of warts on
natterjack toads in an effort to build up a photographic database that will help
them monitor the rise and fall of the population over the years.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-28703591
Record-setting insect is bigger than your hand
The largest aquatic insect ever recorded has been discovered in the Sichuan
province of China. With a wingspan of 8 inches the new species of Ddbsonfly
unseats the previous record holder, the South American helicopter damselfly.
http://news.discovery.com/animals/insects/record-setting-bug-is-bigger-than-your-
hand-140723.htm
Australians called on to rescue dwindling river life
Research published this month in the Journal of Applied Ecology calls on
Australians to restore riparian vegetation in order to protect the rich wildlife of the
country’s rivers. The research examined the dual impact of climate and land use
change on aquatic systems, concluding that the two pressures are combining to
form a “double whammy” of threats to freshwater species.
http://phys.org/news/2014-07-australians-dwindling-river-life.html
Experts work to save rare fresh water pearl mussels in North Yorkshire
Experts from the University of York, the Environment Agency and the North
York Moors National Park are working on the Yorkshire Esk to help the critically
endangered freshwater pearl mussel. The group is giving mussel larvae, known as
glochidia, a helping hand by bringing them into close contact with their salmonid
fish hosts. It is hoped that this practice will lead to higher numbers of glochidia
maturing into juvenile mussels and establishing in the river bed.
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/11416548.Experts_work_to_save_North_
Yorks_mussels/?ref=rss
Much mirth as Sweden ‘mourns’ its oldest eel
With the summer silly season well upon us the death of the world’s oldest
European eel, who passed away after 155 years, spawned many jokes in its
Swedish homeland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28721701
Please forward this bulletin to any of your colleagues who may be
interested!