EMS - Environmental Entomology - Invertebrate Surveys and Conservation

EMS Invertebrate Surveys

Invertebrate Surveys | Macroinvertebrate Surveys | Survey Design Advice | Post-Survey Analysis

Habitat Management for Invertebrate Conservation | Rebuttal Statements for Public Enquiries

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Comprehensive, competent and thorough invertebrate surveys and their correct interpretation are an important component of many environmental and conservation assessments

EMS have been leaders in this field for many years (see Client Portfolio and EMS Academic Publications) and can therefore provide unrivalled professional expertise in Invertebrate and Macroinvertebrate surveys:

Invertebrate Surveys

Baseline Surveys - invertebrate surveys that establish a species knowledge base for specified invertebrate groups on specific habitat types, usually conducted at the regional level, e.g.

EMS conducted baseline terrestrial invertebrate surveys of 109 sites on grousemoors within the Langholm-Newcastleton SSSI in the Scottish Borders and of 189 Exposed Riverine Sediment sites throughout Scotland, both for Scottish Natural Heritage.

Site Assessment Surveys - invertebrate surveys of specific sites, usually conducted as a requirement of the ecological component of EIA's and other planning processes, e.g.

EMS conducted terrestrial and aquatic site invertebrate surveys as part of EIA's on the potential effects of opencast mining at Sharlston Colliery, near Wakefield for RJB Mining and on sand dunes for a gas pipe line project at Redcar for AMOCO.

Invertebrate surveys of aquatic sites on agricultural land as part of EIA's for gas pipelines in north Norfolk and east Oxfordshire for TRANSCO.

Specialised Surveys - examples of specialised surveys that EMS have conducted include:

Investigating the presence of rare species of ground beetle on Saltfleetby NNR, Lincolnshire and a woodland survey at the University of Huddersfield to assess and investigate the potential for specific rare invertebrate species and the effects of land management scenarios.

Determining whether marks (deposits) on vegetation within the vicinity of an incineration plant at Pontypool, South Wales were of an entomological origin as part of an air particulate pollution investigation for Shanks Waste Solutions (formerly Rechem).

Invertebrate Identification - EMS offers a invertebrate identification service for groups used in environmental assessment.

Sample Sorting - EMS can provide a sample sorting service as a precursor to identification.

Macroinvertebrate Surveys

Static Water Bodies - macroinvertebrate surveys of ponds, temporary water and lake margins, e.g.

EMS has conducted (on a rolling, annual basis) macroinvertebrate surveys of three ponds in County Durham investigating the possible effect of opencast mining, for NCB/RJB Mining/Sunderland MBC, since 1992.

Running Water Bodies - macroinvertebrate surveys of headwaters, streams, rivers and ditches, e.g.

EMS conducted a stream and Exposed Riverine Sediment macroinvertebrate survey as part of an EIA for a flood alleviation scheme near Todmorden, for the Environment Agency and a baseline survey of macroinvertebrates in 341 stream headwater sites in the River Tyne catchment, for a NERC/ESRC/University of Newcastle funded land use project.

Macroinvertebrate Identification - EMS offers a macroinvertebrate identification service for groups used in environmental assessment.

Sample Sorting - EMS can provide a sample sorting service as a precursor to identification.

Survey Design Advice

Invertebrate and Macroinvertebrate Survey Design - with the increased requirement for invertebrate surveys in EIA's there is a need for the proposed survey to be properly planned.

EMS provide a survey vetting service so that time and money are not wasted on inappropriate survey design that can be vulnerable to future criticism.

Post-Survey Analysis

Data Analysis and Interpretation - once invertebrate data has been generated there is a requirement for interpretation within the correct context . This aspect of environmental assessment is often substandard. For example, the use of data from the Invertebrate Site Register, RECORDER and the various national rarity and scarcity statuses from JNCC reviews can be misleading since a considerable amount of the information is inaccurate and nearly all of it is out of date.

EMS's experience in all aspects of invertebrate survey, accessing invertebrate records and database building allows a more professional approach to data interpretation, (see EMS Academic Publications and Key Concerns, Problems and Solutions in Environmental Entomology).

Habitat Management for Invertebrate Conservation

EMS can provide advice on appropriate habitat management prescriptions for the conservation of specific invertebrate species or invertebrate species assemblages.

EMS can also provide advice on the provision and management of invertebrate habitats, (N.B. invertebrate habitats are not constrained by the same environmental variables as the habitats of birds and plants).

Rebuttal Statements for Public Enquiries

EMS provide an examination service for invertebrate information given to Public Enquiries. This can lead to either appropriate comments on the submitted work or the production of Rebuttal Statements.

Recent experience has indicated that invertebrate records and reports on the effect of environmental change on invertebrates are increasingly being put before Public Enquiries. In general, these data are poorly interpreted and conclusions tend to be based on inappropriate data sources, such as the Invertebrate Site Register, which can be inaccurate or out of date.

For more detailed information on EMS Survey Services please visit our technical information website at:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/emsinfo

For further information please contact:

Dr M.D.Eyre, 13 Manor Grove, Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7XQ

Telephone: 0191-2920291 Fax: 0191-2920292

e-mail: emsdata@blueyonder.co.uk