The River Communities Group
(based at the Freshwater Biological Association River Laboratory at East Stoke in Dorset)
The River Communities Group seeks to advance understanding of freshwater ecosystems such that they can be better protected and managed sustainably in a changing environment.
There are currently seven members of staff in the Group, with over 90 years of professional experience in freshwater research between them:
Dr J. Iwan Jones, Dr Amanda Arnold, John Blackburn, Charles Duerdoth, Adrianna Hawczak, Dr John Murphy, & Dr James Pretty.
The Group is fully integrated with the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and there is active collaboration with SBCS staff on a number of different research projects, supervision of postgraduate students and teaching. Being based at the Freshwater Biological Association’s River Laboratory in Dorset, along with other SBCS staff (Prof. Bland Finlay FRS), also provides excellent opportunities for cooperation with other research organisations and access to experimental facilities at the Laboratory.
The Group has a renowned history of research into human impacts on freshwater ecosystems, formerly as part of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and forebears, and more recently as part of Queen Mary, University of London. The Group developed the River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification (RIVPACS) method for biomonitoring of rivers using macroinvertebrates, in its latest form (River Invertebrate Classification Tool) the standard Water Framework Directive compliant tool used by governmental monitoring agencies throughout the UK (EA, SEPA, NIEA). While the Group is still very active in this exciting and rapidly-developing area of research, over the past decade it has broadened its range of research areas. Our current portfolio of research interests can be divided into three main areas, as well as an overarching fundamental concern regarding the impact of future climate change on freshwater ecosystems.
Quality assurance and uncertainty in bioassessments
As the leading freshwater macroinvertebrate laboratory in the UK, the River Communities Group provides the national benchmark. We provide a quality assurance auditing service to all government environment protection agencies in the UK (EA, SEPA & NIEA). Auditing of family, species and mixed taxonomic level samples is provided. The Group also offers the audit service to other organisations and consultancies that undertake biological monitoring of freshwaters. Please contact Dr. James Pretty to discuss your requirements; costs vary according to requirements.
The River Communities Group provides support and advice to customers such as the EA, SNIFFER and the European Commission on how best to quantify levels of uncertainty in bioassessments and how to incorporate the results into reporting of water quality status and change.
The River Communities Group is currently assessing the influence of agricultural practices on freshwater ecosystems at a catchment-scale. The Group is assessing the effectiveness of agri-environment schemes in maintaining and improving the condition of streams and ponds. The Group is also investigating the impact of fine sediment run-off from agriculture on streams, with the aim of developing better land management systems to reduce such inputs.
Development of bioassessment methods
The River Communities Group has lead pioneering work in the development of RIVPACS and the reference condition approach to bioassessment, now enshrined in the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Implementing the EU WFD provides substantial challenges to environment protection agencies in the UK and elsewhere in the EU. The River Communities Group provides solutions by developing and testing field protocols and biotic indices of stress.
The River Communities Group collaborates closely with QMUL biologists and international colleagues to meticulously describe and quantify stream food webs.
The Group is particularly focussed on the consequences of top-down and bottom-up disturbances to food webs.
For all enquiries, please contact:
Dr J. Iwan Jones
Tel: +44 (0)1929 401 892
email: j.i.jones@qmul.ac.uk