Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 357, P. 120716 - 120716

Published: April 1, 2024

Small watercourses are essential contributors to catchment water quality, but they continue suffer degradation across Europe. A results-based agri-environment scheme, aimed at improving watercourse quality in Ireland, developed a rapid drainage assessment identify point source risks. The uses scoring system based on visual indicators of nutrient and sediment risk, linking the outcomes farmer payments. To understand how this novel risk relates instream we used three macroinvertebrate-based biotic indices (Q-value, Stream Impact Score Proportion Sediment Sensitive Invertebrates). Macroinvertebrate kick-sampling physiochemical analysis were completed May July 2021 for 12 'At Risk' 'Not small as identified by scheme. Results show that scheme's can risks found it does not directly reflect local assessed indices. Unexpectedly, showed 58% upstream (control) sampling points, indicating impacts captured assessment. displayed high heterogeneity, with significant species turnover between months. was less influenced temporal change than Q-value index. There relationship sedimentation, quantified Invertebrates. Including measurement sedimentation assessments would improve identification management. These results payments payment schemes could positively contribute scale further work is required capture wider sources freshwater impacts.

Language: Английский