WFD Marine Plants GroupWFD Marine Plants GroupMaking the tools work in Milford Making the tools work in Milford

HavenHaven

Phytoplankton1. Composition and abundance % Diatoms

Dinoflagellate ratio (autotrophic : heterotrophic)Nuisance/harmful species

Common/Indicator taxa (e.g. 'top 10')Taxon diversity

2. Bloom Characteristics Significant growth period yr-1

No. of summer bloomsDuration of spring bloom (days)

3. Phytoplankton biomass Phytoplankton biomass (as chl-a)4. Tophic Status Phytoplankton Trophic Index

NutrientsConcentration DIN concentrationNutrients DINconcentration

DIP concentrationsDIP concentrations

DIN/DIP ratiosDIN/Si ratioDIN/Si ratio

Light availability Measurement of light availabilitySeasonal patterns DIN

DIPSi

Dilution curve DINDIPSi

MacroAlgaeAbundance Opportunistic macroalgal blooms % cover of available habitat

Biomass if >20%

Macroalgal diversity - inner Full spp listMacroalgal diversity - outer Full spp list

Macroalgal species richness Full spp list

Macroalgal species richness Reduced spp listDistribution & abundance Upstream penetration of fucoids

Angiosperms (seagrasses)Distribution % loss in coverComposition Number of speciesAbundance /Density Shoot Abundance (A)

Shoot Abundance (B)Ecological Health Epipyte cover

Epipyte cover (B)Ecological Health Wasting Disease (A)

Wasting Disease (B)

Classifying using the Classifying using the Phytoplankton tool kitPhytoplankton tool kit

Tool

Waterbody Typology%

Diatoms

Dinoflagellate ratio

(autotrophic: heterotrophic)

Nuisance/harmful species

Common / Indicator taxa (e.g. 'top 10')

Taxon diversity/

Taxa Richness

Bloom frequency (% annual

mean)

Summer blooms

(frequency)

Duration of spring

bloom (days)

Phytoplankton biomass (as

chl-a)Mean Score

Larne Lough Mid CW8 1 N/A 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1.00 HighNorth Wales (1991-95) CW4 1 N/A 0.6 N/A N/A 1 1 N/A N/A 0.90 HighThe Bann Estuary TW2 0.6 N/A 0.8 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.70 GoodThe Wash TW3 1 N/A 1 N/A 0.8 0.8 N/A N/A 0.6 0.84 HighOuter Wash CW3 1 N/A 0.8 N/A 0.8 0.6 0.6 N/A 0.8 0.77 Good

Phyto-plankton biomass

SPM Conc.

1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 1 2 3 4 5 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 1

Water body CW / TW?

Typology

max no. sample sites %

Dia

tom

s

Aut

otro

phic

: he

tero

trop

hic

(din

ofla

gella

te)

Nui

sanc

e/ha

rmfu

l spe

cies

Com

mon

/Ind

icat

or sp

ecie

s (to

p 10

taxa

)

Blo

om fr

eque

ncy

(% a

nnua

l mea

n)

Sum

mer

blo

oms (

freq

uenc

y)

Dur

atio

n of

spr

ing

bloo

m (d

ays)

Phyt

opla

nkto

n bi

omas

s (m

ax. c

hl-a

)

DIN

/DIP

> 5

0% a

bove

salin

ity r

elat

ed (T

W)

DIN

/ D

IP >

regi

on sp

ecifi

c ba

ckgr

ound

(CW

)

DIN

/DIP

> 5

0% a

bove

salin

ity r

elat

ed (T

W)

DIN

/ D

IP >

regi

on sp

ecifi

c ba

ckgr

ound

(CW

)

N /

P ra

tios

SPM

rel

ated

to sa

linity

abo

ve lo

ng te

rm m

ean?

?

DIN

DIP

Si DIN

DIP

Si % c

over

of a

vaila

ble

habi

tat

WITHAM TW 2GREAT OUSE TW 2WELLAND TW 2HUMBER TW 2THE WASH TW TW 2DART TW 1 60 L 1-10 10 5 20 15NENE TW 2THE WASH TE TE 4 50 M "1-10" 15 15 30 30 <1Central Cardigan Bay (ID 3) CW 5Northern Cardigan Bay (ID 61) CW 2

MacroAlgal ToolsAbundance

Opportunistic macroalgal

blooms

Seasonal patterns

Dilution curves

Nutrient tools

Composition & abundance

Bloom Characteristics

Phytoplankton Tools

Nutrient Concentration

Final ClassificationsFinal Classifications

Example (fictitious) Classification

Example Water body CW / TW? Phyto

plankt

on Tools

Mac

roal

gal T

ools

Mar

ine

Angis

perm

s

Benth

ic In

verte

brate

s

Transi

tional

Fis

h

Overa

ll cl

assi

ficat

ion

WITHAM TW M NA NA NA H M

GREAT OUSE TW G NA NA H H G

WELLAND TW M NA NA G H M

HUMBER TW H H NA G H G

THE WASH TW TW G H NA H H G

DART TW H H H H H H

NENE TW M NA NA M G M

THE WASH TE TE G H NA H H G

Central Cardigan Bay (ID 3) CW H H NA H NA H

Northern Cardigan Bay (ID 61) CW H H NA H NA H

North Cornish Coast (ID 60) CW H H NA H NA H

DEE (N. WALES) TW G M NA G NA M

NW, Liverpool Bay to Solway (ID 64) CW M NA NA G NA M

Lincs Coast (part ID 50) CW H NA NA NA NA H

North Norfolk Coast (part ID 30)CW H NA H H NA H

Berwick upon Tweed (part ID 44)CW H H NA G NA G

Unlucky estuary TW P H H H H P

Milford Haven: Using the tools Milford Haven: Using the tools in combinationin combination

© Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Environment Agency, 100026380, 2004. UK TAG Typology work in progress 12/03

11976532

15

10

5

0

Monthly means of Milford Haven chlorophyll a data overlaid on functional seasonalthresholds

25

20

15

10

5

0

25

20

15

10

5

0

Milford Haven chlorophyll a data overlaid on envelope of variability constructed for CW 4

Milford Haven Milford Haven

Historical dataHistorical data

Transect surveys – upper to lower shore

Transect survey – widest part of bed

Edge of continuous bed

Perimeter of outlying patches

Example of survey

Abundance: areal cover & density

Track 6 A Green Marcoalgae bed -Hazel beach from pontoon to furthest point 92025.8 0.09Track 6 B Green Marcoalgae bed -Hazel beach from furthest point back to pontoon 86659.5 0.09

50-70% Apparent Coverage: 1most sub areas <25% cover: 2most algae wet weight <1g: 4no biological disturbance: 4Mean: 2.75Classification: Good

94 94 HighHigh

33 33 ModMod

54 54 GoodGood

Increasing:Increasing:HighHigh

65 65 GoodGood

65 65 GoodGood 54 54 GoodGood

Green Macro:Green Macro:GoodGood

S.TownsendiS.Townsendi

PoorPoor

Green Macro Absent:Green Macro Absent:HighHigh

Phytoplankton, nuts & turbidityPhytoplankton, nuts & turbidity::

HighHigh//GoodGood

Algal Blooms and ChlorophyllAlgal Blooms and Chlorophyll 3 HABS Groups3 HABS Groups

– Group 1 - Potential to impact on human healthGroup 1 - Potential to impact on human health Dinophysis acuta (DSP), Dinophysis acuminata (DSP),

Alexandrium tamarense (PSP), Alexandrium minutum (PSP), Protoperidinium crassipes/curtipes (AZP) and Pseudo-nitzshia spp. (ASP)

– Group 2 - Potential to impact on marine fauna Karenia mikimotoi, Prorocentrum balticum,

Heterosigma akashiwo, Noctiluca scintillans and large Chaetoceros species such as C. convolutus

– Group 3 - Eutrophication indicators & over 105 cells

eg Phaeocystis

– NB G2 split on database to separate toxic and nuisance

HABs and ChlorophyllHABs and Chlorophyll Base Chlorophyll Criterion on salinity:Base Chlorophyll Criterion on salinity:

>15 MedianTidal Fresh Waters

Or >30 90%ile

>15 MedianIntermediate

Or >30 90 % ile

>10 MedianFully Saline

Or >20 90%ile

ABs and ChlorophyllABs and Chlorophyll

Attribute NumericCriterion

Running 5-Year percentage of events exceedingthe criteria

High Good Medium Poor BadChlorophyll Note1 Scaled by Salinity <10% 10-24% 25-49% 50-89% >90%Group 1 HAB Species Note2 >10^5 cells l-1 <10% 10-24% 25-49% 50-89% >90%Group 2 HAB Species Note3 >10^6 cells l-1 <10% 10-24% 25-49% 50-89% >90%Group 3 HAB Species Note4 >10^5 cells l-1 <10% 10-24% 25-49% 50-89% >90%

ExamplesExamples

ABs Year by YearABs Year by Year

Waterbody Name Year

Sampling Occassion

s

Other Eutro count

Percent other Eutro

N2 Count

Percent N2

N3 count

Percent N3

T1 Count

Percent T1

T2 Count

Percent T2

Larne Lough Mid 1991 5 4 80.00Larne Lough Mid 1992 5 1 20.00 1 20.00Larne Lough Mid 1993 4 2 50.00Larne Lough Mid 1994 9 4 44.44 1 11.11Larne Lough Mid 1995 10 3 30.00 1 10.00Larne Lough Mid 1996 6Larne Lough Mid 1997 6 2 33.33Larne Lough Mid 1998 4North Wales 1991 5 5 100.00 1 20.00North Wales 1992 5 2 40.00 1 20.00 1 20.00North Wales 1993 5 3 60.00 2 40.00North Wales 1994 10 5 50.00 1 10.00 1 10.00North Wales 1995 10 6 60.00 1 10.00 2 20.00North Wales 1996 6North Wales 1997 6 2 33.33North Wales 1998 4North Wales 1999 8North Wales 2000 15 3 20.00 3 20.00North Wales 2001 11 4 36.36 4 36.36North Wales 2002 6 3 50.00 3 50.00

ABs ABs Keep on Running 5 year %Keep on Running 5 year %

Waterbody Name YearSampling

Occassions

Other Eutro count

Percent other Eutro

N2 Count

Percent N2

N3 count

Percent N3

T1 Count

Percent T1 T2 Count

Percent T2

Running 5yr %Larne Lough Mid 1991-95 33 14 42.4 1 3.0 0 0.0 2 6.1 0 0Larne Lough Mid 1992-96 34 10 29.4 1 2.9 0 0.0 2 5.9 0 0Larne Lough Mid 1993-97 35 11 31.4 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 5.7 0 0Larne Lough Mid 1994-98 35 9 25.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 5.7 0 0North Wales 1991-95 35 21 60.0 1 2.9 3 8.6 6 17.1 0 0North Wales 1992-96 36 16 44.4 1 2.8 2 5.6 6 16.7 0 0North Wales 1993-97 37 16 43.2 0 0.0 2 5.4 5 13.5 0 0North Wales 1994-98 36 13 36.1 0 0.0 2 5.6 3 8.3 0 0North Wales 1995-99 34 8 23.5 0 0.0 1 2.9 2 5.9 0 0North Wales 1996-00 39 5 12.8 0 0.0 3 7.7 0 0.0 0 0North Wales 1997-01 44 9 20.5 0 0.0 7 15.9 0 0.0 0 0North Wales 1998-02 44 10 22.7 0 0.0 10 22.7 0 0.0 0 0

ABs Final ClassificationABs Final Classification

Waterbody Name Year Grp1 Grp2 Grp3 Chl AOverall Score

Overall classification

Rolling 5 YearsLarne Lough Mid 1991-95 1 1 0.6 0.87 HighLarne Lough Mid 1992-96 1 1 0.6 0.87 HighLarne Lough Mid 1993-97 1 1 0.6 0.87 HighLarne Lough Mid 1994-98 1 1 0.6 0.87 High

North Wales 1991-95 0.8 1 0.4 0.73 ModerateNorth Wales 1992-96 0.8 1 0.6 0.80 GoodNorth Wales 1993-97 0.8 1 0.6 0.80 GoodNorth Wales 1994-98 1 1 0.6 0.87 HighNorth Wales 1995-99 1 1 0.8 0.93 HighNorth Wales 1996-00 1 1 0.8 0.93 HighNorth Wales 1997-01 1 1 0.8 1 0.95 HighNorth Wales 1998-02 1 1 0.8 1 0.95 High