UKTAG Biological Assessment Methods
UKTAG has developed methodologies for assessing the condition of the biological quality elements and these are set out in the UKTAG method statements below. These biological assessment methods are final except where stated. The method statements listed below explain the sampling and analysis involved and indicate how to calculate the ecological quality ratio for each classification tool. The class boundary standards are not found in these documents. These have been published by Ministers and links to these documents can be found below.
Scotland River Basin District (Surface Water Typology, Environmental Standards, Conditions Limits and Groundwater Threshold Values) Directions 2009
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/01/06141049/1
The Solway Tweed (Scotland) River Basin District (Surface Water Typology, Environmental Standards, Conditions Limits and Groundwater Threshold Values) Directions 2009
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/12/14130958/0
England and Wales River Basin District (Surface Water Typology, Environmental Standards, Conditions Limits and Groundwater Threshold Values) Directions 2009
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/wfd/documents/river-basin-typology-standards.pdf
UKTAG Lake Assessment Methods
- Macrophytes and Phytobenthos, Phytobenthos (Diatom Assessment of Lake Ecological Quality (DARLEQ))
- Macrophytes and Phytobenthos, Macrophytes (LEAFPACS)
- Macrophytes and Phytobenthos, Macrophytes (FREE INDEX)
- Phytoplankton, Chlorophyll a and Percentage Nuisance Cyanobacteria
- Benthic Invertebrate Fauna, Chironomid Pupal Exuviae Technique (CPET)
- Benthic Invertebrate Fauna, Lake Acidification Macroinvertebrate Metric (LAMM)
UKTAG River Assessment Methods
- Macrophytes and Phytobenthos, Macrophytes (LEAFPACS)
- Benthic Invertebrate Fauna, River Invertebrate Classification Tool (RICT)
- Macrophytes and Phytobenthos, Phytobenthos (Diatom Assessment of River Ecological Status (DARES))
- Fish Fauna, Fish Classification System (FCS)
- Benthic Invertebrate Fauna, Scottish Acid Water Indicator Community (SAWIC)
UKTAG Transitional and Coastal Water Assessment Methods
- Macroalgae, Macroalgae bloom assessment (Opportunistic Macroalgae)
- DRAFT Angiosperms, Seagrass (Zostera) Seabed Assessment
UKTAG Coastal Water Assessment Methods
- Benthic Invertebrate fauna, Dog whelks (Nucella lapillus) - imposex
- Benthic Invertebrate Fauna, Benthic Invertebrates (Infaunal Quality Index (IQI))
- Macroalgae Rocky Shore Reduced Species List
- Phytoplankton, Phytoplankton Multi-metric Tool Kit