Vegetation communities of British lakes: a revised classification
(2006)
Duigan CA, Kovach WL, Palmer M.
This report presents the results of the statistical analysis of the enlarged dataset following the first comprehensive classification scheme for standing waters in Britain
Summary
The
first comprehensive classification scheme for standing waters in
Britain (Palmer 1992; Palmer et al. 1992) was based on macrophyte
surveys carried out by the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) from
1124 standing waters throughout England, Scotland and Wales between
1975 and 1988. This dataset became an important source of
information used for a variety of purposes including conservation
site selection and the identification of aquatic communities in the
National Vegetation Classification (NVC) (Rodwell
et al.
1995). The macrophyte records were also used in a number of atlases
(Preston & Croft 1997; Preston
et al. 2002).
Since then, the NCC and its successor organisations
(Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), English Nature (EN) and
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)) have commissioned a substantial
number of additional lake surveys, leading to the establishment of
a much larger dataset with records from 3447 sites (310 England, 38
Wales and 3099 Scotland). The advent of the Habitats Directive
(Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural
habitats and of wild fauna and flora) and more recently the
Water Framework Directive (Directive of the European Parliament
and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action in
the field of water policy) provided the incentive for the
production of a revised classification using this larger dataset,
supplemented by environmental data.
This report presents the results of the statistical analysis
of the enlarged dataset. Differences from the previous
classification are highlighted. The important components of this
report include:
- separate ecological descriptions of 11 distinct lake groups
(A-J);
- a revised key for the classification of newly surveyed
sites;
- updated distribution maps showing the distribution of sites
within each lake group, supported by summary environmental data and
macrophyte constancy tables;
- the earlier Trophic Ranking Scheme (TRS) is replaced by a Plant
Lake Ecotype Index (PLEX), which reflects the fit with the new
classification scheme rather than a perceived simple trophic
relationship.
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ISBN 1 86107 575 8
Please cite as: Duigan CA, Kovach WL, Palmer M., (2006), Vegetation communities of British lakes: a revised classification, Online only, ISBN 1 86107 575 8