SNH Invertebrate Site Condition Monitoring 2015: Lurgie Loch SSSI

Quality Control

We have a very high level of confidence in this dataset. Where necessary, rare specimens were compared against reference collections, those held in the National Museums Scotland collection and identities confirmed with experts.

Method steps

1. Surveys targeted the invertebrate assemblage features of Lurgie Loch, however other taxa were also recorded. We used pond netting to sample aquatic Coleoptera at four locations on 12 August 2015; however, the site was too dry to sample all areas. Four locations were again sampled on 21 October 2015, but the site remained dry. The site was flooded during the third visit on 6 December 2015, when pond netting samples were collected from three locations to be sorted in the laboratory. In addition, limited litter searching was conducted. We selected sampling points to represent the range of habitats available. At each point we worked an area of 2 m2 with a D-framed net, mesh size 1 mm, and netted debris which was then sorted in the field. We identified and counted the majority of beetles in the field and returned them to the water. Specimens unidentifiable in the field were kept for confirmat

Lurgie Loch SSSI