SNH Invertebrate Site Condition Monitoring 2015-16: Den of Airlie SSSI

Quality Control

We have a very high level of confidence in this dataset. The recorder and/or determiner is a highly experienced ecologist. 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 feature of Den of Airlie SSSI.; however, sampling of other terrestrial invertebrate species was also undertaken. Surveys for Mollusca were undertaken on 20/09/2015 and 12/11/2015 and involved two full-day walkovers along the scarp top and river bank on the east side of the river Isla. Active searches were carried out at frequent stops for the target species Malacolimax tenellus. Search areas focused on deciduous trees, stumps, logs, litter and fungi because of the species association with fungi. All specimens of M. tenellus were photographed, and the locations recorded with a GPS. All other mollusc species identified were assigned a GPS grid reference. A single 1 L bulk litter sample was taken on 20 September 2015 from a steep bank of oak and beech woodland (NO295519). The sample was air-dried, sieved, and examined under low-power microscopy to extract mollusc shells. Surveys for Diptera species were completed on 06/08/2015 by using aerial netting throughout the reserve (NO292522), concentrating on nectar and pollen sources. The aerial net had a gape of approximately 0.5 m in diameter and was attached to a 3-m long pole. Netted specimens were collected with a pooter for identification. In targeting Lipsothrix errans, sweeping was concentrated over woodland streams with large amounts of partially submerged deadwood. Sampling of other terrestrial invertebrates was undertaken using a combination of bark traps, active searching beneath loose bark and bugvac. Bugvac sampling was undertaken on 06/08/2015.Bark traps were set in trees on 18/05/2015 and collected on 06/08/2015. A single bark trap was set in ten locations. Each trap consisted of two layers of plastic bubble wrap (40 x 40 cm), with bubbles facing each other so as to provide artificial a^??barka^?? habitat. Dark plastic was used to cover the traps to keep out light, and they were wrapped around a tree with wire at 1.5 m height. Traps were then left in situ for several weeks to allow invertebrates to colonise this new habitat. Afterwards invertebrates between the traps and tree bark and between the bubble wrap layers were collected and the traps removed.

Den of Airlie SSSI