Biological monitoring working party
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The biological monitoring working party (BMWP) is a procedure for measuring water quality using species of macro-invertebrates as biological indicators. Different aquatic invertebrates have different tollerances to pollutants. Kick sampling, where a net is placed down stream from the sampler and the river bed is agitated with the foot for a given period of time, is employed. Any macro invertebrates caught in the net are stored and preserved with an alcohol solution. The presence of mayflies or stoneflies indicate the cleanest waterways and are given a score of 10 [1]. The number of different invertebrates is also a factor. The lowest scoring invertebrates are worms (Oligochaeta) which score 1.
[edit] Scoring table
| Group | Families | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Mayflies, Stoneflies, Tiverbug, Caddisflies or Sedgeflies | Siphlonuridae, Heptageniidae, Leptophlebiidae, Ephemerellidae, Potamanthidae, Ephemeridae, Taeniopterygidae, Leuctridae, Caprniidae, Perlodidae, Perlidae, Chloroperlidae, Aphelocheridae, Phryganeidae, Molannidae, Beraeidae, Odontoceridae, Leptoceridae, Goeridae, Lepidostomatidae, Brachycentridae, Sericostomatidae | 10 |
| Crayfish, Dragonflies | Astacidae, Lestidae, Agriidae, Gomphidae, Cordulegasteridae, Aeshnidae, Corduliidae, Libelluiidae | 8 |
| Mayflies, Stoneflies, Caddisflies or Sedge flies | Caenidae, Nemouridae, Rhyacophilidae, Polycentropidae, Limnephilidae | 7 |
| Snails, Caddisflies or Sedge flies, Mussels, Shrimps, Dragonflies | Neritidae, Viviparidae, Ancylidae, Hydroptilidae, Unionidae, Corophiidae, Gammaridae, Platycnemididae, Coenagriidae | 6 |
| Bugs, Beetles, Caddisflies or Sedgeflies, Craneflies/Blackflies, Flatworms | Mesoveliidae, Hydrometridae, Gerridae, Nepidae, Naucoridae, Notonectidae, Pleidae, Corixidae, Haliplidae, Hygrobiidae, Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Hydrophilidae, Clambidae, Helodidae, Dryopidae, Elmidae, Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae, Hydropsychidae, Tipulidae, Simuliidae, Planariidae, Dendrocoelida | 5 |
| Mayflies, Alderflies, Leeches | Baetidae, Sialidae, Piscicolidae | 4 |
| Snails, Cockles, Leeches, Hog louse | Valvatidae, Hydrobiidae, Lymnaeidae, Physidae, Planorbidae, Sphaeriidae, Glossiphoniidae, Hirudidae, Erpobdellidae, Asellidae | 3 |
| Midges | Chironomidae | 2 |
| Worms | Oligochaeta (whole class) | 1 |
